The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-21

From what could be CLEANED of yes
terday's opening session Of the grand
jury's investigation Of the alleged cor
ruption in city hall. the affair Is Moth
ing more than fishing expedition.
Parties who are supposed to know
something or other Of the reported
bribery in connection with the pass
age Of the new telephone ordinance,
the awarding Of the ten-year electric
light contract. the misappropriation OF
police fines and the purchase OF PIE
lection for the slot machines were
called in and piled with questions tend
ing to reveal something more than
hearsay in the wav Of incrimination
If the jury has anything tangible to
work upon, it has not as yet been dis
closed
The witnesses examined yesterday
were City Controller Esdras Howell.
Deputy Controller Charles A. Hartley.
Attorney p. w. Gallagher. former
claim agent for the Scranton Railway
company; Carl w. Mckinney, formerly
with the Barber Asphalt company,
later with the I.ackawanna Telephone
company and more recently interested
in the Scranton Electric Light and
Heat company Hon. j. "A. Scranton,
editor of the Republican; Alderman
John p. Kelly, and P. F. Ryan and
Jacob Gilman, attaches of his court,
who were mixed up in the slot ma
chine 'squab bile; Frank j. Mangan,
Wolf johnson, James F.. Best, William
Curtis James Noon. Lawrence Knad-
Ter and NJ. J. O'Toole.
COUNCILMEN sUBPOENAED.
Last night, as the select and COM
mon councilmen appeared In city hall
| to attend the meetings scheduled fol-
last night, they encountered County
Detective I.eyshon and a subpoena
| summoning them to appear today be-
| fore the grand jury. Thirty-flve in al
| were subpoenaed. A number of gamb'
| lers and slot machine proprietors were
| also summoned for today.
Controller Howell and Deputy Hart
| ley were, it Is said. asked about the
| alleged illegal retention of police fine
| and the statement reported to have
| been made in their presence by Car
| Mckinney that he had to buy W
everybody city hall from the ianitol
up"
Mr.. Mckinney. when before tn
jury admitted, it is said, having mad,
remark somewhat in that STRAIN
He was waiting on the controller 4
certify the electric light contract an(
was kept standing around nearly hal
an hour while the controller and hi
deputy We're consulting in an inne
office. When they came out and an
nounced that they would get an opin
ion from the city solicitor before coun
tersigning the contract, Mr.. Mckinney
in his pique and disappointment at thi
new and unexpected delay, said some
thing to the effect that 1t loOke,t as |
IL was necessary to buy the whc:e cit!
hall from janitor up to get any legis
lation through.
HE TOLD THE MAYOR.
Editor Scranton and Reporter Mich
ael O"Toole were questioned regarding
statements they had written, intimat
ing that they knew OF crookedness II
municipal affairs. The latter volun
teered the informant so it is report
ed. that he had informed the mayo
repeatedly of the existence of z Ger
tain gambling dive and that the sal
dive is still in full blast.
Most Of the questioning was don
by Foreman p. A. Barrett, who him
self has written numerous article
dealing with the reputed rottennes
in the city government. Some of tn
inquiries he made were, 1t is sait
particularly pointed and caused no lit
tie squirming on the part of several @
the witnesses.