The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-05-01
RIOT BILL BRIBERY CASES.
THE SENTENCE OF THE COURT IMPosEp--ONE
YEARS IMPRISONMENT IN THE EASTERN
PENITENT1ARY AND $1,000 FINE

berger, who plead guilty to the charge of
corrupt solicitation, and Emil j. Petroff,
who stood trial and was convicted by jury,
were all in Harrisburg on Monday morn
ing, waiting lor the hour Of noon, when
they were to appear in court to receive their
several sentences speculation was INDUCED
in to a considerable extent as to the severi-
ty of the sentence that would be imposed
three, six and nine months imprisonment,
with thousand dollars fine, appearing to
be the maximum expected.
At IL o'clock precisely Senator Newell en-
tered the courtroom, followed by Salter,
PotroH, Kemble, Crawford and Rumble! ger,
with their counsel, Messrs. Herr and Weiss,
of Harrisburg, and L. Carroll Brewster, Col.
VIM. D. Mann and Lewis q. Cassidy, of
Philadelphia. District Attorney Hollingcr
at once moved for sentence,and Judge Pear
son called the names of defendants and
asked If they were all peesent. Mr.. Kemble
arose, and in a clear, firm voice, said, "Wil-
liam II. KembleS is present" The other
parties then answered to their names, and
were told by the Judge TO stand up that
they would be treated precisely as every
body else was who appeared for sentence.
They formed a semi circle around the clerks
desk in front of the bar, when Judge Pear
son said:
Charles B. sater, VIM. IT. Kemble, Jesse
r. Crawford, VIM. F. Rumberger and Emil
J. Petrof, you have each been severally in-
dicted for "corruptly soliciting" members of
the General Assembly in the performance of
the duties of their Office, by inducing them,
under the promise of money, to vote in iavcr
of particular bill then pending before the
Legislature of Pennsylvania. For of Won
have plead guilty, and one was convicted on
trial. 1t is greatly to be IearCd that for many
years 1t has been the practice in this State to
procure the passage OF laws by corrupt and
improper means end to such an extent has
this eYll Prevailed that, t,instead ofexamining
lhto the proprety or impropriety Of meas
ureS presented to either house for enact
ment, the inquiry was much more likely to
be made as to the amount of money which
those requesting the legislation could afford
to pay for the passage of the law. 1t was
charged throughout the whole country that
bribery in the Pennsylvania Legislature was
the daily occurrence and was always "the
order oil the day" So crying was this evil
that when the Convention met to frame our
present Constitution there appeared to be
fixed determination to break up the prac-
tice by severe constitutional enactments,
requiring the passage Of laws imposing
heavy penalties against those who should,
directly or indirectiy,glve or offer any money
or thing of value to any member of the
Legislature for giving or Withholding his
vote for or against any measure, ss also
against the member accepting or receiving
the same. The penal code of 1860 punished
the member accepting the brbe with i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary for period
not exceeding five years, and fine not ex.
ceeding one thousand dollars, and the per-
son giving or offering the brbe could be
punished by one years Imprisonment and
fine of five hundred dollars. The fine and
imprisonment against those giving or cor
ruptly soliciting members to receive bribes
for their votes has been greatly increased, to
which is superadded by the Constitution
the disqualification for holding any office
or position OF honor, trust or profit in this
Commonwealth. Even the occupation or
practice Of solicitation of members of the
Legislature is made criminal oilense pun
ishable by fine and imprisonment, which is
q pretty fair warning to those who hover
around the halls of legislation under the
denomination of "boyerS."
However unmpOrtanty you may have con-
sidered the offence, it is not so esteemed bv
this court, We look upon it not only as a
high crime against the laws of the State,
which have been long in force and well
known to all men, but one leading to the
most corrupt kind of legislation, by which
the public treasury has been frequently
plundered, and some individuals enriched
and others greatly Impoverished, and it is
much to be feared that some of you are by
no means noviCes in the art and practice of
legislative bribery. What adds to the enor-
nifty of the offence of two of you is the fact
that you were at the time members of the
Legislature, and acting in violation of your
official oaths, and endeavoring to induce
your fellow members to commit perjury on
their part. AS an individual feel pity for
your situation. As a judge | cannot sym
pathize with crime. When you come into
this court you must understand that the
beggar in rags and the millionaire in broad
cloth stand on precisely the same footing;
the one is to be imprisoned for stealing a
loaf of bread, the other is not to escape who,
by his criminal acts, may involve the State
in the loss of millions. 1t is not the slight.
est excuse, as urged by some, that the pend
ing bill was highly meritorious. If SO, it
should pass without bribery.
You are unlike some men who are brought
into the court Of quarter sessions, melsura-
bly, eXcusably on the ground of ignorance
You are all men of intelligence, and well
knew that your acts were Illegal You went
into this criminal practice in plain violation
of law, with your eyes open. You well knew
that many members of the Legislature were
utterly corrupt, and were ready to sell their
votes in the public market to the highest
lilder. You were ready to Stubborn them to
commit perjury by violating the oaths they
took on their installation into office.
For this offence the sentence of the court
is that you each pay fine of $1,000 to the
commonwealth; that you each pay the costs
| of prosecution in the indictments against
you respectively, and that you each be i'm
/ prlsoned in the penitentiary lor the Eastern
/ District of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia.
| by separate and solitary confinement at Ia.
( Dor for the period Of one year, there to be
kept, fed and treated as required by law,
and you are III the custody OF tie sheriff to
haye this sentence carried into effect
Alter this sentence there was an audi hle
murmur in the court room and several at
tempts were made to applaud, but this was
almost instantly checked by the tipstaves
Mr.. hemble then asked permission to ad-
NlN99 but NpAlAy Niitu was granted, WleQ
he said "ln appearing here to-day, 20 re.
ceive my sentence, / do 50 in conformity
with the promise made two weeks agu, but
| want it distinctly understood that never
plead guilty to any offence whatever.
made plea to this court, of which thes
chose to accept a portion ana rejected the
| balance. | do not admit, for one moment
that there is anything in my plea which
lusities the claim of this court that / am
guilty OF the charge"
Mr. Rumberger stepped forward, but was
apparently very much agitated and spoke
IN such low tone that it. was with dihicul
ty he could be understood. lie said that
his counsel was not present, but that he was
expected every moment, and asked the in
diligence of the court until he should ar
rive. Judge Pearson said that the presence
or absence of his counsel could make no
change in the matter. To this Mr.. Rum
berger replied that he did not expect any
change and did not appeal for any, but
merely wanted an understanding of the
natter. He was again told by the Judge
that the presence of his counsel would not
alter matters, but he was persistent and said
that he was aware of that, but what he