Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1892-03-25
THE ALDERMEN BRIBED.
CHICAGO HAS ANOTHER BIG DOODLE
SENSATION.

Tho Grand Jury Investigating tho
Methods by which the Compressed
Wind Ordnance WAS Passed - The,
Find Plenty of Evidence of San.a.
tonaI Charncter-what Ordinsnces
Cost.
CHICAGO, March q. - Indictments
have been returned by the grand jury
against the following aldermen: w. j.
O'Brien, D. R. O'Brien, Nicholas A
Cremer, Patrick J. Gorman, PHILLIP
jackson, Stephen NJ. Gosselin, John F
Dorman. Capiases were at one issued
for the indicted aldermen and deputy
sheriffs were sent out to hunt them up
Before court adjourned all had been
brought in except Aldermen Gosselir
and Gormsn. The former WAS arrested
In the council chamber in the evening
Alderman German, it is believed, has
decanped, as all efforts to find him have
proved unavailing. The prisoners Were
each released on $4,000 bail All the
indicted men excepted Alderman Cor
man, were in attendance at Che regular
meeting of the council but took no part
in the proceedings.
Alderman Salo W. Roth was the first
witness on Judge Longenecker's list
Roth was notified to appear at 10 O'Clock
and tsll his story. Eleven and 12 O'Clock
came and no Roth. Suspicion was tina,
he had disappeared. Al noon the grand
jury, headed by Foreman Lieh, appeared
before Judge Clifford snd asked for an
attachment for Roth's arrest. This wa
ordered issued but before the paper
could be prepared and sent out for serv
ice Roth himself, very much iusterel, ,
appeared and said he was ready to give
his testimony. He was taken befor,
this grand jury and told remarkable
story, and as q result the Indictment
were drawn up Tho charge asains
| w. J. O'Brien, D. r. O'Brien and Pow
ers is bribery, and the specifications ir
the other indictments allege conspiracy
to do al unlawful act. 1t is expected
| that the indictments will now be fount
at the rate of one day. The conspir
acy indictments will include the names
of many other persons rs accomplices.
Alderman Eoth's Story.
Roth's examination, while long, die
not extend to the particulars of hi:
knowledge of dishonesty by aldermen
1t touched only the highest vlsls.'
peaks Of the evidence around whicl
cluster many heaps Of corroborative de
tails. His story ran something lik,
| this:
On July 13 the alderman fromthe Thir
teenth ward was approached by Alderman
Dan 'Brien, who suggested to him that
there would be big money in it for the
members of the council who would vote
| for the Economic gas ordinance. Roth
| pretended to acquicsce, but demanded
| time to consider the proposition. This
| was granted and the alderman sought the
| counsel of a friend, to whom he conlided
thf facts. saying: 81 think l have good
| CHI. nee now to trap the Doodle aldermen, '
and asked for advice US to what course tc
pursue. This friend advised Roth to con
| tinus acting Us if in accord with the prop
ositions made to him and to accept any
bribe offered him, keeping a careful rconr
of all incidents connected with the tran
I actions. Roth followed this advice to li.,
| letter. He was coy, however, and declined
to listen further to Dan O'Brien. The
he was approached by "Billy' o Bricn t.,
whose eloquence Roth appeared to yield
Promptly Paid for His Vote.
The Economic came up for passage ami
Roth pledged himself to vote for it. In
return for this pfonfise O'Brien gave him
$3.50 which he promptly deposited with til,
men who are now conducting he inyesti
CATION. Roth was now considered one OF
the initial members 80 far as Doodle was
concerned, and when the Northern Pa
cific came up he was approached promptly
and for his vote he was paid a1.HN, the
money being given him by Alderman
John Powers. The three other aldermen
named above also as stated approached
Roth at different times and offered him
money to vote for different ordinances in
which they We're interested.
The other witnesses examined were
President J. S. Zimmerman of the Pee.
pies Gas company, who told the grand
jury that no aldermen held stock in his
company, and President Z. D. Hosmer
of the Chicago and Jefferson Crbar
Transit company, who related the story
of his unsuccessful attempt to secure a
right of way and of the efforts of GER
tain aldermen to blacklnail him.
Some Figures Given.
ut costs deal of money sometimes tc
buy the city council" said an attorney
|, who is closely connected with the state't
attorney, "the Northern Pacific has all
the worst of it In the last three big deals
the aldermen have male. The figures for
those thiee sales sales of city franchises
are just these: Northern Pacific, $3.50, 600
Economic Gas, s15O, 900; Compressed Air
$4,000.
Alderman Roth is believed to be the
snan who began the council Doodle in.
vestigation. He is said to have received
$1,000 in two bills of $500 each in the re
firing room of the council chamber o,
the Sherman house on the night of pas
sage of the Economic Gas ordinance
He kept the money, voted "yea,' anc
then "wilted." He went 70 a news
paper Office and gave up the money anG
told of other transactions that had come
to his knowledge. Most of the alder
men profess to be anxious to appear be
fore the grand jury and claim to have
no knowledge Of the alleged bribery
Nevertheless large force of detective,
i is employed watching the suspected
men with instructions to arrest them il
in case in attempt Is made to leave tn.
city.
st. Paul Printers Strike.