Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-10-13
AN INFAMOUS PLOT.
Startling Revelations in the
CrOnin Matter.
ATTEMPTED JURY PACKING
Court officials and Other Prominent
Persons Implicated-The Con-
spiracy Exposed.
Associated Press Dispatches to the. HERALD

Associated Press Dispatches to the. HERALD.
CHICAGO, October 12.-One of the bold
est, most corrupt and most Infamous
plots ever brought to the notice Of the
public was outlined by States Attorney
Longenecker's right hand man, Mills,
this afternoon. The conspiracy not only
includes county officials but outsiders of
high standing. Several arrests have
already been made and more will follow
before the sun sets this evening. Not
content with the bribery of men, an at
tempt has been made to drag innocent
women into the plot, and thus gain the
end which the friends of the defense
have been working on for the last five
months.
estates Attorney Longenecker desires
me to say" said Mills who was comis-
stoned by the States Attorney to talk to
the reporters, ''that this plot has not
been disclosed because it would have de-
feated justice had the information we
possess been made public. We
can not give any names or details,
but the outline of this conspiracy
can now be given to the public.
OUTLINE OF THE CONSPIRACY.
cit will be remembered, continued
the attorney, "that on last Wednesday
afternoon an honest young man, who is
employed as foreman in large establish
ment in this city, was examined and ex-
cused for cause. TIT is understood.
though not stated by Attorney Mills,
that the name of the venireman at
tempted to be bribed is George S.
Tschappet. He is foreman for E. V.
Page & Co., oil merchants, of this city. !
Thursday afternoon" said Mills, "a
very prominent citizen of Chicago
entered the courtroom and privately
communicated to counsel for the State
that his foreman. the vepireman in ques-
ton, before being called to the jury box,
had been approached by bailiff of the
court with an offer of 81 900 to vote for
the acquittal of the defendants. He
said: This is not q cock and bull story,
and bring it before the Court in the
interest of public Justice
HE then went away and next morn
ing one of counsel for the State, went
down to the factory of the man whose
foreman had been offered bride, and
the moment he saw the foreman he
recognized him as a man whose honesty
and independence had impressed itself
upon the counsel for the State while he
was sitting in the jury box. The man
made full statement and was requested
by counsel for the State to come to the
States Attorneys office and repeat his
statement in full. The man with tears
in his eyes said: 1T involves my friend.
but it it involved myself would upheld
law and order.'"
HOW TsCHAPPET WAS APPROACHED.
The gist OF his statement to council.
which he subsequently gave to the
States Attorney, is as follows In obedi.
ence to his summons he came to the
Court House on Tuesday afternoon, sat
in the ante-room, but was not called. He
came again on Wednesday morning aSd
stayed in the ante-room again, and at
about hslf-psst 10 o'clock man came
from the courtroom into the ante-room
who was an old friend of the venireman.
The fact also appears that the wives of
the two men were friends before they
were married. The man who came from
the courtroom to the venireman sug.
gested that they go out and have
q cigar. While there the man from the
courtroom said to the venireman:
do you want to make some money ?''
The venireman innocently answered
Certainly do"
Very we'll. You get on the jury and
stick for acquittal, and you will have
81 900. The contract and arrangement
can be carried out with your wife, 1t
can be arranged that she shall wear 3
certain colored dress if the money is to
be paid her on a certain day. If the
money is not paid her on that day, ehe
is to wear different colored dress, and
the contract is to be off,"
The venireman turned reproachfullv to
his friend and said: 81 am not that
kind a man."
Thereupon the bailiff replied: ct am
working for the court"
outside and remarked: "That is nv
horse and buggy"
THE BRIDE RAISED TO FIVE THOUSAND.
At the noon adjournment the venire-
man went back to his place of business
and subsequently returned to the Court
house at 2 O'Clock, after which he was
detained and returned to the jury box,
where he remained until 80 O'Clock,
when he was excused for cause. He
went to the Court House intending to re-
turn to his place of business, and on
leaving the Court House met on the
steps leading to the sidewalk the man
who had attempted to bride him. The
man turned to him and said:
where were yon this noon time? 1
looked everywhere for you. They said
We will make it five thousand, and
damn him, make him do it,"
1t was too late, however, for the ven-
iremen had been excused for cause, but
he at once returned to his place of bust
ness, after having reproached the man
for placing such low estimate upon him
and reported to his employer, the prom
inent citizen, what had taken place, who
the following day reported it to the pros
.ecution.
THE BALLET CONFEssEs THE PLOT.
Pursuant to appointment, the venire-
man went to the States Attorneys Of
flee, and having made full statement of
everything that took place was requested
to step into the ante-room, and the bailiff
was summoned. He proved to be one of
the bailiffs of the Criminal Court, who,
during the trial, or attempt to procure a
Jury, has been in charge of one of the five
prisoners, Couehlin.
The bailif was questioned closely by
the States Attorney and his associates,
but protested profound ignorance until
the V0nireman Was called from the ante-