The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-18
DOODLE IN CHICAGO.
Valuable Franchises Obtained
by Bribing Aldermen.
voTE-sELLERS TO BE INDICTED.
Tho Companies Who Paid the Brides
Also to BE Punished-Oyerwheim
Evidence Against Ward Statesmen.

CHICAGO, March 17.-As sequel to the
recent passage BY the city council Of an
ordinance granting permission to the Chi
cago Power, Supply and Compressed Air
Company to use the streets and alleys of
the city in about any manner it sees mt,
the indictment of a number of aldermen
by the grand jury for alleged boodling IS
promised. The City Press Association to-
night says:
Bribery of the most fragrant kind will
be shown. Corruption and rottenness be-
yond the ideas of the most cynical citizen
will be disclosed, and the facts which
make position in the Chicago council
one worth hundreds of dollars of prelim-
mary expenditure will be shown up. To-
morrow evidence will be presented to the
grand jury showing beyond doubt that
certain aldermen have been paid literally
for their votes. The jury will listen to a
tale of rottenness and corruption to which
the boodling of the Cook county commits
sioners was nothing. Evidence has been
In preparation for some time, and must
now inclese the city fathers in position
from which there is little hope of escape.
1t includes the confessions of several of
the guilty parties, which are said to be
very circumstantial. The men who have
been working up these cases have spared
no expense, and have made sure of every
step. They have witnesses who have
seen large sums of money paid by repre-
sentatives of the corporations to individual
aldermen, and who have heard aldermen
promise to cast their votes on certain
measure in a certain way. Some received
money at their homes; some were paid
within the precincts of the city hall, and
two are said to have sold their votes in the
lobby of the council chamber. The inyes-
tgation, it is said, will end only when
several of the present members of the
council are wearing stripes IN Joliet.
States Attorney Longnecker said this
evening that he expects to show that
the Compressed AIR, Northern Pacific and
Economic Gas ordinances, three of the
most important measures which have
passed the council for a long time were
gotten through by the purchase of votes
for hard cash. al do not mind saying"
said he, that there will be the biggest up
heaval ever seen in this city when all the
facts are finally made public Mr.. Long
necker added he would be aided in the
matter by three or more prominent attor-
neys in the city, they having been en-
ployed by local newspapers who have
been assisting to make out case against
the boodlers.
The states attorney also said several
aldermen would assist in the inquiry, in
addition to those who have confessed that
their votes were purchased. Several will
testify to having been approached, and
others will tell of colleagues who openly
boast of receiving the money. One
alderman openly stated that he was
certain that almost every alderman
favorably connected with the ordi-
nances named above was guilty of
receiving money for his vote. This
alderman said 1t is generally admitted
that it requires money to get an ordinance
through the council, and many members
make no secret of the fact that they will
not vote for any ordinance unless re-
warded for so doing. In some cases the
reward is in the shape of a trade in votes
supporting some improvement in an alder
mans ward, but by far the greater num-
Der were cases where the consideration
was hard cash. The gentlemen who are
behind the prosecutions issued an official
statement, which says in part:
The proof acquired relates largely to the
various Doodle ordinances, and entangles four
or five aldermen in what will be very easy
matter to show a conspiracy. We will have no
difficulty in indicting and convicting several
weli-known aldermen. 1t is our desire to con-
Wet not only the aldermen, however, we desire
also to punish those guilty of bribing council
men, aud we will not stop this investigation
until they brought to justice, no matter
whose door the discriminating evidence leads to.
General Liebe. foreman of the grand
jury, said tonight that they will begin an
investigation tomorrow that they have a
complete chain of evidence forged around
the boodlers, and that any who do not tell
the whole truth Immediately will be ar
rested for perjury as well as boodling. He
added that some of the men who will un-
doubtedly be indicted have heretofore been
supposed to be above such practices.