The Worcester spy., 1899-06-28
A BRIBERY "TRUST."

Unless Judge Tuthill and States At
torney Deneen have exaggerated the
situation, Chicago courts have an ex-
| traordinary organization of jury brib-
ers to hunt down, convict and publish.
Jury bribing trust" is the name col
loquially bestowed upon the alleged
combination. Jury corruption has
been fragrant in Cook county" writes
one of the correspondents, and recent
developments give color to the as
sumption that more than a few cor
porations, which have hundreds of law
suits every year, are in a league to
control juries through the agency of a
syndicate" The theory is that cer-
tain saloon kept by a former detective
and much frequented by court bailiffs
and railway employees is the clearing
house for the syndicate" and though
two of the most conspicuous agents are
now under arrest, the real problem is
to discover the parties who supply
them with funds.
Evidence of jury corruption had be-
come so common that suspicious of a
combination We're inevitable, but the
most suggestive discoveries were made
during the recent trial of a suit for
damages against railroad, when
Judge Tuthill surprised both parties by
summarily taking the case from the
jury. John F. Taylor, one of the jur-
Ors, informed the court that a bribe
| had been offered him in the interest of
the defendant, and investigation posi-
lively Identified the would-be briber as
| the former detective and saloon keeper,
Daniel Coughlin.
1t will be remembered that Coughlin
was sentenced to prison for
life for aiding in the murder
! of DR.. Patrick H. Cronin, some
| ten years ago. but was acquitted at a
second trial, though his alleged ac-
| complies remained in Jail. There were
! charges of bribery in connection with
the first trial, for it was expected that
the verdict would be death rather than
| life Imprisonment. Now Coughlin turns
! up as a briber himself, and his boon
| companions are found TO be men who
are or have been employed about the
| courts and railroad men whose goings
and cOmings excite lively suspicion. He
! is held under $4,000 bonds on two in
! dictments, while his barkeeper has
been bailed at $4,000 on a separate bill
Not the least interesting incident OF
the story is the fact that when Cough
lin was lured back to the city, a week
ago, after his flight to escape arrest
he came part way in company with a
/ well known railroad man, though the
pair seem to have separated before
reaching the Chicago station. where
4 Coughlin was taken into custody.
The dimensions ascribed to the jury
bribing trust make it fit subject fol
Robert Louis Stevenson or Conar
Doyle The suggestion of romance i.
obvious, and yet high officials tell tbs
story with all earnestness and con.
fdence. Quite as much to the point i:
the suspension of petty court officer.
for Jampering with juries, and tn,
strong suspicion of completely cast up
on certain members of the city police
uepai tliieAt- Inc 81 dNAtS VI tHe dl
Legations call for vigorous action, anC
this seems assured so far as the mel
under arrest are concerned, but tht
J.. demands of justice will not be fulfilled
, till the higher powers that furnish tn,
corruption fund are brought to book
! Such wholesale corruption as is herr
Il described makes the whole judiciar!
establishment not merely a farce, bu
q t,rra nnv