The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-19
fHE BIG NEW YORK STEAL.
Alderman Jaehne Placed Under Lock
and Key on the Charge Of Bribery.
Inspector Byrnes Tells How He Won the Alder
mans Confidence and Obtained Details
efthe Broadway Franchise Bribery.

New York, March fa-Mr. Jaehne Was walk
Ing in the City Hall Park this morning, when be
was taken into custody by Detective Reilly. Of
tho district attorneys Office, and Detectives Han
sey and Rogers, Of Police Inspector Byrnes's
staff
Good moraingr said Reilly, lifting his hat in
o eouxteous manner.
"Gocd morning." returned the Alderman
quieay.
Il have warrant Tor your arrest Mr..
sJashne, continued the detective, land shall be
obliged to ask you to accompany as to police
Headquarters"
The Alderman did not seem to know what to
think of the detectives request. That he was
taken by surprise was plainly evident, but he re-
covered his composure sufficiently to reply.
swell, I am ready to 90 with you.n
The party Immediately boarded street car,
and few minutes later reached the police head
quarters which entered by rear door
There was conference in Inspector Byrness
Office which lasted nearly an hour, at the end of
which time the detective came out and pro-
ceeded down town to the district attorney 8
Office.
.Ts there an indictment against meg' inquired
the Alderman, as the party rode down on the
car.
'sYes," replied Detective Reilly.
'.And what am I indicted fort" he asked
quietly
''For bribery, believe"
The Alderman expressed no surprise, and
chatted gayly with the detective all the way to
the district attorneys Office Jaehne was taken
into one of the private rooms.
'sThe Indictment against Alderman Jaehne has
been found but not fled" said District Attorney
MARITIME this afternoon. 1.-THE charge against
10 ha a hrlh a n, rat
for which he voted for the granting of the fran
chise to build a road in Broadway-the Broad
way Surface Railroad Company-after the reso-
luton had been vetoed by the Mayor. The war
rant for Mr.. Jaehnes arrest was issued by Judge
Gildersleeve, of the Court of General Sessions.
upon affidavits furnished me by Inspector
Byrnes. The Alderman will be arraigned before
Judge Gildersleeve in few minutes"
As soon as it became known on the street that
Alderman Jaehne had been arrested for partici-
pating in the Broadway railroad steal, politicians
Ind aldermen by the dozen docked to the City
lfall and Mr. Marines Office. Among those
who were allowed to see Mr.. Jaehne were Alder
men De Lacey. Ferrigan and Masteson. Law
yers Peter Mitchell and Richard Newcome has
tened to the district attorneys Office soon
they heard of the arrest, and held a consultation
with Mr.. Jaehne. District Attorney MARITIME,
under the direction of Judge Gildersleeve, Or
amount of bail at ST., 900. Joseph ODonnell, a
saloon keeper at the corner Of Twenty-fourth
street and Sixth avenue, and who owns real esr
tate of the value of $50 900, was accepted as the
boudsman. While the papers were being drawn
Mr.. Jaehne sat smoking cigar in the private
Office. He did not appear to feel very badly over
his arrest and seemed to take it as q matter of
course. He said that he did not want to talk
about his arrest to the reporters. Whatever he
had to say would be given out by him when the
proper time came.
There was q lapse Of more than an hour be-
tween the arrival Of the accused Alderman at
the district attorneys Office and his arraign-
ment IN the court over which Judge Gildersleeve
presided As the knowledge of his arrest spread
about the City Hall and neighhoring resorts of
public men, the General Sessions Court building
became crowded. Aldermen, attaches of muni-
eipal departments and others came in swarms to
see if It really were q fact that Alderman Jaehne
had been arrested. and Notwithstanding the
many rumors about town lately of wholesale
arrests OF aldermen, the apprehension Of
Alderman Jaehns was T., source Of
ouini a,S' was, that jaehnes possession
of Mrs. Schuyler HamLtons slverware was the
canse- Of his arrest, and when this was dispslled
by the knowledge that bribery in aldermanic
matters was the charge there was considerable
speculation as to what special matter" the
charge emanated from. The courtroom was
crowded when the alderman appeared and gave
bail The hearing was fixed for Monday after
noon. The arrest caused . sensation. but this
feeling gave way TO one of astonishmeut when it
had been played upon by Inspector Byrnes and
that be had furnished that willy officer of the law
complete details of the corruption in the Broad
way railroad franchise matter, not only as far as
he himself was concerned, bat as to the other
members of the Board of Aldermen who had
sold themselves.
Inspector Byrnes told his story of the steps
that led up 60 the arrest after the Alderman had
binary story, though much more was
left unsaid than was told by the
chief of detectives. Inspector Byrnes
possesses the rare Gift Of being able to worm
himself into peoples confidence. and making
them talk. JaehIe was no exception In the
course of ten months intimacy with the inspect
tor, whom he knew all the time as the chief Of
the detective force, he unburdened himself by
degrees and finally told him, unreservedly, in
confidence, of course, all about the big steal
When nothing more remained to be told, In
spector Byrnes dropped the mask OF e9nfden-
tal friend and assumed the character OF the ofR-
cial, and had the Alderman locked up, having
previously seen to- it that the Aldermans conf
dence had unseen witnesses who could make
oath to what he had said. LESS than year
ago" said the Inspector, ten or eleven months
perhaps, the district attorney sent for me and
asked il could not, in seme way, help to get at
the facts about the alleged railroad steals and
probe the truth of the rumors that were flying
around. 1t was not an easy matter, but told
him / would try. / picked out Alderman
Jashne' for subject, and centrived to meet
him accidentally, as 1T were, now and then, and
mostly down town. When / did, I managed
in some way to bring up the franchise troubles
until Jaehne get used to hearing nae talk about
them. Graduallyhe began to talk, too. I col
some information at every one Of these meetings.
which, though disjointed and loose, led up to the
conviction that money had been paid him and
others for their votes on these railroad fran
chises. This information impaired to the dis
tTiet attorney, from time to time, and q further
line Of inquiry was laid out So matters went
on until, about six weeks ago, / met Jaehne
down at the City Hall, and, by way OF opening
the conversation, said something about the
struggle going on between some women over the
property laft by Alderman Kenney. Jaehne feb
into the trap unexpectedly.
YES he said, he was o damned sucker, buy
ing property for his money. What got have
In such way that can protect myself
HE talked quite freely, but said nothing def
mite Last Monday, week ago. we met again,
and before we had parted he had given me a