St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-15
BROADWAY SURFACE STEAL.
Ex-Alderman Jaehne on Trial for
Bride Taking.
The Doodle Grabber of the Board
at the Bar.

New YORK, May 14.--The taking of
evidence in the trial of Aid. Henry W.
Jaehne, charged with having accepted a
bride of $50, 900 to vote in favor of granting
a franchise to the Broadway Surface Rail-
road company for the running of cars in
Broadway from the battery to Fourteenth
street, was begun to-day. The first witness
was J. f. TwOmey. clerk of the board of
aldermen, who testified at great length con-
corning the meetings of the board, at which
the franchise was considered, and that at
the secret early meeting of the board in
August, 1884, at which the franchise was
passed over the mayors veto, Aid.
Jaehne voted to grant the franchise. The
witness also identified the minutes of the
meeting and a number of official d0cttIients
and papers. One or two important resoiHH
tons had disappeared. They had been
given to the chairman OF committees and
had not been returned. J. Frank Kinnan,
a journalist, testified to having gained access
to the corridor adjoining the council cham
Der on the morning of the important meet
ing and to hearing the announcement by
the chairman that the franchise was passed
over the mayors veto. The council
chamber was
LOCKED AT THE TIME.
Aid. Charles B. Waite, who presided at
the memorable meeting and who recently
made a voluntary statement concerning the
granting of the franchise to the authorities,
and has since been kept in the house of the
assistant district attorney, was the next
witness. His testimony was not very SEN
sational, and it is surmised that the state
did not care at this point to call out the
facts which he would make known. Waite
said he was interested in the Broadway
franchise, and did what he could to push it
through on account of his friendship for
James A. Richmond, the president. He then
went on to tell of the call for the early
morning meeting, of which he was notified
by telegraph; related the fact of his attend
ance and of receiving from an attorney of
the road a certified copy of the decree dis
solving the injunction against further pro-
ceedings in the franchise matter. Witness
said he was anxious to have the cable road
resolution passed but was persuaded not to
| pnsh it. Aid. Jaehne and two or three
other aldermen told him not to push it, and
| that
| NOT LOSE ANYTHING f-t5
| by it. The defendant told him they had
made enough out of the Broadway road to
take care of him if he did not push it. Wit
ness dropped it. He never had any other
| conversation with the defendant concerning
the surface road. The defense did not
| cross-examine the witness. James NJ.
Lyddy, who on Aug. 25 procured the in
| junction forbidding the aldermen to pro-
coed further in the Broadway matter was
| next called. He testified that he brought suit
against the Broadway Surface Railroad COM
pany for his brother.J Ohm II. Lyddy. On Aug.
80 he gave consent to discontinuance of it,
There was no money paid to him for re-
lease, but there was paid S12, 500 to his
brother, John 81. Lyddy. William NJ.
Lyddy, another brother, testified that the
money was in $1,000 and $500 bills. Os-
borne P. Bright, counsel for the Broadway
surface road, said he received the consent
for dissolution of the injunction from Mr..
Alexander, who he was informed was act
ing for the road. Police Inspector Thomas
Byrnes, who played upon Jaehnes confid-
ence and got him to make the damaging
admissions which led to his arrest, was
next sworn, and told the story of how he
worked himself into Jaehnes' confidence.