The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-05-10
THE DIXON ALDERMEN WHO WERE
BRIBED TO PURCHASE THE DEATH
TRAp

! Special Telegram to the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
'NEw YORK, May Ga letter is pub
lished this afternoon in which it is distinct
" and explicitly charged that Truesdel
obtained the contract for building the
bridge at Dixon, ILL.,, which fell Sunday, by
bribery. 1t is said he bought four of the
eight Aldermen Of the city, at prices rang
ing from $500 to $500 each The names
of h. b. Baker and H. p. Becker are CIV
en- as having received $500 and $400, re-
spectively, and the transactions are SAID to
have been effected through III. Ii. Dickson.
Mr.. Baker was at one time postmaster OF
Dixon, and he is the father of Irene Baker,
who is reported as among the killed. 1t
this story is true, Baker has met with
woful judgment in the killing of his own
daughter.
In addition to the foregoing we publish
the following:
From the Chicago Times, May S
The Dixon Horror.
Facts that have been brought to the
public attention since the horrible catas-
trophe at Dixon show beyond any doubt
that that disaster, by which three score of
human beings were suddenly launched into
eternity, was the natural consequence of a
Credit Mobiler operation The worthless
and dangerous 'Truesdell bridge, erected
at Dixon, was the consequence of venality
and corruption on the part Of public serv-
ants. The owner of that wretched death
trap procured its adoption by the Dixon
Board of Aldermen, by placing money or
patronage, or both, where it would do
the most good. In plain words Dixon
Aldermen were bribed to adopt structure
which all capable engineers condemned.
The disaster which has filled the city of
Dixon with mourning for half hundred
victims, murdered at one fell swoop by the
downfall of the continuance, was the con-
sequence of corruption in the public ser
vice.
The fact is so clearly shown that thouS-
ands will be ready to say the bribe-taking
aldermen of Dixon should be hanged
But softly. Let him among you who is
without sin east the first stone Let him
among you who has never aided to place
in the public service a person whom You
would hesitate to trust III your private ser
vice who has never supported as the
candidate Of the party person whose
integrity you doubted who has never re
garded with a lenient leaning the briber-
les Of Coltax, a Kelley, a Dawes, or a
Wilson; who has never said he had faith
in men who, refusing to punish bribery,
vote the contents of the public treasury
into their own pockets let such man, if
such there be among you, condemn the
Dixon imitators of Washington bribery
and scoundrelism. For the branch is but
an offshoot Of the bole The Dixon Credit
MObilites are but imitators of the Wash
ington Credit Mobihtes, and their offend
ing is trivial by comparison TO the whole
sale villainy Of their Congressional exem-
plars
Should they MT then be punished ?
They should be by all lawful means. The
government that fails 10 punish villainy in
its own members is the worst government
of which it is possible to form any concep-
ton The Washington government is
among the worst The Dixon government
will prove itself TO be better if its grand
juries will indict and its courts win convict
the bride taking aldermen whose corrup-
ton has resulted SO terribly. To punish
wrong-doers is the one only useful function
of the government, and the government
that fails in the execution Of that function
is, to the extent of such failure, fraud
upon humanity and a disgrace to civiliza-
ton. The Washington government is GER
tainly in this category. How is it with
the Dixon imitation?