St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-19
THE TALK OF THETOWN
Ald Jaehne, of the Famous New York
Board of 1884, Arrested for Ac-
cepting Bribe.
Ie Admits in Confidence to inspector
Byrne That He Sold His Vote
for $4,000.
lis Career as n Bribe- Taker--Seve
Other Aldermen, Yet Unnamed,
Also Guilty.
Arrest of an Alderman.


headquarters, and thence to the Office of
District Attorney MARITIME. The charge
against him is that he received a bribe in
consideration for which he voted for the
granting of a franchise to build a road on
Broadway to the Broadway surface railway
company after the resolution had been ye-
toed by the mayor, The warrant for Mr..
Jaehnes arrest was issued by Judge Glider
sleeve of the court of general sessions
upon atfidavitS furnished by Inspector
Byrne. District Attorney MARITIME, under
direction of Judge Gildersleeve, ordered
the papers for bail to be drawn, fixing the
amount of bail at SIS, 600. Joe O'DOnnell,
who keeps a liquor store at the corner of
Twenty-fourth street and Sixth avenue,
and owns real estate of the value of $50, 600,
was accepted as bOndSman. While the pa
pers were being drawn Mr., Jaehne sat
smoking a cigar in the private office. He
did not appear TO feel very bad over his ar
rest, and seemed TO take it as a matter of
course. He said he did not want TO talk
about his arrest to the reporters. What
ever he had to say would be given out by
him when the proper time arrived.
CREATED \ SENSATION.
There WAS a lapse of more than an hour
between the arrival of the accused alder
man at the district attorneys Office and his
arraignment in the court over which Judge
GilderSleeve preSides. AS the knowledge
of his arrest spread about the city hall and
neighboring resorts of public men, the gen
eral sessions court building became crowded.
Aldermen. attaches OF municipal depart
ments and others came in swarEs TO see if
it were really a fact that Aid. Jaehne had
been made a prisoner, and, nOtwithStand-
ing the many rumOTS about town lately of
pending wholesale arrests of aldermen.
the apprehension of Aid. Jaehne was a
piece Of surprise to everybody. The uni
Versal opinion was that Jaehne's possession
OF Mrs. Schuyler Hamilton's silverware
was the cause of his arrest, and when this
was diSpelled by the knowledge that
bribery in the aldermanic matter" was the
charge, there was considerable speculation
as to what special matter the charge
emnated from. The court room was
crowded when the alderman appeared and
gave bail. The hearing was fixed for
Monday forenoon. The arrest created
sensation, but the 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
COMPLETE DETAILS
of the corruption in the Broadway railroad
franchise matter, not only SO far as he him
self Is concerned, but also as TO the other
members of the board of aldermen who sold
themselves. Inspector Byrnes told his story
of the steps that led up to the arrest after
the aldermen had been committed. 1t was
a most extraordinary 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 very useful degree
Jaehne was no exception. In the course of
ten months intimacy with the inspector.
whom he knew all the time as the chief of
the detective force, he unlooSened himself
by degrees and finally told him unreserv-
edly, in confidence of course, all about the
big steal. When nothing more remained
to be told, Inspector Byrnes dropped the
mask of a confidential friend, and assuming
the character Of the official, had the alder
man locked up, having previously seen to it
that the aldernan's confidence had unseen
witnesses who could make oath to what he
had said.
THE INSPECTORS STORY.
LESS than year ago." said the inspector,
"ten or eleven months perhaps the district
attorney sent for me and asked if could not
IN some way nGlp 10 get at Lne 1aCtS about
the alleged railroad steals, and prove the
truth OF the rumOrs that were spreading
around. IL was not an easy matter, but
told him | would try. l picked out Aid
Jaehne for a subject, and continued to meet
him accidentally. as il were, now and then
and mostly down town. While 1 did managed
IN some way to bring up the franchise trouble
until Jaehne got used to hearing me talk
about them. Gradually he began to talk too
got some information at every one of these
meetings, which. though dsionted and loose
led UP surely to the conviction that money
had been paid him and others for their votes
on the railroad franchises. This information
I reported to the district attorney from time
10 time, and afterward line of inquiry was
laid out. So matters went on until about six
weeks ago. l met Jaehne down at the city
hall, and by way of opening conversation,
said something about the struggle going on
between some women over the property left
by Aid. Kennedy. Jaehne fell into the trap
unexpectedly. Yes" he said. HE was
\ DAMNED SUCKER.
for buying property with his money. What
got have in such way that j can protect
myself" He talked quite freely, but said
nothing definite. Last Monday a week ago
we were again together and before we had
parted he had given me good dealof inform
alton in general way. Things were running
down TO business and when 1 found District
Attorney MARITIME and Judge Gildersleeve at
the Manhattan club last Sunday night talked
the situation over with them. They thought
it quite probable that Il conviction for bribery
could be had with. the evidence already in
hand to work upon but advised me TO have
Jaehne make statements where they could be
corrOborated. To that end / sent for Jaehue
on wednesday, inviting him to a confidential
chat at headquarters. He came, but we were
disturbed and could not talk in peace. We
appointed Wednesday night at my house for a
meeting, and Aid. Jaehne went away. As he
was going out he turned and said that ''These
aldermen were scared to DEATH" and some
one might tell them that he was seen coming
from police headquarters. "What shall ] say
If they do?'' he said. ''Say YOU have been nm
TO see q friend in the head of the depart
ment." l said, and he went away. He came
on Wednesday, and in the course of an inter
view lasting for hours he told me all about
his share in the Broadway railroad steal. /
had two of my men posted where they could
hear everything that was said without being
seen. Jaehne said that
HE GOT $4,000
for his vote on the Broadway franchise. He
told me how he got it and how much he had
got for other railroad franchises and how
the same were paid, and much more. He
mentioned other aldermen who had been
bribed and volunteered the information that
those who had invested in real estate or busi-
ness in which the money might show on in
curry had since the senate investigation be-
gan bad a certain lawyer go over the books
and fix them so that they would appear right
when their turn should come. He said who
the lawyer was, but am not going to tell you
now. l shall not tell you either in detail just
what he said, and vino he implicated. That
will appear in the proper season. Jaehne
said incidentally during lhe interview that If
things got much hotter he was going to skip
the town. presume he thought / was his
good friend. 1 thought enough of him any
how to have him looked after closely that
night Up till 10 O'Clock this morning two
detectives were on his track all the time. at