Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-02
G0THAMS FORTY THIEVES
EX-ALDERMAN WAITE BEGINS
TO DISGORGE.

J D.
/ 9 O'Clock this morning Inspector Byrnes,
armed with a warrant issued by Judge
| COwing, was, in company with Detective
Philip Reilly, of TIE District Attorneys
office, in waiting at the Grand Central
depot for MIR. Waite. When the train on
which the ex-Alderman had come from
Essex on Lake Champlaiu drew INTO the
depot the Inspector stepped up to him and
said "Mr. Waite want 20
! see you" The ex-Alderman,
/ who was not in the least Disconnected,
seemed to understand the purport OF their
/ mission even before the warrant was pro-
duced and he was Informed that ne was
under arrest. IL is generally believed
/ That Mr. Waite is the man who wrote the
! much-taiked-Ot letter to Judge Glider
| sleeve. The arrest created CONSERVATION
/ IN and around the City dali, and 1t is said
/ that detectives are on the track Of every
! one Of the 1854 Aldermen, and should any
attempt to leave the city they will at once
/ be arrested.
ARREST DENIED.
! District Attorney MARITIME stoutly de-
MED that ex-A derman Waite was
arrested, nor would he admit that war
rant was issued from him. He says Mr.
/ W ate is his guest, and as such is entitled
/ to protection from the rapaCity OF inter
viewing reporters. 1t is certain that
/ when MIR Waite arrived at the Grand
Central depot from Essex county at $50
! O'Clock this morning he was met by In-
/ sIectOr ByrEes and an assistant who took
/ him in a close carriage to the District At
/ torney's office, the District Attorney
/ being aware of the coming. The eX-
/ Alderman, Inspector and District AJtor-
/ ney held long conversation.
/ THE GRAND JURY.
The grand jury was not in session, so it
I could not be that Mr.. Waite was wanted
/ by the members OF that body today. 1t
| was impossible to see him, but those who
4 have met him since his return say that he
/ is as jolly and unconcerned as ever. Be-
/ yond the above statement nothing of con-
( crete fact is obtainable, but an abundant
/ crop of rumor has been gathered. Judge
/ GilderseeYe is quoted as saying that Mt.
/ Wa te has not been arrested. Judge Gill
4 dersleeve saws he has come here to tell
what he knows, land l don't know that
/ he is at all liable to arrest. He wrote TO
me OF his willingness to appear before
/ the grand jury, and be has come Tor that
/ purpose. He Will be taken before the
grand jury Tomorrow"
YATES STATEMENT.
The Commercial A dUerttSer publishes a
1 calling it his crnfrssiOn. The substance
! of Mr.. Yates 8 atement is that as a re-
/ ward for his services in securing the cleo
/ ton o. Mr.. Kirk as President of the Board
/ of Aldermen in 1884, be was given the
/ privilege of appointing the railroad COM
mittee. lie appointed such men as be
knew he could easily control" They
voted on the franchise bill just as
he dictated, The ex-Alderman claims
that he did all this out
OF pure friendship for Jim" Richmond,
who was Jacob Sharp's right bower in the
deal, and that ne (Waite) never got a
dollar. lie mentioned number of Alder
men who be thinks aid receive money,
but ne makes no positive statements. Mr..
Waite finally acknowledged that his in
terest In getting the Broadway franchise
Dill through was stimulated by promise
! OF FIRE comm issiOneTship.
KIRK ARRESTED
The arrest of W. p. Kirk this evening
has given the people at the clubs and
hotels fresh material Tor gossip and specu-
lation. In all quarters where men gather
there is a hush like that before an expect
ed thunder storm. The question was,
Nv no and what neXt?' Much interest
was developed as to what tne other fran
chise aldermen would say OF to-day's de-
velOpments, what they might think, and,
above all, how would they act. Hence,
search was made for the twelve franchise
aldermen vino are now in town and at lib
erty. Alderman McQuade, one OF the fran
chise aldermen. came home from his store
this evening half sick with cold. When a
reporter called to see him soon after s
O'Clock ne was wrapped up IN blankets
and undergoing "a sweat" He said that
he was acquainted with the fact of Alder
| man Waite's arrest and confession as
published in an evening newspaper. He
did not feel at all alarmed at the dis
closures, and said that he was more con-
cerned about his cold than anything else
Mr.. Waite might say what he pleased
it would not change his position in the
matter.
HIS CONSCIENCE CLEAR.
Alderman Farley, also franchise Al.
derman," when shown the story of Mr..
WaIte's confession. said: Il do not think
ever spoke a dozen words with Mr. W ate
while member Of the board, unless to
secure his support of a measure which
desired to have put through. ASH have
said before, got none Of the DOODLE and
care little what others may say about me
so 'Ong as my conscience is clear. | hear
that Alderman Kirk has been arrested for
completely in the affair. | do not under.
stand how this has happened. He WIS
present when the franchise was passed
over the Mayors veto"
Alderman O'Neiil treated Mr. Waite's
confession with silent contempt. He had
nothing 10 say about it. II have denied
all connection with the bribery business,
and my position remains just the same"
was the brief way in which he dismissed
the matter.
BYRNEs NoN-CoMNiITTAL.
Inspector Byrnes sat IN his ONCE at po-
lice headquarters about 8 o'clock this
evening, when - strict Attorney MARITIME
entered. The two held a secret session
for about thirty minutes, but what was
said or done could not be learned Detec.
tive Sergts. McClosky ana Marlin were
sent after Alderman Kirk as soon as the
warrant was issued at the District AttOr.
news office aud could be handed To In
spector Byrnes. They went at once TO
I Mr.. Kinks residence. Mr.. XIX was In.
formed OF his Informal arrest and was
ready for the service Of the formal war
rant Of arrest. When asked who made
the charge against Mr. Kirk the Inspector
said he could not answer thar no present