The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-24
QUAKER CITY SCANDAL
SENSATIONAL ALLEGATIONS OF Bril-
Berry AND CORRUPTION.
Councilman Acknowledges Accepting
Money for His VOte-Like Charges
Against other SOIOns.

| PHILADELPHIA, Pa, March 23.-What
promises to develop into the ugliest political
| scandal ever inflicted upon this city was re-
vealed in court here to-day, when one menu
| Der of the Council confessed the acceptance
| of a bride; another was accused of a like
offense, and two others were charged with
| offering the brides. The whole affair grows
out of the ordinance offered i'm the Council
to lease the city water works to the Schuy1<
kill Valley Water Company, and IT," alleged
attempt by Nelson @. Green, of New York,
representing the company, to obtain a fa-
vorable report from the water committee
by the payment of between $4,000 and $25,-
COO. During recent consideration of the bill
in Common Councils, Walter G. Stevenson,
a member of that body, charged that 5000
had been offered TO him by Peter E. Smith,
a member of the Republican city commit
tee, to vote for the bill. A councilmanic
investigating committee was appointed and
is still at work. but District Attorney Graz
ham promptly took up the case; Smith was
held in 10000 bail, and to-day's sensational
developments came at his hearing before
Judge Gordon and Breezy, of the Common
Pleas Court, who sat as committing magis-
trates AS consequence of this hearing.
Smiths bail in the same amount was
tinued and his trial has been set for next
Tuesday; and Councilman l.. j. Walker de-
clared that he and Councilman Edwin E.
Smith had each accepted $500 from Council
man Charles Seger to vote for the bill in
committee. He also averred that Council
man ]. Emery Byram had previously Of
fered him IS O0O to vote for the bill in the
chamber. but he had refused the money and
voted against 1t.
cusation the bill was indefinitely postponed,
was the first witness to-day, and he repeat+
ed his story without change. Smith entered
q denial, but was held for trial, as stated
Councilman A. Raymond Raft, who was on
the water committee, and voted for the bill
there but against 1t on final consideration,
was the next witness. He denied any knewl-
edge of bribery but said he had discussed
the merits of the measure with Mr. Green.
Councilman Walker was then ,alled. He
was very nervous. At first he said he did
not know Green; had accepted no money,
and knew of none having been ZEN, accepted;
ly: With God as your judge were you Of
fered any money!?
Walker hung his head and after a mo-
ment's silence, replied: Yes, l was. and
| he named the men by whose persuasion he
had fallen. The money, he said, was paid
seen Councilman Edwin Smith receive the
$500 at the same time with himself
Smith here took the stand ana ana denied
| having received any money A like denial
/ was made by A. r. II. Morrow, who was
! chairman of the subcommittee;
Councilman Henry Clay, who has opposed
| the bill since its introduction, said he mad
| a conversation with Nelson G.. Green. in
| which the latter said 1t had cost either $l5,-
| OOO or $4,000 to get the bill through COM
! mittee. Witness was not sure Whlch or
| these sums was mentioned
| Councilman r. r. Bringhurst, who was
chairman of the joint committee on water,
| which reported the bill favorably but who
personally has been against 1t, gave SEN
! satfonal testimony. Green, he said, had
| come to him and said: This bill is going
| to be a law There is no question about II.
| Select Council will pass IL and Common
! Council will pass II and the mayor viii
! sign it. ] wish you would interview the
members of councils 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" Mr. Brnghurst said he not only
| refused to do this. but has since had moth
! ing to do with Green.
During the procee 1ings District Attorney
/ Graham asserted: II know $25, 600 was spent
/ to get the bill through the committee and
/ want to know who got it," The court will
resume the investigation next Monday.
] At the end of to-day's hearing. Council
man Walker was In the district attorneys
office for more than an hour, when he was
permitted to go upon promising TO appear
| when wanted. 1t Is said that he made
clean breast of the whole affair and other
arrests are expected. The exposure has
| created a profound sensation.