The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-02
charges OF BRIBERY.
,...,,ion Expected in Court at
s7" Joliet, Ills.
,vvpy SAID TO BE INVOLVED.

o,,,uaes Board Claims That Improper IN
pl' .s Were Brought to Bear In the
nv condemnation Cases-Consp'r"cy
L'"- into TO Mulct the Taxpayers of
.,,.ge District, So IL Is Alleged,
~ Raising price of Property.
,o,st Ills, March 2.-When proceed
'O" nored in Judge Hilscher's court
mss ~, where the suit q the drain
hoard has been in progress, IL was
as something had happened during
e"' S,rht This was clearly denoted by
'n' a,r Of expectancy in the courtroom
l' rsually large crowd had gather
o. tn the expectation Of hearing some
' 49, sensational. Sensational charges
' attempted bribery in connection
drainage board condemnation suits
VIZ - trial in Judge Hilscher's court
~ Toilet will be made in court mere by
,Ss attorneys Cor the board TIE
Urges will Involve a number or Jol-
,l~s most prominent citizens. III VIII
claimed that money has been used
NC ,Iavepce the findings of the jury
~ sneci6c allegations will be that a
.nirocv has been entered into
.,herebv property worth $S5 or $40 is
~ declared worth $12O and $125 per
foot.
Members of Jury Approached.
The attorneys for the board assert
mot they have evidence to show that
msmbers of the jury have been APP
nroached and that local prejudices have
saor anpealed TO by the emissaries or
Az alleged bribe-givers. The argu-
.nort that Joliet gains little by the
drainage channel scheme, while being
made 10 some extent SUFFERER from
ch,cago's sewage, has been utilized
nth skill and effect. This local feeling
~ little gain ard the supposed great
oss from a sanitary point of view to
Io,iet has. the drainage board attorneys
saw. been crystallizing in the peniten-
tiary city for many years, and now
when at last the residents of VIII coun-
~ have an opportunity to mulct heav-
,Iv the taxpayers of the drainage dis
trict they have, the attorneys claim
entered into a conspiracy to obtain ex-
orbitant prices for the land to be con-
demned.
Suits Being Tried I'm a Batch.
lust who are the particular jurymer
against whom accusations are to bt
\ made Il is impossible to learn. The
suits in connection with which the al
legations of bribery are to be made arr
for the condemnation of property front
ing on the Des PLANES river and ex
tending for a half mile between Jack
son and Jefferson streets. The suits
are being tried in a batch by one jury
The six principal defendants or proper
~ owners are: r. f. Barber, attorney
NJ E. Bannon, grocer; j. +. King, ium
herman; Wilcox Bros. carriage manu-
facturers; w. j. Adam, barbed wir
manufacturer All these defendants ar
ranked among the wealthiest men o
Joliet. There are about twenty-fiv
minor defendants, the value of who's
property will average about $500.
Many Peculiar elopments.=---
It is claimed that local sentiment
averse to the interests of the drainag
board. The progress of the trial
marked by many peculiar develop
ments Numerous witnesses have bee
summoned on each side to testify as
the value of the property in dispute
The average number OF these exper
witnesses has been twenty-five to eac
piece Of property. Two of the mos
prominent and highly respected of thes
appraisers have differed conspicuous
and inexplicably in their estimates. A
torney F. w. c. Hayes. representing tn
drainage board, is here giving his pei
sonal attention to the case. He e>
pressed himself as confident that til
promised disclosures would get some {
the most prominent residents of Wi
county into serious trouble. The nun
Der of jurors under suspicion is given 6
FIVE