New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-27
ARRESTED FOR BRIBERY.
AN ASSEaIBLYMAN AND AN ALDERMAN
ACCUSED.

AN ASSEMBL1mAN AND AN ALDEhh1AN
ACCUSED.
| CHARLES SMITH, CHRISTIAN GoETz AND FOUR
OTHERS ARE ARRAIGNED AND GIVE BAIL
THE CITY REFORM CLUB sTIRs UP
THE EIGHTH DISTRICT.
An Assemblyman and an Alderman were among
the politicians In the DIstrictAttorneys Office yestc
day morning but they there on unpleasant bust
ness for them. The Grand Jury bad found indict
ments against Assemblyman Charles Smith and Alder
man Christian Goetx, OF tho With Assembly District
for alleged bribery Of voters. Charles Jackson,
Edward Butler Morris Isaacs, and Samuel Coleman,
Of the same district under Indictment on siniar
charges Coleman gave bail on Monday. The Other
defendants except Assemblyman Smith, we're arrested
yesterday morning The Grand Jury found ono In
dictment charging Smith, jackson, Butler and Isaaos
jointly with bribng "a man whose name ls TO the
Grand Jury unknown In The twelfth election district
Of the With Assembly District Tho witnesses whose
names arc indorssd on the indictment Albert Z.
Price, John c. Bull, @ Dorscber, r. ). Perry, J. c.
FaIlon and Thomas Duncan. Eight Indictments were
found against Alderman GoetS- They charge him
with Offering bribss 70 Anton Thesis, +. Rehurt, LOWS
Lewis r. K. Miller Maurice Bernstein, J. K. wenEar,
Harris silver and MAJ Rerner, to vote at the last
election in tho nineteenth election distrct Of the
With Assembly District
sleeve, thai the amount Of bail might DO hxed As
sembiyman Smith waltpd into the DiSrict-Attorneys
ofice unattended, and also went TO Judge Glider
sleoye's court room Assistant DstrictAttorney
Dos PassoH who had charge Of the eases for tho
District Attorney, was present W. +. Howe, the
counsel for tbs defendants, asked for low ban on tho
indictments He saht
These arc weii-known citizens who have had no
examination before police magistrate. The charges
s mel: .SsrR snf sroaRS Albany they
failed 70 make out case The charge. here are
founded on the statement mt, q one MOTIFS W nS.rsaoS
English onieer. are now looking IN eonnecuon win
charge Of murder
81 600, but that Assembiymsn Smith and Alderman
Goetz be released on their own recognEsnce. Mr.
Dos PAssos said;
If Smith has gained an Official position oy bribery
be is ~ the mss guilty n@ s saa SSs TING A So%
ever: SIR. Howe found out that there were indot-
ments somehow before knew the fact ana before
t @sssrS Ss re . lsa Il open court 'n'a' ~ '"
Judge Gndersleevo said that he would hx the bail
at $1,000 in the Of Goots, against whom there
were eight indictments and at 81 900 In The cases Of
tho other defendants. Mr. Howe said that Assembly
man Smith wanted an early uial on account Of his
onical position. Tho defendants pleaded not guilty,
but q demurrer may be entered before April /. Ban
was promptly furnished for ali the defendants.
Tho information on which tho indictments were
found was gathered by tho City Reform Club which has
attempted several times TO secure evidence against
politicians in the With District Tho club has brought
charges in pamphlets and newspapers, but has not
been successful heretofore In securing indictments.
r. W @. yelling, treasurer OF the City Reform
Club, who has played active part in the assoca-
tons work, said that the club was immensely graft
hcd that the indie tnens had been found. The oyi.
dence which the indictments had been found, Mr.
yelling said, had been presented 70 the Disrct-Ator
NJ .
that We had a DistriotAtomey who was hard to
move and extremely busy, TO put It mildly. We are
gratifed, but have two grievances. Tho club
thinks that the bail, 90 900 for Goetz, who has eight
indictments against him, and 81 900 for each Of tho
other men Is ridiculously small How much was the
ball in the doodle Scasesi II GoetE and Smith arc
badly driven, what do they for $1,000 and
81 ,oooi Our other grievance is that somebody has
been blabblng in the Grand Jury room. Tho indicted
mon have got days start OF US, because they go>
the news OF their Indictment than they should
II is race for them TO buy up spirit away and
facture witnesses, and they day ahoad in their
work. Are We to assist in prosecuting the easel
Well, wish we weie.S
Assemblyman Smith did not appear TO be disturbed,
and said after reading the indictment that II would
not convict any one Something stronger, he added
laughing would have to be obtained lie characterized
tho proceedings persecution, and he could not dis
cover the meaning OF t. The City Reform Club had
Inspired It, and that organization was composed Of
dudes and few Mugwumps, who have employed de-
tectlves In the With Assembly District on election
day. lust rs II there wore not much likelihood Of
bribery being committed in any other part OF the
city, @These people, he added, brought mo be- |
fore United States Commissioner Shields and he dis
charged me- Next they went to Albany and tried |
10 have me indicted for perjury, and were beaten
want this Indictment disposed Of at once. am
member Of the legislature and as such know that |
I ought not TO have an indictment hanging over me
one hour
Alderman Goetz said that he had been greatly sur
prsed 10 hear that he had been indicted that any
one had been. He appeared, however to have re- |
covered from his surprise, and no snd am not |
very much frightened and when 1t is time to fight we
will be ready have been elected Alderman from |
the Tenth Waid three times and the last time ran
was elected by $500 majority against united |
Democracy Does any ono suppose that am going |
10 buy votes when have sure thng on the eectionl
The detectives employed by this City Reform Associa
tion are lot OF buIniners. One was conductor on
n Second ave car and another one lives In lodging
house az No 20 Bowery Either would swear mans |
life away for $50 or $20.n .,,- !
Mr. II,tler sald that he Endorsed what Assomblyman |
smith lad sad and he added that he was attending |
10 hnsnnSz ON eecton day Just as all other people |
were and used checks in his business as other people
did ..,.. ,h.t Ia r.s moi /
IN tho disict on election day and dld not I'VE there
Jackson said that he was slok n poa vi sioSon u@''
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: 1890