Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-03-24
PHILADELPHIA FRAUD
Ugly Political Scandal Develops
Regarding the Quaker City
Water Works Deal.
CITY DAD OWNS TO BEING BRIBED

Got $500 for His Vote In Favor of Selling
the Works to Il Private Corporation
Three Other Counciimcn In the Same
Corner-Southall, the Time Check Man,
In Jail at st. Paul-Grext Pension Frauds
Unearihed ut Providence, II. 1.
Philadelphia, March 2i.-What prom
lses to develop into the uglies: politi-
cal scandal ever inflicted upon this city
was revealed in court here yesterday
when one member of the council con-
fessed the acceptance of a bride; an
other was accused of like offense, and
two others were charged with Offering
the brides. The whole affair grows out
CT the ordinance, offered in councils to
lease the city water works to the
Schuylkill Valley Water company. and
the alleged attempt by Nelson G. Green,
of New York. representing the COM
parry, to obtain a favorable report
from the water committee by the pay
During the recent consideration of the
bill in common councils Walter G..
SteyeE5on, member of, that body
charged that $1,000 had been offered to
him by Peter NJ. Smith, a member, of
the Republican city committee, to vote
for the bill.
Walker Proves n Good Witness.
A council investigating committee
was appointed and is still at work, but
District Attorney Graham promptly
took up the case, and Smith was held
in $4,000 bail and yesterdays sensa-
tional developments came at his hear
ing before Judges Gordon and Breezy,
of the common pleas court, who sat as
committing magistrates. Councilman
Louis J. Walker declared that he and
Councilman Edwin Z. Smith had each
accepted $5Ca from Councilman Charles
Seger to vote for the bill in committee
He also avesed that Councilman ].
Emery Byrarn had previously offered
him $500 to vote for the bill in the
chamber. but he had refused the money
ami voted against it. When Council
man Walker was called as a witness
he was at first very nervous. He said
he did not know Green; had accepted
/ 10 money ard knew of none having
been accepted.
Judge Gets Him to Tell the Truth.
Judge Breezy then said to him i'm
pressively: With God as your judge,
were you offered any money!" Wal
ker hung his head and after a mo-
ment's silence, replied: Yes. l was"
and he named the men by whose per-
suasion he had fallen. The money, he
said, was paid in Councilman Seger's
saloon and he had seen Councilman
Edwin Smith receive the $500 at the
same time with himself. Smith here
took the stand and denied having re-
ceived any money. A like denial was
made by A. Il. H. Morrow, who was
chairman of the subcommittee.
Some OF the Needed Fixing"
Councilman r. r. Bringhurst gave
sensational testimony. Green. he said,
had come TO him and said: This bill
is going to be 4 law. There is no ques-
ton about it. Select council will pass
it and common council will pass it and
the mayor will sign it. l wish you
would interview the members of coun-
ellis for me. Some of them will have
to be seen and fixed. If you will find
out for me who they are and what they
want I'll look out for the rest. That
is my business and I'm used to that
kind of work"
Bringhurst said he not only refused
to do this but has since had nothing
to do with Green.