, 1875-06-15
KEH0E'S GAS BILL.
Was Money Used mt Springfield to
I)efcAt 1t?
Senator Kehoe Says He Was Approached,
but Will Give No Names.
Louis Aml)crg Denies that lie Wna t)1c
Man.

Man.
At tho last session ot this Legislature Senator
MilcH Kotoc introduced bill To g!vo tho Com.
lnon Councils of cities powor to regulate tic
quality aud pr'co OF gas. Tho bill co'npclled
tLeln tn advertise for propoaals. aud to award
tho gas contract to tho lowest responsible bidder
for a term not o1cenllng two years.. Th!s prorta-
ion would have had direct iu1luauce On tho
formation 0f new companies. II tlo :" loTost
hldder " mas not m oxiHtiuR company, pcEmis-
Al0n TO lay down pipes would hRve had to bo
granted 10 onablo tho party to fulfl the contract.
Many people. who wete dissatisfied with the aInail
| mcrcics OF tho present gas companies, welcomed
tho bill, and prayed for It's passage 10 relieve
| tsleu from tho dtscotnforts Of bad gan
| aud little Of ii. Tho progress Of
tho bill in tho scnnto WAS kconly watched, and it
was Will, great modification tho c!aes alluded to
otacrved ite chances Of SUCCESS grow small Iy
degrees and beautifully loss. Soveral legislators
who Ind favored tho bi!1 on itB Introduction took
| to working sgainst It, anh, notwithstanding tho
grcat o!Eolts of lts supporters, y was ultimately
| defeated. 1t wah whispered at tho tlae that
| UNFAIR lSFLuEHCEs
IND been uaad agasuAs the measure, hnf although
sono Of tho rnfnora were ia p'asfblc ~ slgili'i-
cant, no dct!ntto chargs .vas preferred. foAter-
day mornjng TntDusE reporter obtained in.
formation Which III measure clears tip what
ever wah dark aud mysterious about tho matter
4 gentleman, who was ready md willing
to support llis statement by m all-
daeit. declared that Mies kohoe had
ststed publicly that t.; 'h. Louis .u,!t Atmabers
900 whorewith to induce scnatora aud 1sepro-
Bohtatiyea to yoto aga1lIBs tho GnH bill that lIo
(Keaoe) was approached by Anlbosg. who was
Tint le refused to hold auy Huch contcrouce. aud
declined to llave anything to say to AmborE uil-
lcsH third party Was prcsant that tn tlIo pfcs-
es'co Of Representative Armstrong AnborE Of
bull md that ho (Kehoo) afterwards aco''sod o
CooIt County nc1lbeE Ut tho uouso of accepting
| tho money.
lu order to got at tho truth Of tho statement,
| tho 1oportct wc1t III search Of
| SENATOR KE!ioB,
whom he found at Lis residence, cotncr OF
14ooIniB and 1lenry Htrcots. Mr. Kehoo was not
disposed 10 reslso tho nastes but, atter lear1l-
! lux what las boon related above, lo said:
"Ihat statoment Ia not strictly accurate.
know OF money being used indirectly, but had
no conclusive proof; sany ta.c, uo specific
amount waH otforcd to MO"
'Did any QUO oGer to L.lbo you ," quered tho
"TAo question was naked mo how muc!, II
would take to dcfoas tho blll. A gentleman re-
quossed an interview with mo, limiting what ita
to say except In tito presence Of nnoshcr par.
ty. Tho iutotvlew waA held when q third
party waa presont md, afsor considerable
askod low much rus necessary to koop mo stiil.
! thought the bill waa OF great Importance to
the public aud refuA0d to negotiate With
sDid tho rnattor rest thero7"
ait did Oh far ~ was concerned. would
haro nothing to do with t4o proposal, but
heard great many stories Of improror employ
lnent of money. and, In dofcn.e Of tho muasuro.
threatened to expose tho party"
| /" WhAt effect hal yn)lr tR1fnatH7H
."Woll, tho party made llInaelf acarce for q
timo."
Can you givo mo tho Ecnllemsn's name who
offered tho moncy i" asked tho reporter.
II promised to keep tho transaction socret, :"
responded Mr.. Kehoo, .'and 1t Is a little late In
| the day now to reylyo tho mattuE"
!" 1s shcro any truth In thu Insertion that you
Of taking tho money!"
~ did not mako such IN accusation. HAIpEne
voted IN committee. agalnae Recommending ita
people who elected hin desired him to yoso. lilo
replied be thought ho Ind, and | throw out tho
| it,slnuation that uuduo Influences lad bcou om-
ployed to aecnro Ills roto. I know nothing Of
to tho BILL"
mouoy?"
and triad to teep ine to tho dark as to their
cpcratlons. The blll was stolen two Of three
times, and turned up again rory myssorlousy.
30 desperate wero tho efforts 1nudc to dostroy It
that tho Clerk had to carry 1t In hts pocket for
safety. There is no question that money WAS
uBe0."
"wAs LOUIS AsrnEnn
at Springfield during tho session I" ...
" IIo wna. llo worked hard agaInet tho bill,
md pretended to havo lottors in ha possession
from Certain Aldermen ct Chicago showing they
were anxious for its passagc."
t.r, rw.at VI was bis object in mentioning tho lot
"1Ie cytdontly Thought II It raa circulated
shat tho bill MAS wanted By tho Aldermen tint
honest mon would voto against It."
:Do you know who employed Alr. Ambore Z"
Company, Dtt afterwards learned that that waa
not tho case. Whoever eont him, lIo was not
satisfied with hta subsequent treatment. l mot
him after my return from Springfield. and asked
him II ho lad made sufficient to 10 into tho
banking busl1,eaa:. ue said: .D--n 'o1n: they
didut treat me veil; II got the chance will
Work against them noxt session."
Taaa Terminated the nsessew With Senator
Of somo prominonce. having boon Clerk Of tho
West Side rolioo Court, Aaaeusos for West
! Chicago. and candidate for other positions OF
emiuence, tho reporter Thought that, thongh lii.
A. is . man Of unqucslioncd honesty. yet lie
would lsAo to publicly douy the unjust tnsiuua-
tions uado against him. llo accordingly went
III SEARCH OF 3tl. AMuEnG,
nntf, after Bono lfttlo trouble, actually discovered
him !n tho "banking business," corner Of DIuo
Island Ayonno and Twelfth street. hIr. Amberg
was not lnclned to sAy anything, re1narking that
had sStoa from pSslss an d not s fos
nanauyorlng, during which the bank manager
ascortsiuea that tito reporter Was in poyscssi1a
OF some tacts which, II nubjehod roald certainly
give sweeping donlal to tho whole charge. He
declared ho did ''notlMng OF tho kind at spring.
field, aud Hss not in the employ Of any OF tic
oompaniea. lle wes an.Ious that ~ name