The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-04-01

The crime for which Kemble and his allies
were indicted and which they admitted by plead.
ing guilty, was an attempt TO defraud the State
OF Pennsylvania by bribing members OF the Leg.
islature to saddle the State with the losses occa.
stoned by the Plttsburg riots. The bill for this
purpose was presented at the last session Of the
Pennsylvania Legislature, and provided for the
payment of 100000 out Of the Treasury. This
was said to be double the actual damage as well
as an outrage upon the taxpayers OF the State in
compelling them to pay damages chargeRble to
the people OF Pitsburg alone. But the bill was
hotly pressed by Kemble and the Treasury Ring
the Cameron strikers the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, and the cOrruptionists. After long
struggle lasting throughout the session, the bill
was fnally defeated In the House by majority
Of only one.
Mr.. Wolfe the anti. Cameron Republican who
led the opposition and saved the people from the
plunderers, was not content with merely foiliDg
the thieves, He determined to expose the men
who had concocted the scheme. MI Wolfe &c..
cured an investigation, that resulted in a report
sustaining charges Of corrupt practices against
William II. Kemble and others. committee
was then appointed, with Mr.. Wolfe at its head
to secure the indictment OF the conspiratoF.
Aher hard struggle, the principal offenders,
Kemble, sRlter, Crawford, RumbeTger and Petrof
were at last Indicted. The evidence was so strong
that Petroff was convicted. The Others dared not
go TO trial, but pleaded guilty to the indictment
for corrupt solicitation. When Kemble and his
followers pleaded guilty some surprise was mani
feEted at his apparent collapse, His scheme for
escape from punishment was soon apparent in
his prompt application to the Court of Pardons
for remittance of the penalty OF his offence. He
and his associates poured into the court an i'm.
mense mass Of political influence. His former
position of state Treasurer, his present position
of President Of the Peoples Bank of Philadelphia,
which is the principal depository OF the State
funds, his wealth and the array Of legal talent
which he retained to defend him were all brought
to bear Oh the court Col Forney made a plea fol-
Kemble, and Congressman Bingham, Harmer and
0'Neill Joined with him in asking clemency.
Letters were also read in behalf of Kemble from
many influential men. But the alert prosecutors
Of Kemble were not taken by surprise, and not
only presented in garing coors the crimes, but
they caused to be presented 10 the Court of P r
dOnB remonstranCes signed by ten thousand per-
sons against granting pardon. A strong protest
was also presented by District Attorney Holm
ger, signed by all the COrnsel for the Common.
wealth. This protest called attention to the fact
that the evidence was so strong that the convict
ed man had not dared ask for new trial, and
the others had not dared Stapd trial. As TO the
others II continued:
"The fact is that not only have none Of the de.
PENDANTS yet been sentenced, but they are at.
tempting by the aid Of your Board, and In def.
Rnce Of the court before which they were tried, to
relieve themselves OF the necessity of submitting
to sentence, and it seems to be but mockery of
justice for a defendant to plead guilty of grea
crime and then attempt to procure pardon be.
fore the judgment Of the Court has been pro.
nonnced against him"
The result was that the Court refused to grant
the pardon, and all that was left was fight He
fed from Philadelphia in the night and went to
New York, making his journey on Sunday, so as
10 prevent the operation Of the law to detsin him.