The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-25
ONE ALDERMAN IN IT
AT LAST THE GRAND JURY NET
MAKES A HAUL FROM THE
MURKY POOL.
DURHAM PUT UNDER BAIL.
CHARGED WITH SOLICITING A
BRIBE OF $4,000 ON RESER-
vOIR CONTRACT.
HANEY MAKING A HARD FIGHT.
ington-He VIII Seek Habeas
Corpus.

At last the grand jury investigation
OF crookedness among the city officials
is beginning to bear fruit.
George A. Durham, alderman from
the Third ward, was arraigned yes
terday before Judge Pond, on an in
dictment, charging an offer to accept a
bride of $4,000 from Halvorsen, Rich
ards & Co., for which he agreed to
lend his aid toward getting through a
huge reservoir contract
When Durham appeared in court he
stepped before the bar and listened in
tently 1.-THE reading of the following
indict INT, by R. C. Royce, in whose
CUSTODY it had been since the report to
the grand jury:
The District Court. of the Fourth Judicial
District County of Hennepin and State of
Minnesota. The State of Minnesota against
George A. Durnam-Indictment.
George A. Durham is accused by the grand
jury OF the county of Hennepin, in the state
OF Minnesota, by this indictment,~of the crime
OF asking for bribe committed as follows:
The said George A. Durham, on the second
day OF May, A. D. 1895, at the city of Mime
apolis, in the said Hennepin county, then and
there being duly elected, qualified and act
ing member of the city council of said city
of Minneapolis, to wit: An alderman duly
elected and returned from the Third ward Of
the said city, and then and there executing
the functions of a public Office said city of
Minneapolis then and there being municipal
corporation, duly organized and existing I'M
der ana by virtue of the laws of the state Of
Minnesota and situated in said Hennepin
county, did willfully, unlawfully wrongfully,
corruptly and feloniounsly ask for a bribe,
to wit: The sum of $4,000 good and lawful
money of the United States of America, and
of the value of $40, 900, from Halvorson, Rich
ards & Co., being then and there a copart-
nership, composed Of Halvor X. Halvorson,
OH I'd oy16 1as1,
business under the firm name and style Of
Halvorson, Richards & Co., upon the under
standing and agreement that his, the said
George A. Durnam's official vote and action
as a member of said city council as aforesaid
should be Influenced thereby in the following
manner, to wit:
In favor of the acceptance by the said city
council of a certain bid heretofore duly
submitted and proposed by the said Halvor-
son, Richards & Co. to said city council for
the construction Of a reservoir and boule-
ward by the said city of Minneapolis in said
city; said bid having heretofore been duly
submitted by the said Halvorson, Richards
& Co., and having been opened and submitted
to said city council on the 18th day of April,
1895, a more particular description of said bid
being to the grand jury unknown, and the
grand jurors do further say their oaths
that at the times andplaces above mentioned
the said city of Minneapolis by and through
it's city council aforesaid was constructing
a reservoir and boulevard and prior to said
18th day of April, 1885, said city council had
construction thereof, and that said bid Of
Halyorson Richards & Co. was submitted
to said city council pursuant to said adver-
tisement; that said city council at the times
and place above mentioned had full power
and authority by virtue of the power vested
in them by the laws Of the state of Mime
sofa and said city to construct said reser-
vor and boulevard and advertise for pro-
poSals for the construction thereof, and to
accept or reject proposals for the construc-
ton of said reservoir and boulevard, and
that said reservoir and boulevard being Ghen
and there under the supervision, con-
troll care and authority of the said city coun-
Gil, and the said city council having then and
there full power and authority in the premises
son, Richards & Co. for the construction of
said reservoir and boulevard by the votes and
acts of the members of the said city council
and he, George A. Durham, as said alder
man and said member Of said city council
being entitled to act in said matter and said
official proceedings, and being entitled to vote
in said city council upon said matter and pro-
ceeding, and having full knowledge of the bid
of said HalVorson, Richards & Company, and
the amount thereof and of his duties and
powers in the premises and the acceptance or
rejection Of said bid of Halvorson, Richards &
Company being then and there dependent
upon the action of said city council.
Contrary to the statute In such cases made
and provided, and against the peace and dig
nifty of the state of Minnesota.
Dated In Minneapolis, in said Hennepin
county this 18th day of December, 1896.
Names of witnesses examined before the
grand jury, Halvor X. Halvorson Charles H
Richards, Samuel E. Adams, Frederick c.
Harvey. Frank T. Moody, Peter Nelson, Fred
B. Snyder.
(Signed) William D. Hale,
Foreman of the Grand Jury