The semi-weekly miner., 1886-03-20
SELF CONVICTED THIEF !.
How a New York Alderman
Sold Out.
TWENTY THOUSAND.

TWENTY THOUSAND.
The Price Of His Vote-Arrest and
Arraignment Of the Robber-
Shameless Story.
New YORK, March 1S.-Alderman Jaeh-
pes was arrested at the City Hall at noon
to-day and taken at once to police head
quarters, charged with bribery. Before the
Broadway Investigation Committee last
week, testimony was introduced showing
that the 81 lver ware stolen from William
Hamilton was traced to Jaehnes' shop; that
Jaehnes first tried to bribe one OF the
detectives sent to recover the property,
and failing in this paid the value of the sill.
yer, eleven hundred dollars, to the owner
through the lawyer who unsurcessfully de.
Tended the thieves. The charge does not
rest on the testimony of one witness alone,
but is supported by that of two or three.
Jaehnes was taken into one of the pri.
vate rooms. 1.-The indictment against
Alderman .Jaehnes has been found not
fled" said District Attorney Martin this
afternoon. The charge against him is that
he received a bribe, in consideration for
for which he voted for the granting of
franchise to build road in Broadway to
the Broadway Surface Railroad Company,
after the resolution had been vetoed by the
Mayor. The warrant for Jaehnes' arrest
was issued by Judge Gildersleeve. of the
Court of General Sessions. upon affidavits
furnished by Inspector Byrnes. He will be
arraigned before Gildersleeve in IL few min
utes.
As soon as it became known on the
street that Jaehne had been arrested the
politicians and aldermen tilocked to the
city hall. Mr.. Martin, under direction of
Judge Gildersleeve, ordered the papers for
his bail TO be drawn fixing the amount OF
the bail at $15,O 900. j. A. Donnel. who
Keeps a liquor store, was accepted as the
bondsman. While the papers were being
drawn, Jaehnes sat smoking a cigar in the
private office. He did not appear to feel
very bad over his arrest and seemed to
take it as o. after OF course. He said
that he did not want to talk about his ar
rest to the reporters, and that whatever
he had to say would be given out at tho
proper time.
The court room was crowded when the
alderman appeared and gave ball. The
hearing was fixed for Monday afternoon.
The arrest created q sensation, but this
feeling gave way to one of astonishment
when it became known later on that
Jaehne's confidence had been played upon
by Inspector Byrnes and that he had
furnished that willy officer Of the law COM
plete details of the corruption in the
Broadway railway franchise matter, DOT
only so far as he, himself was concerned,
but also as to other members Of the Board
OF Aldermen who sold themselves. In
spector Byrnes told his story OF the steps
that led up to the arrest after the Alder
man had been committed. 1t was
a most extra ordinary story though much
more was left unsaid than WAS told by the
chief of detectives. Inspector Byrnes pos
sesses the rare gift OF being able to worm
himself into peoples confidence and of
making them talk to Il very useful degree.
Jaehnes was no exception. In the conrse
of ten months of j. timacy with the in
spector, whom he knew all the time gs the
chief of the detective force, he unbosomed
himself by degrees and finally told him
unreservedly, in confidence of course, all
about the big steal. When nothing more
remained to be told, Inspe tor Byrnes
dropped the mask Of a confidential friend
and assuming the character OF an officer
had the alderman looked up having
previously seen to it that the alderman's
''confidence'' Lad unseen witnesses who
could make oath to what he had said.
"Less than a year ago, said the Inspector,
''ten or eleven months perhaps, the Dis
trict Attorney sent for me and asked il
couId d not in some way help to get at the
fact about the all ged railroad steals and
pro >e the truth OF the rumors that were
floating around. 1t was not an easy mat
ter but told him 1 would try. l picked
out Alderman Jaehnes for the subject and
contrived to meet him accidentally as it were
now and then, and mostly down town when
I did manage to bring up the franchise
troubles until Jaehnes got used to hearing
me talk abou, them. Gradually he began
every one of these meetings, which, though
disjoiuted and loose, led up SUI ely to the
conviction that money bad baen paid him
an Others for their votes on these rail
road franchises This information
impaired to the District Attorney
from time to time and further
line OF inquiry was laid out.
So matters went on till about six months
ago, met Jaehnes down at the City Hall
and by way of opening a conversation said
something about the struggle going on be-
bv Alderman Kenney. Jaehnes fell into
the trap Immediately, yes said he, 'she
was damned sucker buying peoperty for
his money what l have in such a way
that can protect myself" He talked
qnite freely but said nothing definite.
Last Monday, week ago we met
again and before we had parted he had
given me good deal OF information in a
general way. Things were narrowing down
to business, and when | found District
Attorney Martin and Judge Gildersleeve at
Manhattan Club last Sunday night, talked
the situation over with them. They
could be had with the evidence already
mentioned to work upon, but advised me
to have Jaehnes make statements where
they could be corroborated. To that
end l sent for Jaehnes on Tuesday
inviting him to confidential chat at
Headquarters. He came, but We were dis
turbed and could not talk in peace so we
appointed Wednesday night at my house
for the meeting, and Alderman Jaehnes
went away. As he was going out he turned
around and said that these aldermen
were scared to death and some one might
tell them that he was seen coming from
if they do?" he said. "Say you have
been up to see a friend in the
Health Department." said, and
he went away. He came on Wednes-
day and in the course Of an interview
lasting for hours he told me all about his
share iu the Broadway Railroad steal. l
had two of my men posted where they
could hear every thing that was said with
out being seen. Jaehnes said he got $780,
900 for his vote on the Broadway franchise.
He told me how he got it and how much he
had got for other railroad franchises; how
the same were paid and much more. He
named other Aldermen who had been bribed
and volunteered the information that three
of them who had invested in real estate or
business, in which the raoney might show
on enquiry, had since characterization began
had a certain lawyer 60 over their books
and fix them so that it would appear all
right He said who the lawyer was but
| am not going to tell yon now. shall not
| tell yon either in detail just what he said
and whom he implicated, that will appear
| in the proper season. Jaehnes said Incl
| cidentally during the interview that il
things got much hotter he was going to skip
town. presume he thought Iwas his good
friend. thought enough Of him anyhow to
have him looked after closely that night,