The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-31
Ahidavits Charging BroOkfeId with
Playing "PracticaI Politics" by
Offering Jobs for Votes.
PLATT's METHODS SCORED
FRAUD ALLEGED BY THE COMMIT
TEE OF FIVE HUNDRED.
DIR. Hunters Citizenship Proven
Fusion Ticket Endorsed by Louisiana
RepubIicans-Reed Men Beaten.

NEW YORK, Jan. 30.-Mayor Strong will
| receive tomorrow from G.. r. Manchester,
chairman OF the delegates of the Twenty
| fifth Assembly district, a number of COM
munications and affldavits. These affida-
Wits purport to point out instances of
wrong doing by subordinates Of Mayor
Strong, persons now connected with the
administration OF municipal affairs. The
affidavits are said 10 have been prepared
by Thomas c. Plat and Chairman Lauter-
bach, of the county committee. in response
to the offer of the Mayor to give $500 re-
ward provided the charges recently made
by ex-senator Plat in an open letter could
be substantiated
William German made the first affidavit.
| He was secretary of the Republican organ
| ization OF the old Thirty-third election dis
| trict He was elected delegate to the
Assembly district convention, together with
| three other members of the organization.
! He then gives details of interview with
| Solomon Berliner, who claimed to repre-
| sent the so-called Brookfield faction, to
which he was opposed. This led up to an
| interview with Commissioner of Public
| Works Brookheld. A number of delegates
elected TO the Republican convention were
| represented by Mr.. German at this inter-
| view. Mr.. German, by the way, claimed
| TO be the head of his delegation The re-
| suit OF the interview Is told in the follow
ing language, presented in the form OF an
affidavit:
Mr. Brookfield asked us what positions
we wanted. Berliner told him nothing I'M
der thousand dollars year. Mr.. Brook
field then said: Gentlemen, i have just
three places, four dollars a uay each. Are
they permanent because l did not want
any fake job. Mr.. Brookfield said: Yes:
| permanent jobs; four dollars day; inspec-
| tors / said: That's ali right: I'm salts
| fed Then we kind of hesitated again and
| asked Mr. Brookheld il ne had those places
now, and he said yes ne had them. Then
| he called in an ASSISTANT believe his
name was Ryan-and told him to look up
| those positions, and he came back and said
| he had them. Then Mr.. Brookfield said
| that IL we carried out our contract we would
| receive our commissions the next day, be-
| tween the hours of IL and 4. Mr.. Brook
| field also said Now, gentlemen, you must
understand this is between ourselves and
| Is going no further, and If you don't carry
| out your contract there is nothing I'm it.
| BY that II was clearly understood between
| us that il be failed to win the Twenty-fifth
| Assembly district convention we would not
| get the places, but tnat we would get the
| places If his faction won through our
| votes. Mr.. Brookfield further said from that
| time on he was going TO play practical pol
| itics, and was not going TO beat around
the bush any more; that he was going to
| open up the places to people that were able
| TO do something for him.
| I'VE went to the convention that night
| and. with the exception OF the said Woods,
we voted as we had been elected, for the
| anti-Brookfeld side. 1 never intended to
vote any other way, and went with Ber-
| liner at his request merely to see how far
| the-aiieged offers of places that were be-
| night of the district convention to elect
| delegates to the county convention, Ber-
liner came to me and said that Mr.. Hedges.
the Mayors secretary. wanted to see me
| down stairs. / refused to go down. He
said You go down and see Hedges and
| get that place He says Commissioner
4
| but told General Coils to give you your
commission tomorrow if my delegates
I add that within a short time after said
| convention said George Gods, who voted
| for the Brookheld faction at that conven-
ton, received an appointment in the De-
| partment of Public Works as an inspector.
1 understand. at four dollars a day
Some of the details of Mr.; Germain's
| statement is corroborated by the affidavits
| of Solomon Berliner and Charles Wondres,
the latter chairman of sne Republican or
9istrist m s ce wenvig,nl'n Assemoy
| signed by Henry Weinberg. He claims he
was forced out of position as a clerk of
| the Board of Aldermen because he had re-
In the interest OF Magistrate Crane.
| Charges Against Plat.
| NEW YORK. Jan. 30.--A meeting was
held at the Madison-square Music Hall to-
night by the members of the five hundred
meeting was called to order by Edward N
Mitchell and Cornelius N Bliss was made
permanent chairman. Mr.. Mitchell pre-
sented the report Of the committee Of
twenty-five, appointed Ito investigate the
| alleged frauds in the Republican enrolment
| in this city, and the validity of the present
county organization. TO take such action in
regard to the frauds at the recent primar-
les in the enrolment as they deem neces-
sary and to report to a meeting to be
called hereafter" The report reads in part
as follows: THE committee has received
very encouraging assurances OF support and
cooperation from Republicans throughout
the city. Under the direction OF members
OF the bar, acting with the committee, a
number OF inspectors charged with fraud
ulent conduct at the recent primaries have
been arrested and held for trial By city
magistrates and their cases are now pend
ing before the grand jury. Further work
in this direction is now under considera-
ton"
The committee gives a list Of the as
sembly districts In which they allege the
enrolment has been padded 70 the ex-
tent of 500 names out of total of H.
900. Continuing, the report says: The gen.
eral conclusion drawn from the investiga-
ton, and from which the evidence leaves
no possible avenue of escape, Is that the
men in control of the county organization
have devised and carried through de-
liberate scheme of wholesale fraud, in
tended to secure for themselves without
regaru 10 the Will or the majority or the
Republican voters, the absolute control of
the organization and OF the delegations
from this city to the national and State
conventions. The frauds were not sporai-
ic. They Wee so general throughout TIE
city. the methods pursued In various parts
OF the city were so similar and the work
was so sklfully concentrated at the points
where II would most surely accomplish
its purpose. that the proof OF a carefully
prearranged design Is irresistible. 1t Is
also clear that the greater part Of the
fraud pr1cticed by the opponents OF those
in control of the present party machine
was the result Of the general demoraliza-
ton and lowering of moral standards. re-
sultng from the methods OF the official
heads Of the party. so that many workers
who would have preferred honest methods
were tempted into fighting their opponents
with their own weapons"
Resolutions were passed favoring a new
enrolment throughout the city. BY many
this Is regarded as the first step towards
a separate and independent organization.
When the enrolment is completed the COM
mittee of. five hundred will then proceed to
take further action.
HUNTER Is A CITIZEN.