Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-22
True Bills Found Against Mayor
Wyman, EX-Mayor Pearson and,
Market Clerk Hastings,
ALLEGHENY'S ACCUSED,0PFICIALs.
Pearson Declares Himself Well Pleased
and Ready to Furnish
Complete Vindication.
COUNCILS MAY GUST MAYOR WYMAN.
The Auditing Commit Will Bring~the Street Car
Companies TO Time.

True bills were yesterday returned ov
the grand jury in the cases of Mayor
James G. Wyman. ex-Mayor R. 7. Pear
son and Market Clerk Hastings, who are
charged with the misappropriation of funds
belonging to the city of Allegheny. Mayor
Wyman is indicted on four different counts
two for extortion and two for em5ezzle-
ment In the first and second counts, he is
charged with extorting witness fees from
Hungarians in disorderly conduct cases and
also with appropriating to his own use wit
ness fees amounting to S5S6. Pearson 3
Spisappropriations are claimed to amount to
1874 and Hastings to s23l4. The charges
have already been explained in full in The
DISPATCH. They will be pushed to a
speedy trial in conrt.
In allegheny last night the news was
received with interest, but not much
surprise, 1t was generally believed the
grand jury would act as it did, and even
the accused expected nothing else. When
asked what he thought of the finding, ex-
Mayor Pearson said:
Pearson Expects to Be vindicated.
'It was just what 1 wanted and what
expected. i appealed the case to court be-
cause thought that was the proper place to
have it tried, and 1 am now ready for it to
go on. Only one side has been heard, and I
now ask. as did when L appeared before
the Alderman, to have the people suspend
Judgment until my evidence is in. I am
glad the grand jury has found true bill,
because court trial will give me an oppor-
tunity to virdicate myself I am fully pre-
pared to do So, and will make the vindcation
so complete that there will not be a ques-
tion of doubt There will be no effort to
dodge the issue
"Who do you hold responsible for bring
ing the charges against you?" Mr. Pearson
was asked.
81 will not at present make any state
ment with regard to that" was the positive
reply.
Mayor Wyman expressed himself as be-
ing willing to go into a trial He said he
expected the grand jury to return true
bill, but that he felt confident he would be
vindicated after he stated his defense.
Wyman May Be Asked to Step Down.
L ouis Hersch, an employe of the Barnes
Safe and Lock Company and one of the
most outspoken of the Allegheny reformers,
was delighted yesterday when he heard
true bills had been found by the grand jury
n the cases against Mayor Wyman and ex-
Mayor Pearson. s'That is the beginning of
the end" Mr.. Hersch said. ga special
meeting of Councils will be called for some
night this week. and in joint session Mayor
Wyman will either be suspended pending
his trial or he will be asked to name a
deputy mayor to act for him until his case
is disposed Of Mr.. Wyman will not feel
disposed to turn his Office owe. to another
man. but, of course, he will obey resolu-
tion of Councils -
''What is there in the report that an effort
is being made to whitewash Chief Murphy?"
''There is no effort being made in that
direction. We were waiting to get our
evidence against him in shape. We are
now ready to proceed and we will endeavor
to give both Murphy and Wyman Christ
mas gift during the week. I tell you I
would not feel safe living in Allegheny if L
did not know that my house was built OH a
substantial foundation"
HenricIzs Does Not Expect Impeachment.
Chairman Henricks, of the sub-Auditing
Committee, did not think any effort would
be made to remove Wyman before his trial.
1.-The Mayor is elected by the people," he
continued, "and as Councils are also elected
by the people it is doubtful whether. under
the new charter, they have the right to i'm
peach the Mayor. Besides, it would take
longer to get proceedings like that through
Councils than to wait for court trial. If
Wyman is found guilty of what he is
charged part of, the penalty will be re-
moyal from office. Everything is progress
ing as rapidly as We could expect"
Chairman Parke, of Common Council, d
stated yesterday that he would probably
call meeting for tomorrow night to con-
slider the resolution passed by Common
Council, instructing the City Solicitor to in
vestigate the charges against Chief Murphy
and take whatever step he thinks proper. !
A meeting of the Sub Auditing Commit !
tee was held Yesterday afternoon to consider
what should be done to recover the money
that is said to be due from the Pleasant
Valley and Manchester Street Railway |
Official Street Railway Shortages.
The Auditors made the following report |
OF money due from the two railway COM |
panies and their branches: Pittsburg, ALLIE |
ghenv and Manchester-Car tax, Sc, 5S4 90; |
dividend tax, S5,4SS SO; total, S15.O73 70. |
Union Line Passenger Railway Company
Car tax, 81 ,000 North Side Passenger |
Railway Company-Street cleaning tax, |
81, 900; car tax, 81, ,000 total $1,000; max |
ing the entire amount due by the Manches- |
ter and its branches, S1S,073 73 Federal |
Street and Pleasant Valley-Car tax, SS, 10; |
dividend tax, $1,000; total, S11, ,110 Park |
cleaning tax, s., 700; car
tax, 500; dividend tax, $50; total, $780, |
Peoples Line-Street cleaning tax, So, 500
Observatory Hill - Street cleaning tax, |
81 900; dividend tax, S240; total, 81, 24O
Crosstown branch - Street cleaning tax |
81 900, making the total amount due from
Pleasant Valley lines, S22. .450, and total
from both the Pleasant Valley and Man
chester of SAC, 523 73.
Attorney A. NJ. Neeper. representing the
Manchester Company, and Attorney Potter,
of the Pleasant Valley, appeared before the
The question was raised |
whether the companies are required to pay
tax on all tie cars in their possession or only |
the ones used every day.
Secret OF the Refusal to PAY.
Mr. Neeper claimed the act of assembly
the meaning that $40 year tax
entitled street car companies to use car 365
days, and that one car could be substituted
for another. The committee expressed a
however, to make an effort to
collect on all cars used, if even for only one
lay.
The Auditors reported that the Pleasant
Valley refused to allow them to examine
,aid there was misunderstanding and that
hey only refused to give up private books.
Or. Clifford remarked that the Auditors
lid not want to look into stock books that
night possibly show up shady transactions,
,ut in order to hasten matters and be in
position to make demand, he moved that
f the street car companies refuse to turn