Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-10-02
THE BABY CASE.
The Boart 10 Tired OF Stems Fool
lshness,
And Comes Down to Business-BribsN and
Corruption Charged-A Special
Committee to Investigate.

1Qe COnuuuIum DeLOIe Inc DOoIO Va
Commissioners yesterday morning was
whether to prefer charges Of bribery and
malfeasance against Commissioned Stein
and send the case to the Circuit Court for
trial, or TO wait longer and try to fathom
lhs mystery. A majority Of the members
favored taking the bull by the horns, pre-
ferTing the charges and leaving it to the
court, and this would have been done had
it not been for an admonition from Woods
that "the Circuit Court will give Us bark II
we don't do this up in FORM" Stein offer
ed no defence or excuse and his conduct
thoroughly exasperated the Board
Before il was brought TO the attention OF
the Board, the committee gave 1T one more
whirl. "Bony" Albinger had been sum
moned and repeated the statement he had
alresdy made, viz: That Stein and the
child's parents were high toned and would
astonish him il he told him. Mr.. J. j.
Woods, counsel for Stein, requested that
his client make 9 statement.
Mr.. Stein said that on the 10th OF June
last he had seen an article in the REGISTER
relative TO the child which had been left at
the poor house, which was very loud, in
the other paper it had been worse. At the
VolksblatI office he had learned that Chris.
Liedl had worked up the case and had got
his information from "Bony" Albinger.
thought that Plankey had circulated the
report, but he denied it vigorously. then
went TO Mr.. Albinger and had talk with
him. did not turn the money over to
Plankey because / thought there was trick
behind il and found out had no right to
pay it. Albinger told me that Liedl had
added to his story more lies. | told Al
binger that he might as we'll know the
name of the child's folks as ], meaning that
he knew as much as did about the mat
ter"
Stein said further that he aid not say he
knew the name of the child's mother, which
caused Albinger to flare up with:
Mr.. Stein, did you not say before my
face and my wifes face, III l would tell
you, you would know as well as do Did
you not also say, 1t is high.toned, the
that, and me and my wife heard it. have
no interest in this case. would not swear
a lie for you or for Mr.. Plankey or any
body else, but you have said what ] have
said"
This ended the case until it came up in
the Board, where it reached climax.
Mr.. Speidel offered the following:
ReSOlred, That committee consisting OF
James Comm, rford, l.. Delbrugge, and Geo.
W. Woods, members OF this Board, be ap
pointed to prefer charges against Michael
Stein, County Commissioner OF Washing
ton district, and this committee have the
power, ii they think necessary, to employ
counsel TO assist the Prosecuting Attorney
| in the management of this case.
This created a stir and called on Mr.
| Stein for something. But he referred all
callers on Mr.. Woods. That gentleman
made speech, the tenor Of which was that
the Board had nothing before it, officially,
and to prefer charges without proof would
| be hasty.
Messfs. Speldel and Commerfordimade
| speeches urging immediate action. The
former said justice demanded it, while the
latter made fiery speech, saying the mat
| ter was a reproach to the Board and was
| flung in his face wherever he went.
Mr.. Woods spoke again in Mr.. STEMS be.
| half, urging cautious proceeding and say
| ing there was really nothing before the
Board to warrant the adoption OF the reso
luton. The only persons, he said, who
| seem to have all this excitement are the
newspaper reporters and the old women
who want TO know through curiosity, who
| is the mother of this child.
Mr. Speidel then amended his resolution
| by adding the following charges;
That Mr.. Stein did, on or about the 18th
| day of June, 1888, receive money, said to
be S25 or more, from some person unknown
| 10 this Board for taking female child 10
! the Infirmary at an unreasonable hour. He
has not yet turned over to the county any
sum of money received from said person
unknown to the Board. Second, also for
giving permit for the child without a
proper name or residence and the Commit
lee on Poor House and Farm think outside
of his jurisdiction"
Mr.. Stoker offered as substitute for the
resolution, one providing that the com
mittee resume charge of the case and re
port whether il would be advisable to pre-.
Ter charges. This was voted down by six
to three,
Mr.. Speidel said: IF the charges are
not specific enough | will make them
bribery, corruption and gross neglect OF
| duty
Mr. G. w. Woods wanted a special com
mittee appointed to Investigate the matter,
whereupon Mr.. Speidel withdrew his reso-
luton, and the following named gentlemen
we're appointed to investigate: MeSsrs.
! Woods, Delbrugge and CommerfOrd,