The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-22
URDAY AND TELL THE GRAND
JURY
WHAT IS HEREWITH PRINTED.
DENIES THAT HE LEFT CHICAGO
BECAUSE MIR. DENEEN WANT
ED HIM.
NOTHING IN THE BRIBERY STORY.
He Thinks 1t Was All n Joke, and
Told the States Attorney That
Fact.

Aid. William Mangler, of Chicago,
whose disappearance from the Windy
CITY created a sensation in connection
with an alleged bribery scandal, is
spending the week in st. Paul, as told
IN the G e of yesterday. Aid. Man
gler went to White Bear lake for the
first two days of his visit to the North
west, in order to give his two little
sons, who accompany him, an outing.
Returning to town last night, he was
seen by a reporter for the G ana
had the following to say concerning
the state of excitement into which the
Chicago authorities have allowed them
selves to fall over his absence:
The charge that left Chicago TO
avoid appearing before the grand jury
is ridiculous. I had planned this trip
to st. Paul several weeks before my
departure, but because 1 did not see
fit to inform States Attorney Deneen
of my purpose the hue and cry Is rails
ed that I fled from thee ity to escape
summons before the grand jury.
had planned to visit my brother at the
time when thought I could best spare
week from my business, ana as
States Attorney Deneen is not my keep
er I simply came away without taking
him into my confidence.
THE socalled sensation concerning
alleged bribery in the Chicago city
council at best is a mole hill eXagger-
ated into a mountain, and originated
in the course of a conversation Whlch
1 had with Mayor Harrison in my place
of business at 121 La Sale street, sew
eral weeks ago, concerning the passage
Df iah
mayors veto. Last winter an electric
street car company was granted
franchise to operate on the South side
of our city, but was to construct under-
ground conduits for the trolley wires
instead of hanging the Wlras overhead.
Upon a subsequent investigation 1t was
found impossible to construct the I'M
foreground trolley system, On account or
the sewerage arrangements OF the
South side, and the company sought
permission ITO erect poles and string
their wires overhead. A resolution
granting this permission came before
the council and was vetoed by Mayor
Harrison, when there was an EFFORT
made to pass the measure over the
veto. In this connection Mayor Harrl
son came to see me. I am a Democrat
and he desired to know if | would vote
to sustain his veto. [ was favorable
to granting the request of the company
and told Mayor Harrison that there
was considerable talk Of large sums OF
money being used to secure enough
votes to pass the resolution over his
veto, and that if 1 made a change of
base and opposed the measure, there
would undoubtedly be talk of my &C
ton having been influenced by money.
In. nfact, d. jocularly remarked that l.
had already been offered $4,000 to vote
for the resolution, and from this state
hcn on
charges of bribery and claim that L
fled to keep from going before the
grand jury.
"As a matter of fact I did receive an
offer of 81, 000 but upon mature consid-
GRAFTON I am of the belief that it was
made in the same jocular manner in
which I told of it to Mayor Harrison
and that there was no attempt what
ever at bribery. The morning after
my conversation with the mayor, how
ever, a great sensation was put forth
by morning paper which had come
into possession of the remark 1 had
made and the air was full of bribery
talk l went voluntarily to States At
torney Deneen and explained the mat
ter to him, but he insisted that I had
documents in my possession showing
an attempt at bribery and threatened
to take the matter before the grand
jury. The only documents relating to
the electric franchise which l had were
several marked copies of the resolution
pending, calling my attention to diff
ferent sections which would be of adj
vantage to the citizens of the South
side in case the measure could pass.
Being favorable to the resolution these
copies were sent to me for the purpose
of calling my attention to the best
points to argue in favor of it's adop-
ton and for no other reason. Mr..
Deneen wanted the copies and I told
him they had been mislaid or lost.
This was not satisfactory to the states
attorney and he then declared he
would go to the bottom of the entire
matter Monday last I left the city
when the hue and cry was raised. I
have absolutely nothing to fear from
an investigation and shall return to
Chicago Saturday, according to my
original plans. The present grand
jury will still be in session, and if I
am summoned before that body 1 shall
make the above explanation, which
will show all of this excitement to
have amounted to nothing