Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-09-10
TIE BRIBERY CASES.
BILLS AGAINST FOURTEEN PER.
SONS.
WHO THE INDICTED PARTIES ARE-sEv
EN- MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE IN THE
LIsT-A NUMBER OF PROMINENT
CITIZENS CALLED UPON
TO ANSWER.

Special Correspondence Of The Phila Times.
HARRISBURG, August 81,
Fourteen bills of Indictment have
been found by the grand jury of this
county for corrupt solicitation in and
about the Legislature, for perjury and
for conspiracy to promote legislative
corruption. All the persons arraigned
are more or less prominent in political
or business circles, or in both, and the
trial of these defendents in November
will attract large degree of public
interest. OF tho fourteen persons in
dicted seven are members of the pres.
ent House, one is the active man in
pressing the prosecutions against his
colleagues, and two others are the
chief witnesses on the part of the Com.
monwealth. Charles S. Wolf Repre-.
sentative from Union, Is the member
who was the most active man in press
ing the investigation last winter and
in pushing the cases into the Quarter
Sessions. He is Republican member
OF four sessions experience in the
House, having been elected in 1873,
reelected in 1874 for two sessions and
again elected in 1873 He was the
leader in the expulsion of Petroff from
the House in 1876 for the same charge
OF conspiring topromote corrupt solici.
tatlon that is now made against him
by our grand jury.
Emil J. Petroff, member from the
Fifth district of Philadelphia, has
had a good deal of legislative expert
ence and more or less trouble in public
life. lie is now in his thirty.frst year,
having been born in Philadelphia in
1S4S. He received an education in
the public schools, and became q COM
positor He was first elected to the
House in the fall of 1874, for the ses-
sions Of 1875 and 1876. In the latter
year he was expelled for what the reso-
luton of expulsion said was-'conducted
unbecomlng amember, "butit was more
explicitly for conspiracy to promote
corrupt solicitation in connection with
the Susquehanna boom bill. In the
fall of 1876 he was returned to the
House, however, and reelected last
year. Mr.. Petroff is Republican.
William +. Rumberger is a Republi-
can member from Armstrong, who had
his first legislative experience last
winter, although he had previously
held local offices. lie is q native of
Huntingdon county, where he was
born in 1916. He became a woolen
manufacturer and is still in that bust
ness. lie was Deputy United States
Marshal in 1860 and served as a Jus.
tice of the Peace from 1863 TO 1868.
Daniel @. Clark, of the Thirteenth
district, Philadelphia. is Republican,
a native of Lebanon county, and now
forty four years old. lie was educated
at the Lebanon Valley College, then
Annvllle Academy, and after some ex-
perience as book. keeper at the Corn.
wall Iron Works went to Philadelphia
and engaged in mercantile persuits, af.
terward becoming the head Of the
house of d. @. Clark q Co. He retired
from business some time ago and was
first elected to public Office last fall,
when he was chosen member Of the
House.
George +. Smith, member from the
Twenty.fifth district, Philadelphia, is
n Democrat. He was born in Canada
in 1S42, had common school educa-
tion and became dealer in hides and
tallow. He is at present treasurer Of
the Frankford Tallow Manufacturing
Company. His election 10 the House
last year was his first appearance in
public life.
Alfred Short Representative from
the Second district OF Erie, is the only
Democrat in the delegation from that
county. lie was born in Potter county
and is thirty.two years old. He is o
lumber dealer and private banker, and
had never held office until he was sworn
in as member of the House last Jan.
uary.
Myron Ii. Silverthorn, who is also
one of the members from the Second
district of Erie, is a Republican. lie
IS native OF the town OF Fairview, in
which he still resides, and was born in
1897. He is a farmer and has held a
number Of local offices, having been
County Auditor in 1860, Town Com.
missioner six years, County Commis-
sioncr six years and Justice Of the
Peace for several years. He was first
elected TO the Legislature last fall
With the exception Of Wolfe and
Petroff, who have before been conspic.
uous in affairs Of legislative bribery, II
WILDE observed that the indicted mem