The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-02
KANSAS CITY BOODLERS.

| KANSAS CITY, Dec. 1.-The investigation
| into the charges of alleged corruption in
! the common council, was begun this after
noon The charges are made by Thomas
Mellon, of Pittsburg, the head of com
pany which attempted TO procure from
| this city franchise to erect an incline
| plane at the bluff terminus of Eleventh
| street While attempting TO obtain the
| franchise, Mr.. Mellon charges that he dis
covered ring of members in the council
who had combined for the purpose of ex-
| torting bribes from the seekers Of fran
chises and privileges.
The council ordered an investigation into
these charges, and the two houses met in
| Joint session this afternoon to commence
the inquiry w. A. Mellon, nephew of
Thomas Mellon, was the first witness.
He said he had written the pamphlet in
which the charges of corruption had been
made, and had seen TO its distribution.
He had no personal knowledge of the
truth of the charges. He gained his
information from Mr.. Mellon and Leo
Irvine, the latter's agent here. He would
not say who had ordered him to write the
pamphlet and he could not give the names
of the councilmen who wanted to be
bribed Mr. Irvine had told him that he
Qrvine) had offered some of the council
men money TO vote for the franchise.
The city counsellor had letter from
Mr.. Irviue in which that gentleman
apologized for not being able to attend
the investigation, giving as his reason i'm
portant business engagements in the
south. A letter To Councilman Hoffman,
written by J. W. Nier, engineer on the In
cline Plane company, was read. Mr. Nier
complained in the letter that Some mem
bers of the council had told him that
the franchise ordinance would stop in the
committee to which it was referred till we
get our stuff. "
Ex-Counciiman Phelps narrated the
substance of an interview he had had with
Mr. Irvine, in which the latter had told
him that 1.-The scoundreiS wanted money
TO pass the ordinance. Thomas Corrigan
knew of no bribery in connection with the
Incline Plane affair His testimony was
uuimportant The deposition Of Thomas
Mellon was read. IL was composed chiefly
of letters from Mr. Irvine ia which that
gentleman said Speaker Hayes Of the
bers looked for OF expected money for their
votes on franchises OF the character Of the
incline plane In another letter, Mr..
Irvine said a blind man could see that
Grady. O'Sullivan and Tobin were
sboodlers" f" while the rest was equally az
applicable TO Hayes and Bowes and faley.
The latter, Mr.. Irvine said, had demanded
$500 for his vote in favor Of the ordinance.
The session then adjourned until tomor-
row.
The DEs MONIES GANG.
DFs MOTNDs. Iowr. Dec. 1.--SOmewhat
OF a sensation was caused in connection
with the doodle" aldermen cases satur-
day, when Judge Bishop summoned the
grand jury before him. and read lengthy I
reciting the facts brought !
out in the brady trial. and suggesting I
that the matter be investigated with =
view 20 indicting all the aldermen and 4
city officials connected with the case for I
20 defraud the city. II carried T.
TO its conclusion. the suggestion would In 4
ciude all officials as far back a. Is16, since 4
which time the practice Of voting extra 4
has been in vogue