Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-11-21
is THERE BOODLERY !?
A SENSATION IN THE COMMON
COUNCIL.
Alderman Heck Accused by Con-
tractor Wilson of Offering to
Sell His Vote

There was a lively and interesting
session of the common council last
evening, during which Aid. Heck, OF
the Second ward, was openly charged
by r. j. Wilson, the sewer contractor,
with attempted boodlery in having of
fered to sell his vote in the council for
a consideration of 5000. The lobby
was crowded with citizens and good
deal of excitement prevailed over the
developments of the evening.
After the routine business was trans
acted, Mayor Voss who made the sug-
gestion because he thought legal com
piications might afterward arise which
the aldermen would regret-called the
attention of the council to the fact that
if it was desired to further discuss the
contract made by the board of public
works with r. ] Wilson, of Milwaukee,
for sewers, it would be necessary to
reconsider the vote, and motion to
that effect prevailed. Then the con-
troversy began, in which Aid. CRUDE,
Woodard, Kruger, Kessler and Heck
took leading parts. The former main
tanned that the council should not
treat the board of public works so un-
fairly as to refuse to ratify contract
made by them, and should place sufti-
cient confidence in them as sworn
officers to not endeavor to pry into
private matters they might know about
certain contractors. The other alder
men named took a different view,
claiming that the council, if they de-
sired, had right to be informed why
contractor, who is the lowest bidder
on job, is not reliable and response
BILE to do the work; that the board of
public works Is not g secret organiza-
ton; that they are servants of the al
dermen who in turn are servants of the
taxpayers and directly responsible to
them for their votes on all questions.
If in letting contract ST 800 can be
saved on one bid over another, they
have right to know why this saving
cannot be made. But the aldermen
all agreed that, if IL. the course they
pursued at the previous meeting, any,
thing unlawful was done, they desired
to have it pointed out and then would
be perfectly willing to rectify it. 1t
was limited by some of the aldermen
that the standing of Mr.. Murphy, the
lowest bidder, had not been thorough
ly looked into by the board, and Aid.
Heck read letter from aChicago sewer
aut thority recommending him. The
mayor claimed this letter was a pri-
vate one of Heck's and also asked him
If he was not personally interested in
Murphy's bid. Both of these matters
the alderman denied Mr.. Heck fur
ther stated, in contradiction Of an as
sertion made by Aid. Kruger to the
effect that Mr.. Wilson did not implore
support from any alderman, that he
had been approached by Wilson and
asked to vote for the latter's contract
Mr.. Wilson being in the lobby, a num-
Der of the aldermen requested that he
have hearing, and while this would
not be customary the mayor said he
would grant permission little were no
objection. There being none, Mr.. Will
son stepped forward and made the ac-
cusation against Aid. Heck, as stated
above, the same occurring near the
Northwestern railway depot, and also
saying that he agreed at the time to
consider the proposition. Heck brand
ed the same as deliberate falsehood,
but Wilson claimed be could prove it
and he will undoubtedly be called'upon
to do SO. The charge is serious one
against the alderman and will be thor
oughly investigated. The initiative
steps will be taken at special meeting
of the common council this evening
whenit was also agreed to bring up the
the sewer contract for further discus
sion