Evening star., 1886-06-09
CORRUPTION I'm CHICAGO.
1ne city C0uncit Charged with Sell1a9
q Franchise fOr Sl2S.Ooa.

CHICAGO, Juno o.-The Times this morning,
referring.to the passage or the ordinance allow
Ing the North Chicago City railway - change
Its lines 20 the cable system, says; "For ths
sum OF S12s 900. TO he divided among less than
twenty OF It's members, the city Council, on
Monday evening, aftcr a prolonged debate.
passed an ordinance giving the North Chicago
passenger railway company the right 10 make
all needfuI and convenient curves, trenches,
elevations and sewer connections, aud phase
convenient cables and machinery on any streets
upon which its railways are now constructad'
This amount, reliable sources state Was paid
the Aldermen. some OF whom have always had
tnelr price, aud. as one OF them put IL, while
the measure was being discussed PRO and con,re
are earning our money The franchise sought
ior was a valuable one, tie aldermen rated
themselves high, but their figures were accepted.
ana the ordinance was passed, and will no
DOUBT be signed by his honor, who. IL il alleged.
mas already announced his intention not 10
veto IL. The aggregate amount OF the doodle
Is larger than any that has been offered for O
single franchise that the city had the authority
or legal right To grant and. while there are -
least six OF the aldermen who are really glad OF
II, there are Others who are kicking thein-
selves, being possessed OF the knowledge that
they are suckers and sold themselves
cheap. As near can be ascertained, the
with the corporation, and. while there is hardly
a citizen of Chicago who would not accuse them
oil completely I'm any questionable transaction,
AZ is known positively that North side resi-
dent handled the 'swag' I'm a manner highly
satisfactory 10 the producers. Among those who
received the money were three grades-those
who received not less than g., 900 or $4,000
each, those were given a few thousand less, aud
those who were glad TO take about = 300 each.
and were highly delighted 20 receive that
much, having been elected as rcformcrs, ana
never having seen that much money in "A luplp
before. peculiar feature of the deal II that
several votes for the measure We're perfectly
honest and on it's merits, and the price has
been paid only where aldermen have prom. .sed
not only TO pass the cable ordinance, but also 10
give the La Sale street tunnel Ia the company,
aud II this agreement is carried out the pro-
ducers' will have reason TO feel grateful. The
iSfr ilNlts Inv
seldom figured otherwise than tax payers
who wanted To see the aldermen, and though
they are good church members and 'reiormcrs,'
the franchise sought for was SO tempting that
Sl27,o0O seemed n small sum 10 expend Ior
CHIcAGos JAKE SHARP
The Daily -NetoS prints special from Phila-
deiphia respecting the career OF Chas. L. lcrxes.
jr., president of the North Chicago Railway
nlfioent grant from the city council. The article
shows that erkes was indicted IN the court of
oyer and termner at Philadelphia, together
with Joseph 4. Marcer, treasurer of that city,
for the embezzlement OF city funds 10 tho
amount OF S4IS,OOo. III appears that all these
city moneys were turned over by the city treas
urer 10 lerkeS ior Investment and were lost
The specific charge against lerkes was larceny
OF check 1or S33.osS.5o, which amount oI
money, III Is charged, he obtained from the city
treasury October lIth, 1871, and declared him.
sell "A bankrupt october 10th, 1SS1. lerkcs
was sentenced 10 the penitentiary for two years
and six months. Marcer sentenced TOR
lour years and nine months. Both were par.
doned at the expiration OF seven months, ao-
cording TO the special, Tor political reasons aud
To prevent disclosures Of damaging character
against other public officials then la office The
publication has occasloned a great sensr ion
The Times as 10 the supposed bribery H. .on.
nection with the street railroad ordinance