The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-15
TAcenA BrnHAr OF Tns Fosr-TSrnas-
sucx4 tlls PAcIyIc AsEsrE
THonAs EAnnoss, MAuAor1
GOINGTOW HITEWASH
The Tacoma Grand Jury Is Not
Looking for Bribers.
WITNESSES NOT QUESTIONED.


TAconA, Feb. A.--fSpecsal.l -Royal A.
Cove. chairman Of the city council finance
COMMITTEES. who Vas referred TO IN Tues
days Posr-IxrrrIgsKxcxR ~ knowing con-
siderable about bribery in connection with
the water works steal sad who Was called
before the county grand Jury yesterday.
says:
THAT jury does not want TO find ont
much about bribery, II am TO Judge from
the way il treated me. / was asked 10
leading questions. was not asked TO tell
what I knew. know considerable. but
the grand jury did not ask me anything
TO bring IL out. I was asked only
. few questions. and made state
! was tempted by . bride Of 5000 TO vote
for the " ster deal. but did not accept the
bribe. 1t was offered oil the same. and
the man who offered il said he came from
the water company. DID the grand Jury
ask me about if7 No. l was asked no
questions that gave me an opportunity to
tell what knew. That grand jury does
not want 10 know much"
Mr.. Gore told the jury about the money
that was given Councilman Grattan. a.
stated several days ago in the Posr-Isrxr-
IfsEscER The Ledgery which has tried
to get the grand jury dismissed, and
which joined the boodiers in working for
the purchase. tries 10 get 0rattan into
hole by publishing the following. the first
1t has had to say about the barefaced
bribery which unloaded the water plant
upon the city:
IF tho grand jury is really searching for
cold facts about the water deaf Ii should
send for Councilman Grattan. He has
heretofore alleged, without solicitation,
that he knows that 5000 or $lO,-
900 was offered 10 member Of
the city council for his influence,
and that the same councilman subse-
quentIy accepted $50 and stsid away from
q council meeting. He has also said that
he saw the money paid, and that the coun-
Gilman who received IL was met on the
street while Sinking his duty by promi-
nent citizen. who made him very thor
oaghly ashamed Of himself. Let Grattan
be summoned"
Grattan hss been bsfors the grand
jury, but the chief organ for the steal did
not know il. He was summoned over q
week ago. and II usually takes the Doodle
organ week to get on to the news.
1t is matter Of public notoriety that
the Ledger is charged with having worked
for the water steal for consideration.
The jury was convened, so the court an
nounced, to inquire into matters If public
notoriety OF this sort.
1t Is strange that the councilmen who
voted against the purchase OF the water
plant have been summoned before the
jury while those who voted for the steal
have not been unanimously pressed into
service. Like Grattan, Cove believes that
brides were accepted for votes Of city
couneilmen who violated their oaths and
voted for the steal.
As rule men who know that brides
were freely offered and freely accepted are
not summoned before the grand jury.
Charles Price, who recently removed from
this state to Oregon, knew many
things that would furnish material
for indicting the boodlers. and
he was one Of those who had not forgotten
all he knew, either. Ex-Councilman J. ID.
Caughran could q tale unfold likewise.
Michael o'Brien says: 81 received SIS q
day TO work for the water purchase deal.
did my duty. treating the boys and Civ.
ing general song and dance for the pur-
chase Of the works"
But the grand jury does not want to
know too much. II might have asked
Cove who rendered him IS, 900 for his vote:
who rendered like amounts to other coun-
ciimen; who paid 0'Brien and hundreds
Of Others.
Bribery is defined by the penal code o.: q
direct or indirect offer of money, or in any
way influencing voters.
Cove was offered bride.
O'Brien took brides, and can tell what
he did with them.
Grat;an was offered bribe.
Grattan received bribe.
d. c. Hanson can tell something. So
can dozens OF others.
Mr.. Grattan states that he took the
briee a. ''feeier." The amount was $50.
He did not keep the money. Alexander
Parker has it, Ii is TO be given
to charity. rs stated in the Posr-
INrELIIoESCER Monday. Mr.. Grattan
has witnesses to the transaction. He
claims he did not intend to stav awav
from the council meeting because the $50
was paid to him. Ills brother came in from
the ranch and he was detained, he says.
while arranging for provisions Tor the
brother until tie vote vas taken
in TIE city council. lie was TO be paid
so TO remain away while The vote was
taken. lie supnoses that as be remained
away because he could not help il. the
parties who wers 10 pay him the money
thought he had done his duty as
br!oe-tsker. Bat the pslbe-giysr
never gave Graltan the remainder
OF the bribe. amounting TO 500. The
boodlers DON want 10 nail Grattan TO the
cross. lie refused ;heiF offer OF s. 600 cash
and another il the scheme went through.
The bood!ers have Il in for Ggattan.
Look out for whitswash when the Pierce
county grand jury reports.
A gentleman familiar with the county
court house records says:
The grand jury made tour OF insnec-
ton of the different county Offices today.
which Was iadicsous in Its Inefficiency.
Fifteen minutes ~ the most
were spent with the county
clerk and deputies. a curs0ry turning
over OF the leaves Of different looks seem
ING 10 give all the information desired.
The same procedure Was observed in the
other department"
George Wsswall, charged with selling
liquor without license, Was indicted To-
day by the county grand jury.
The Federsi Grand Jury.
IaFnNa Fab II -FSnae.af n.