The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-04-28
The Pennsylvania Bribsrs,

The Pennsylvania Bribars.
There is at least one judge in Pennsyl'
vania who is free from partisan control
and who believes the law is to protect and
punish aH alike that manis Judge Pear
son, and the manner IN which he has act.
ed In the bribery cases shows him to be
incerruptible. His charge to the brihers
Kemble, Petroff, Rumberger. Crawford
and Salter, is OF, the right sort, sand fell
like thunderclap. among the ringsters
in the court room, who did not suppose il
possible for any Judge to so far forget his
fealty. to the Cameron ring as to pronounce
sentence on corrupt Republican leaders.
Judge Pearson pronounced Judgment,
after having requested the Legislative
bribers to stand up, "for." said the judge.
I'VE wilJ treat you precisely as we do
everybody else in the criminal courts. In
sentencing the prisoners, Judge Pearson
said: 1T is greatly to be feared that for
many years it has been the practice In this
state to procure the passage of laws by
corrupt and improper means, and to such
an extent has this evil prevailed that, in~
stead of examining into the propriety or
improperly of measures presented to
either house for enactment, 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. It was charged
throughout the whole country that bribery
in the Pennsylvania legislature was of
daily occurrence, and was always the
order of the day. So crying was the evil
that, when the convention met to frame
our present constitution. there appeared to
be a fixed determination to break up the
practice by severe constitutional enact
ments. However unimportant you may
consider the offense. il is not SO esteemed
by this court. We look upon it not only
as high crime against the laws of the
state, which have been long in force and
are we'll known to all men. but one leading
to the most corrupt kind of legislation. by
which the public has been frequently
plundered. and some individuals enriched.
and others greatly impoverished; aud 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
enorr1ity of che offence of two Of you is
the fact that you were at the time mem
bers of the legislature. and endeayoring to
induce your fellow members to commit
perjury on their part. As an individual,
I feel pity for your situation; as judge I
can not sympathize with crime. When
you come into this court you must under
stand that the beggar in rags and the mill
lionaire in broadcloth stand on precisely
the same footing. The one is to
imprisoned for stealing Of loaf
Of bread; the other is not to escape
who. by his criminal acts, may involve the
state in the loss of millions It Is not the
slightest excuse, as urged by some, that
the pending bill was highly meritorious,
If so, it should pass without the aid of
bribery" The judge said they could not
plead ignorance. as they were men of in
You went into the criminal
practice in plain violation of law, with
your eyes open. You we'll knew that
many members of the legislature were
utterly corrupt, and were ready to sell
their svotes in the public market to the
highest bidder, You were ready to suborn
them to commit ,perjury by violating the
the oaths they took on their installation
into Office" The sadge also reminded the
prisoners that they we're disqualified from
holding official position of honor. trust,
or profit 10 the state, and closed by sem
fencing them to pay fine of S 900 each.
costs of prosecution. and to imprisonment
of one year in the eastern penitentiary,
seperate and solitary confinement, at labor
The sentence fell like thunder-clap on
the prisoners, who had not the idea of
going the penitentiary. Il was also q sur
prise to their lawyers and the spectators.
Kemble was greatly agitated by the
Judgment. but said with considerable dis
tinctness: In appearing here to-day to
receive MY sentance do so in conformity |
with the promise made two weeks ago; but
/ wish it distinctly understood that never |
plead guilty to any offeDse whatever. l |
made plea to this court, of which they |
chose to accept portion and reject the
balance, I do not admit for one moment |
that there is Ianythlng in my plea which |
justifies the claim of this court that am |
guilty of the crimes therein charged" The |
prisoners were soon after removed to /
prison with as much privacy as posi- BILE. |
They will be removed to the peniteu,iary
within two weeks, according to the custom
there. Kemble made corrupt
to three members of the
legislature, Salter to eight, Rumberger to
me, Crawford to three. and Petroff to two
The sums offered ranged from $500 to
$4,000 to be given Cor votes for the 81
100000 riot relief bill.
The sentence imposed is halF the maxi
mum authorized by law. and the fine all
hat could be demanded. The aboard of
,ardons will no doubt soon be asked to
ecommend the prisoners to the mercy Of
he governor.
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