The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-19
.CHICAG0'S DOODLE GANG.
The Inquiry Opened, but o Halt ia
Suddenly Called.
MEMBERS OF THE GRAND JURY
Arc sniu to DO Interested In tho Cor.
porntions that Arc Boing lnvcsti.
gated.-.Iiow tho Story OF bribery
Leaked Outcome Man who Did Not
Get Enough Stuff Cast Ont Valablo
Hints...Ehy tho Alderman Wiitcd.


CHICAGO, March lS.-Tho scenes about
the criminal court to-day were rcpcti.
ton Of tho exciting incidents marking
the investigation four years ago, that
landed in the penitcntiary half dozen
OF the best known politicians OF the
city. Tho inquiry which began to-day
opened with a supposed "squealer" as
the first witness TO disclose tho secret
money.gettins methods OF his fellow
aldermen. The witness was Alderman
Stanley K,lnz, who, while in his cups,
gaso utterahcc to some striking, queer
femarkl the other night on tho floor Of
the council chamber, and who, it has
beon stated, felt that he had not re.
ceivcd dill he was entitled to when favors
werc passing around for franchises
worth hundreds Of thousands.
-Whilo kuna was within the iury room,
and being put upon tho rack, reports
were current among tho interested
groups outside that at least ono alder.
man had fled tho city, and that NUN.
bor OF others wero under detective sur.
veiilnhce. 1t was stated that President
Z. K. G. Billings, OF tho Gas Trust,
would DO tho next witness after Kunz,
and would be followed by City Clerk
Vuncleve, tho latter OF whom is present
at all meetings Of the aldermen.
States Attorney Longenecker had nm
earnest conference with Detective John
Bonfeld, Of Anarchist fame, before the
inquisltion began. 1t was whispered
that this prosecution had struck snag
ut the outset in tho fact that the cor.
porations interested in the alleged
fraudulent grants. had Representatives
in the membership OF the grand iury.
Color was lent to this report by an an.
liouncenent after Alderman Kunz came
out OF tho jury room that no other wit.
nesses would be examined until to-mor.
row. Kunz denied having given up any
valuable information, but admitted that
that he was to be called later on.
The discovery is Enid 10 hayo been
made by the detectives employed BY
the investigators That the "combineh
met in 4 room in the rear OF saloon
owned by q certain alderman for the
division of the spoils or the planning OF
other sand-bagginG schemes. John
Boniield, who is said to have done most
OF the detecting in the case, rented n
room directly over that used by the
combine" MS q clearing house.
Through hole made in the ceiling,
and a microphone communicating with
the interior of the lower room, the ex.
chief OF detectives saw and heard everv-
thing, that trsnspired below him.
Shorthand reports Of tho scenes and
conversations were made by the letec-
tivc's assistant, who sat beside him
while taking observations.
In addition to this, 1t is said that dis.
appointed political ambition has had
considerable to do with the expose.
Tho aldermen, one Republican and
tho other q Democrat, were turned
down by the respective parties at the
recent primaries and in revenge are
divulging the secrets OF the gang.
Alderman Roth was defeated for re-.
nomination, and report was current
to-day that to him largely tho inception
OF the Investigation was due. He was
said to have received 81 900 in two bills
OF $500 each, in the retiring room Of
the council chamber of tho Sherman
House on tho night OF the passage of
tho Economic Gas ordinance. The
story is that he kept the money, voted
yea" and then "wilted." Hc subso-
quently, it is said, went to newspaper
office, gavo up the money and told of
knowledge. :
When the jury assemblies tomorrow
Alderman kunz will be again nut on
tho stand. The next witness will prob
ably be President Billings Of Che GAS
Trust. Billings fought the passage OF
the Economic gas ordinance. 1t is
rumorcd that he will tell the names Of
aldermen who told him OF the amounts
they had received to vote for the ordi-
nance.