St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-18
A CORRUPT COUNCIL.
Startling Allegations Made
Against Many Chicago
Aldermen.
Bribery and Corruption Of
fragrant Character to Be
Proved.
Several Guilty Parties Said to
Have Confessed to the
Officials.
Authoritative Statement Of
the Men Who Are Behind
the Prosecution.

CHICAGO, March 17.-As a sequel to
the recent passage by the city council
of an ordinance granting permission TO
the Chicago Power Supply and Smoke
Abating company, more Familiarity
known as tine Chicago Compressed
Air company, to use the streets
and alleys of the city in about any man
ner it sees fiji, the Indictment of a num-
Der of aldermen by the grand jury for
the alleged Doodle is promised. The
City Press association alleges that brib-
cry of the most fragrant kind will be
shown. Corruption and rottenness be-
You'd the ideas of the most cynical citi-
zen will be disclosed and the facts
which make position on Chica-
COS council board worth hundreds
Of dollars of preliminary ex-
penditure in nominations will
be disclosed. Tomorrow evidence will
be presented to the grand jury showing
beyond the peradventure of doubt that
certain aldermen have been paid liber-
ally and in hard cash for their votes.
The jury, it is SAID, will listen to tale
of rottenness and corruption to which
the "BoOdling" of the county commits
sloners and the Tweed RUG was moth
ing.
The evidence has been for some time
In preparation, and mesh now in
closes some of the "city fathers'' from
which there is little hope of escape.
This evidence includes confessions OF
several guilty parties; 1t includes not
only the promises made to them by
corporations, but the letters lnclosing
the money
To Purchase the Votes,
and the very greenbacks themselves
with which those votes were purchased.
The men who have been active in work
Ing up these cases have spared no eX-
penSe and have made sure of each step.
They have witnesses who have seen
large sums of money paid by the repre-
sentativeS of corporations 10 individual
aldermen and who have heard the alder
men promise, on receiving the money,
to cast his vote on certain measure i'll
q certain way. The money was paid in
various ways. Some received it at their
homes from messengers. Several were
paid i'll the precincts of the city hall,
and it is said that two sold their votes
When the Northern Pacific ordinance
was passed and when the active sup
port of the Economic gas proposition
was made by prominent members of
Che council, suspicion was created, and
when, in one Instance at least, this
suspicion grew to positive certainty of
corruption, the investigation was set on
foot, which is now said will end only
when several present members of Chi
eagos city council are wearing the
stripes OF Joliet penitentiary. Gen.
Lieb, the foreman of the grand jury,
and States Attorney Longnecker have
agreed that the evidence which the lat
ter has for some time been preparing
shall be presented to the jury tomorrow.
Among the witnesses subp@naed are
two members Of the council who were
dragged into
The BOOdling Operations
and who have expressed willingness
to tell all they know. In an interview
tonight. States Attorney Longenecker
said that several aldermen would assist
in the inquiry in addition TO these who
have confessed their votes were pur-
chased. Several will testify that they
were approached and refused to enter
tain the 0yerIuFes made to.them by cor
poration representatives. Still others
will testify that aidermeR openly boast
ed that they had received money for
their votes. Others again will give
testimony corroboratlve of the main
facts to be disclosed by the prosecution.
One alderman openly stated that he
was certain that almost every aldermen
favorably connected with the three or
dinauces in question was guilty of re-
ceiving money for his vote. why"
said he, 1T is generally admitted that
it requires money to get an ordinance
through the council, and many of the
aldermen make no secret of the fact
that they will not vote for any ordinance
unless they are rewarded for so doing.
In some cases the reward is in the
shape of trade i'll votes, supporting
some improvement in that alderman's
ward, and thus increasing his popular.
ity among his constituents. In others,
and by far the greater number of cases,
the consideration is in the coin Of the
realm"
Official Statement.
The following statement Is officially
Issued by the gentlemen who are be-
hind the prosecution: The investiga-
ton about TO be begun by the grand
jury contemplated certain scrutiny of
the methods employed by the council in
regard to the passage of the economic
gas. the Northern Pacific and the COM
pressed air ordinances, as we'll as few of
minor Importance. The evidence which
will be presented by the grand jury
is not limited To the confessions or dis
closures of one man, but covers wide
range, both of facts and individuals.
The plan to catch the council and dis
cover what aldermen were engaged in
bribing measures through the council
was devised and put execution before
the appearance of the Economic Gas
ordinance last year.
The proof we have acquired relates
+. largely to various Doodle ordinances,
sind entangleS four or five aldermen in
what, it will be easy to show, was
conspiracy. The money used, in at
least three cases of bribery, will be put
in evidence. The Northern Pacific ordi-
nance was passed by almost precisely
the same means and methods employed
in the Economic Gas. The Compressed
Air ordinance has not yielded as much
money to the boodlers as was expected
by them. Settlements were being made
yesterday and the day before.
Money Was Shown
In the council by at least two aldermen
who gave it to be understood that it was
what they had received for voting for
the compressed air ordinance and that
it was as much as was promised them.
We will have no difficulty in indicting
and conyictlng several well known
aldermen. 1t is not our desire to COLI
Wet only the aldermen, however, We
desire also to punish those guilty of
DribiDg members OF the council, and we