Daily globe., 1879-01-31
JUDGE BLODGETT.
IS he A CORRUPT JupeE2

CHICAGO. Jan. 30.-1n the Blodgett investi-
CATION this morning A. G. Hesin;, president of
tie illinois Staats Z.itung mpany, testified
that tn, lie had been an intimate frie d of Judge
Blodgett for over twenty years. Witness was
OF the founders of the Germania insurance
company, and after the FIRE owed the company
Sl5, OOO, secured by ITO shares of Stats Zetu,ag
stock He went to Judge Blodgett in person
TO secure the appointment OF Mr.. Woke as
asslgnee pa' OF the company, He appealed to
blodgett as a friend to assist him out OF great
business difficulties, and to help him to dispose
OF the nute without pnolic;y ad-
vertising it. Judge Blodgett promised tn do
whaS was possible and advised witness to tell
vocke, who I'd meantime been appointed as
sgnee, to invite offers from bankers and brok-
ers AID submit them tn the court and he
(Blodgett) wonkl confirm the sale to The high
est bidder. Judge Bodgett had been fully in
formed by him that the stock Was very valua-
nie. having accrued dividends on it, and that
blodgett might help wlsues> get it back.
witness SAID that III 'ugh it might not look
honorable in him tt, say these things, vet as
'squealing'' had hec"me peculiar In United
States courts he would indulge in il himself.
Witness had u written bid OF Rehm for the
stock. ant had dictated that OF several Of the
bankers. three nf the heaviest creditors Of the
Sermanls in'u urance company ha |, at u meeting
ut the creditors, bje;teu 10 thus arrangement
WITH Blodgett, and Wines had to give them
555oJ TO Keep quiet about it.
On clOss-examlnation witness testified that
Judge B!edsett had sentence him 10 two
years imprisonment in connection with the
whisky fraud; that, he considered that s-n-
1ence infamous, and that Presirent Grant had
equa!ized 1t TO three months. He manifested
considerable feeling OH the po,nt but said b,
mad never told anvbod; that he would be re.
vensed on Judge B.odgett fr the sentence. He
had, however, said that he wond when the op-
portunlty occurred, tell what he knew about
Judge Bodgett.
Witness being asked why he pleaded guilty
OF OF the whisky frauds, said when the cases OF
ttush q Pahinlann were in the han is of the
jay Judge Blodgett called four Jurors INTO his
r"otn and told them he wanted verdict of
guilty: and such verdict was brought in. The
rest Of the whisky men concluded then to plead
guilty. MIR. Winston told witness that id ,e
Biodgett wanted witness tn plead guilty AID
lay down. on District Attorney Ward. Wit
ness paid Winston s., 500 to use his influence
with B!odgett in his behalf. Witness ,old him
not me- might nH make max Boagets present but must
ness to employ MIR. Campbell as counsel. as he
| had the ear of Judge Biodgett
herman kasler, of the Stoats Zeitung, testi-
he'd that he considered the stock of the paper
IN 1874 worth $3.50 per share. Lately some had
sold for S5 cents on the dollar.
| henry Gresnbaum testified that at the in
notes and stock Of Hessing to the German In
surance com, any, but had subsequently deliv-
ered them back to Hessing for the same amount
(5ooO). Witness considered the stock valua-
| BILE. and in la74 had told friends that the diyi
| dends were ~ per cent.
~ William Hen.y Smith, general agent of the
Western Associated Press, testified that the
value ot the Associated Press franchise gener-
ally liked by Chicago papers wa, s5OOUO. Il
was difficult to state it's exact value
The committee here adjourned to meet at the
house OF alr. Woke, assignee of the Germa
insurance company, he being confined to his
room.
The point Of Vocke's testimony was that be-
lieving the stock worth par, he had opposed
| sacrlhclng the notes at the figure named by
Hes"ing, Us, ,Otl0 but that Hessing had told him
to to ta1k with Blodgett, and chat in doing SO he
| haa dlscoy, red the Judge to he determined on a
private sale ar $500. Hessing had moreover,
threatened to depreciate the value Of the stoc
by manipulating the salaries ot the papers en-
ployes. and he (the assignee) had finally be
overborne and had consented 10 sacrifice the
assets as Hessing and Blodgett desired The
cross-examination was some what prolix and de.
veloped only evasive replies. Adjourned.