THE POLICE OF ST. PAUL: 1896

The detective, or secret service department, is another that claims attention albeit, as its name implies, we cannot know its inner workings and mysterious methods. Something can be told of it, however. The officers of this department are in citizens' dress and carry about them no mark of their employment, either in appearance or manner. The pickpocket taking advantage of a thronged thoroughfare and fancying himself free from observation, filches his victim's purse and feels the grip of the law the next moment, in the person of an inoffensive looking person at his elbow, but who happens to be one of Chief O'Connor's men with a perspicacious eye. Or down at the union depot, where the heavily laden trains roll in hour after hour throughout the twenty-four and the passengers pass in hurried crowds to and from the way gates. There are a brace of detectives there. Presently one of them goes up to a man just alighted from the train and begs the privilege of five seconds' conversation. "I don't know you from Adam," says the newly arrived shortly. "Oh, that's all right," says the detective. "That makes no difference. But I know you, and that's where it is, you see," and tells the newly arrived bluntly that he's thus and so from such a place, naming a noted crook from New York—Boston—Philadelphia—Chicago—anywhere, and what his particular style of crime is, and a very brief, but exact biography of this entire stranger which disconcerts him. "And now, you skip," says the detective in conclusion. "You can't do any work here and we won't have it. Here's the ticket office right handy and a train out every two or three minutes. Skip." "Where to?" asks the now thoroughly abashed newly arrival. "Oh, anywhere out of town. I don't care which way you go so long as you go it." Thus detective who has never set eyes on the man before. But there is a quaint gallery of rogues' pictures up at headquarters, with a succinct history of the personages there represented, and detective has made the most of his opportunities. They are busy men, the detectives, and their hours of labor are from early dawn until any time into the depth of night.

The city advanced in its standard of virtue during the past year and was 11 per cent better in 1895 than in 1894. There were 4,571 arrests last year, or 578 less than the year before. Of the arrests in 1895, the central station made 2,601; Rondo street, 437; Margaret street, 743; Ducas street, 702; Prior avenue, 88. There were 2,457 box calls for wagon, 1,263 special calls, and 390 fires reported over the police patrol wires. The patrol wagons, of which there is one at each station, traveled 8,413 miles in the course of the year and made or assisted in 3,014 arrests.

In 1889, by an act of the legislature, a police pension fund was created, made up of 10 per cent of the moneys paid into the municipal court as fines in criminal cases; also fines imposed by the mayor or members of the police force for dereliction of duty. There are three classes of pensioners provided for: First, widows of members of the police force, killed while in actual performance of police duty or dying from injuries received under like circumstances, an amount not exceeding $400 per year. Second, to any child or children of such member leaving no widow, or, if leaving a widow, then after her death, an amount not exceeding $400 a year, to such child or children under eighteen years of age. Third: to members of the force who are not less than fifty years old and after twenty or more years of continuous service, or who shall be totally disabled from injuries received in the discharge of police duty, a sum during life equal to one-half pay, not exceeding $1,000 a year. Pensions of widows terminate if they remarry, and those of children when they arrive at the age of eighteen. The conduct of this fund is in the hands of a pension board consisting of the mayor, city treasurer and police committee of the council. There are now on the pension roll six retired officers and three widows of deceased officers, as follows: Henry Galvin [served 1856-1892], Isaac D. Morgan [served 1866-1893], William O'Keefe [served 1872-1892], Robert Palmer [served 1896-1892], John Vogtle [served 1872-1892], Edward Shields [served 1868-1892]; Mrs. Mary McCarrick, Mrs. Caroline Costello and Mrs. Hermine Bresette. The aggregate monthly pension payment at present is $337.50.

The present force is composed of a fine body of healthy, stalwart men, of whom the big chief, John Clark, is a splendid specimen, Six feet tall, well-proportioned, a kindly face and unassuming manner, large grey eyes, clear and penetrating, and a firm and prominent chin; that is the St. Paul chief of police. Chief Clark is the veteran of the force and has reached his present position through a series of earned promotions which carried him from the lowest to the highest position in the department. He was appointed patrolman, April 21, 1871, promoted to be sergeant in 1875, captain in 1878, and chief in 1882, in which capacity he has since served except during the brief interval of the Wright administration. He has the entire confidence of the whole citizenship and the sincere respect and warm-hearted regard of every member of his force. Chief Clark is a native of New York, whence he came to St. Paul forty-one years ago.

John J. O'Connor, chief of detectives, is a Kentuckian by birth, but only missed being a native St. Paul boy by one year. He came to this city with his parents in 1856 and was engaged in mercantile pursuits during his young manhood. On March 9, 1881, he was appointed to the police force in the capacity of detective, and a few years later was made chief of that branch of the service. Chief O'Connor has a special adaptation for his work and is counted by competent judges as among the shrewdest and best detectives in the country. Under his guidance the work of the secret service department has been very thorough and efficient.

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