The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-04-01
The Pennsylvania Fugisives.

At last the rottennessi of Republican
politics in Pennsylvania has been brought
to light and we shave the picture of the
chosen leaders OF the stalwart party fiee-
ing from justice convicted felons lacking
but the manaeles TO make them convlcts
For years Kemble and his gang ruled the
Republican party in Pennsylvania, and
uninterruptedly pursued their calling,
regardless of the protest of the taxpayers
But the people have been heard, and to-
day the ring is at sleast partially broken
and the prospect good for retributive jus
tice. The correspondent of the New
York San writing from Harrisburg. says:
The court room in which William III.
Kemble and his copartners in the bribery
of members of the Legislature were to
have been sentenced to-day. was filled by
a dense throng as soon as the doors were
opened. Judges Pearson and Henderson
took their seats at q. m, and the former
Immediately announced to the District
Attorney that he would not impose sem
tence until P. NJ, so as to give the con-
yicted men time TO reach here from Phila-
delphia.
The court convened at P. NJ. Kemble.
Salter, PATRIOT, Crawford and Rumberger
failed to put in an appearance. and their
bail was forfeited. Writs were &C once
issued for their arrest, which will detain
them wherever found within the United
States, providing the bail sees it to so
ordain it. 1t is difficult to state what the
sentence will be. but it is the general opin-
ion with the people of this place and the
friends of the criminals that Judge Pearson
will be very severe. Il is known that he
has heen very angry with the defence for
asking so many continuances, land ne
reluctantly suspended sentence 20 she
Goth on the personal appeal oil the lawyers
that the defendants had large busl-
ness interests that needed attention before
they were incarcerated, On Tuesday last
he was served with notice that pardon
would be asked for. and he became so in
dignant that he threw down the paper on
the desk before he read it through.
Whether the bail of Kemble, Salter,
and the others see fit to arrest the fugitives
or not. the counsel for the prosecution,
after obtaining the necessary warrants,
will demand the requisition papers. De-
tectives are already on the track.
The crime for which KembIe and his
allies were indicted. and which they
admitted by pleading guilty, was an
attempt to dsfraud the state of Pennsylvs-
MIA by bribing. members Of the legislature
to saddle the state with the losses coca
stoned by the Pittsburgh riots. The bill
for this purpose was presented at the last
session of the Pennsylvania legislature. and
provided for the payment Of $4,000 900 out
of the treasury. This was said to be double
the actual damage, as we'll as an outrage
upon the taxpayers of the state in com
polling them to pay damages chargeable to
the people OF Pittsburgh alone. But the
bill was holly pressed by Kemble and the
treasury ring, the Cameron strikers, the
Pennsylvania railroad company, and the
corruptiopists of both political parties.
After long struggle, lasting throughout
the session, the bill was finally defeated in |
the house by majority of only one,
Mr.. Wolfe. the anti-Cameron Republi- |
can who led the opposition and saved the
people from the plunderers, was not con-
tent with merely foiling the thieves. He
determined to expose the men who had
concocted the scheme. Mr.. Wolfe Sc
cured an investigation, that resulted in a
report sustaining charges of corrupt prac-
tees against William Ell. Kemble and
others. A committee was then appointed |
with Mr.. Wolfe at its head. to secure the |
indictment of the conspirators. After a |
hard struggle. the principal offenders.
Kemble. Salter, Crawford, Rumberger, |
and Petroff, we're at last indicted. The
evidence was SO strong against them that
Petroff was convicted. The others dared
not go to trial, but pleaded guilty to the
Indictment for corrupt solicitation.
Thus are the ends of justive served land
The people, in measure at least. partially
Z. IL. q Il