The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-17

Him $40 in His Room in the Hotel
Rudolph and Later at the Same
Place Gave Him 81 400.
Such is the public interest In the
cases against the councilmen being
prosecuted by the Mems union that
the main court room was crowded all
or yesterday. In the morning. after
court opened, the case of the COM
monwealth against James j. Grier was
called and is being tried before Judge
H. NJ. Edwards. Grier Is the member
of the common council from the Third
wax. and was formerly chairman OF
that body. Ie IS charged with solicit
ing and accepting bribes for his vote
in counci, IN connection with the
passage Of the license tax ordinance,
| which was before council last spring.
He is defended by Attorneys Joseph
O'Brien. John F. Scragg. George s.
Horn and M. A. mckinley. and the
case is being prosecuted by District
Attorney Jones and Attorney j. II.
Torrey, e. c. Newcomb and F. L.
| Beers, private counsel for the Mems
uniQp.
The prosecutor is f. b. sturges. who
| occupied seat at the commonwealth's
table yesterday. During the after
! noon Colonel H. M. Boies. who is the
prosecutor in cases against other coun-
cilmen. came in and took seat
alongside of Mr. Sturges. Among the
interested spectators who occupied
seats within the bar enclosure were
Rev. DR.. c. e. Robinson and Rev. DR..
| James Mcleod, of the Second and
| First Presbyterian churches. Scat
| tered through the audience was a
| good sprinkling of business men and
! others prominent in the various walks
Of life.
SELECTING JURY.
The work Of selecting jury was
| begun at $50 and the commonwealth
| suggested that it be done in the same
manner that juries are selected in fell
| onies. which gave them the entire
| panel to draw from. This was OBJ
| iected to by the attorneys for the do
fendant but Attorney Newcomb pre-
| sented an opinion of the Superior court
of a few days ago, which permits
| juries in cases such as the one at the
| bar, TO be selected in that way and
| the work was proceeded with. 1t was
| 1880 when the necessary twelve men
We're secured. They are:
JOSEPH BACIIMAN. farmer. Gouldsboro
EARL CARPENTER. huckster. North Abingdon
THOMAS HOLMES, clerk, Simpson.
| F.. G. HANSON. laborer La Plume.
| JAMES HARRIS, miner, Scranton.
| l.. H. HOLGATE, student, La Plume
ALBERT JOHNSON, plumber, Waverly.
| +. S. KELLOGG. painter Scranton.
REV. WILLIAM F.. MORGAN, Scranton.
| CHAUNCEY NOACK, farmer Madison.
| JACOB STANTON farmer, West Abingdon.
| C. c. WILLIAMS, farmer, West Abingdon.
| District Attorney Jones asked, on ac-
count of the wide Importance of the
case and the great publicity given to
it, that the jury be kept together DUR
ing the trial. Judge Edwards made
an order that this be done.
When court resumed its sitting,
shortly before o'clock, Mr.. Newconb
| opened the case for the commonwealth
to the jury. He said that for a long
| time it had been matter of great
| scandal in the city that it was neceS-
! sary to pay money to councilmen to
secure the passage of desired legisla-
| ton or to defeat unfavorable legisla-
| ton. So great became the scandal that
| finally a number of high minded citi-
zens banded themselves together with
the intention of ridding the city Of this
evil.
LICENSE TAX ORDINANCE
Mr. Newcomb went on to say that in
| March Of this year a license tax ordi-
nance was introduced in council which.
tl,t, %
three per cent. on the gross receipts of
the Scranton Railway company ,ha
first year, this amount to be raised
gradually until it reached five per cent.
of the gross receipts. 1t was not the
intention that this ordinance should
| pass, Mr.. Newcomb said. 1t was what
| was known as a "strike," and through
members OF the council it leaked out
that the company would have to do
something If it wanted to prevent the
passage of this ordinance.
This organiza ton of citizens then ap.
piled to well-known detective agency
to send competent men here to investl-
gate the rumor that this ordinance:
was Strike"
"They came and did investigated ~
Mr.. Newcomb said, land think yo,
|
only way in which a crime of this kind
could be brouGht home to those wkC
were guilty. These detectives came
here and became acquainted with vari-
Gus members o. council. Among Others
was the defendant, James j. Grier, who
said he was the man who handled the
| money in common council for promot-
ing and defeating legislation, and he
| assured the detectives that he could
have the amount OF the tax on the
Scranton Railway company reduced
from three, four and five per cent. tc
one per cent, II proper ARRANGEMENTS
were made with him and his col
leagues. Several meetings We're held
and at these Mr.. Grier demanded and
received certain sums of money fol
himself and others.
"When you hear the testimony de,
tailed on the stand / think you vii
say it was time that these good cii,
zens banded together; that this was q
foul blot on the city, and that you vii
have no hesitation in saying that th!i
man is guilty"
| HEARING TESTIMONY.
| W. A. Lynott the clerk of the com
mon council, was the first witness
called and produced the record Of
council showing the election of Jane.
j. Grier to the common council in lS9I
and his taking q seat In that body.
Evan Morris, assistant city clerk
testified that the ordinance produce
by the commonwealth was the one
known as the license tax ordinance