The morning call., 1894-03-25
BRIBERY CHARGED
An Oakland Capitalist
Under Arrest.
DANIEL MCMAHON THE MAN.
Haywards Men Set a Trap for
Their Victim.
LURED ON TO PAY THE MONEY.
The Object Was to Secure Disputed
Warrants in Possession of the
Town Clerk.
ON TO PAY THE MONEY.

ITO tOWh VI hdyWdIuS Is again 6UJUylUR
genuine sensation. The Town Clerk.
James A. Collins, Attorney Langan and
several other Haywards people set trap
for prominen: Oakland capitalist, Daniel
McMahon, and McMahon is now under
arrest with the serious charge of bribery
hanging over him.
The town of Haywards on the Sd of last
August voted to issue bonds in the sum of
S33.0O0 for the purpose OF building main
sewer. When bids for the bonds were first
asked there was no response. The next
advertisement stated that bids for the
bonds must be accompanied by bid also
to build the sewer.
Here McAahon appeared on the scene,
and as his bid was the most satisfactory
he got the bonds and the contract to build
the sewer, agreeing to perform the work
for SET. 502. After work began on the
sewer some difficulty arGSs as to the legal
lty o. the contracts. Meanwhile warrants
had been issued and signed, one for S3O75
and the other for 5000, and all arrange
| ments made 10 hand them over 10 MeMa-
hon. Quite dispute occurred in the
Board OF Trustees. In the Mrangle the
Town Clerk ezed the warrants and,
under legal advice, held them.
The suit OF the taxpayers protesting
against the payment OF line warrants was
dragging along IN the courts and Me
MabOn was getting restless over the lit.ga-
ton. He wanted the money and. as is
now stated, hunted up the attorney acting
for the taxpayers Ill their SUIT G. 5. Lam
gan, and told him that he wauted his
money.
The story is that McMahon went to
friend Of his, named Daniel Chisholm, and
asked him II be could not DO something
with the attorney, who was also a friend
of ChishOlm's, toward getting the Town
Clerk t. turn over the warrants.
Chisholm did speak to Langan. and the
attorney concluded then he had MeMahon,
and so stated. A meeting wa arranged
between Mcmahon and Langan, at
which. as the latter states, Mcmahon told
him that he had $3.50 which could be
divided between the Town CLERK and him.
self. This, the attorney said, be would
consider, and a meeting was appointed In
Oakland, when LaDgan told McMahOn
thar $3.50 was not enough. that it was TOO
cheap. Then the price was raised to $3.50,
and another meeting set for the next even
ing at Havwards in the lawyers office.
Here again Langan refused TO entertain
the idea. telling McMahon that for doing
such thing as that man should be we'll
paid. Mcmahon said he would consider
the matter gain.
Meantime Langau laid the whole mat
ter before the District Attorney, and that
Official advised Langan and Chisholm to go
ahead with the affair.
Langan says: "Ou February % McMa-
| hon came to me and said he had seen mis-
! attorney in San Francisco, and that he
! had concluded 70 make an offer Of $500 TO
| be paid over to third party, TO be paid 10
me in installments of 3 per cent on thu
amount OF each warrant drawn AT the time
such warrant was delivered to him. | told
him l must nave more money on the de-
livery of the first warrant because could
not get Collins TO turn IL over unless he
received 500.
"Re then said he would go further and
authorize the party who was to hold the
money to deliver it TO ME as follows: $3.50
on delivery OF the first warrant of which
Collins was to get S100 and $50 was for
| myself. told him that would again see
Collins and name a man in whose hands
the money should be placed
The name of j. ID. Anatin was suggested.
the attorney says, but Mcmahon said af-
teward that this would not 90, because his
attorney had told MIN to keep the prssi-
dent of the Board of Trustees out of the
matter.
The name of Daniel Chisholm was then
| suggested as the money holder, and he
| seemed to be agreeable to both sides
The dag after the last interview CHS
holm told Langan that Mcmahon had
placed $500 In his hands. This was one
week ago Friday: Afterward this money
was Withdrawn. but it appears that Nc
MahOn was still anxious TO reach settle
ment, and on Wednesday last be again
| placed $500 with Chisholm, 500 to be-
given Collins and $50 TO Langan when
the warrants were delivered. The re-
maindeT vas 10 be paid over according to
| the agreement
On Friday night, according to Langan's
| story. all the persons met in Langan's
office in Haywards. Chisholm had the
money. which was counted out, and after
| Mcmahon left the Office every S20-piece
fyro ms lad q mi Id
| to be used as evidence. This was not ali
the evidence either, for the lawyer had cut
hole in the ceiling of the room, and in
the attic overhead he had three watchers
| stationed, one of them being an officer.
| They heard and saw all that transpired
| in the room.
| Yesterday complaint was sworn out
| before Justice Pimental and Mcmahon
was arrested ana locked up. When seen
| he denied that he had attempted to bribe
any one. He said:
| MY object in paying the money was to
have the litigation stopped SO that could
get my warrants at once, as had a good
deal Of money tied up. / am satisfied that
they SCI a trap for me, and l was sus-
| picious OF that. l only did my business
with the attorney and had nothing TO do
| with the Town Clerk. | made no arrange
ment about him, but [ believe Mr.. Langan
said he had to be fixed l believe they
want to make political capital out of my
! arrest"
Mcmahon late in the afternoon secured
bonds IN 5000 with the following sureties:
| Glanding. Mclean & Co, F. S. Allen, Rob
ert Gordon. L. Palmtag and A. c. Bl0omar.
| It is reported that several days ago Nc
Mahon remarked 10 a citizen of Oakland
| that they were trying 10 cinch him up at
| Haywards, and that Mr.. Langan is at the
| bottom of It,.
| just at present Haywards is in the mid
die of a very hot town election, and this
new turn of affairs has added fuel to the
! flames.