The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-08

That the Ghost Walked at the St.
Charles Hotel and That 1t Visited
Eleven or Twelve Councilmen.
Another Warrant Issued for the
Arrest of Mckinney.
Some of the intricate details of a few
Of the bribery transactions which have
been rampant In the city hall during
the past few years and which have
given Scranton such an unenviable
Ycputation throughout the country were
revealed in Alderman Fuller's office
yesterday morning when two ex-coun-
cilmen. simon Thomas and w. V.
Grifiiths. told Of all the money which
they had received while guarding the
interests of the citizens of Scranton
in the select and common branches
of council, respectively.
MIR. Ciriffiths, former common coun-
Gilman from the Fourth ward and
chairman OF the common branch up
II the time he resigned az per an
agreement entered into with the Mu-
nicpal league, was the first witness ey,
an1ined The bribery cases on trial. il
must he understood, we're those against
Councilmen T. e. Melvin. J. j. Mean
drew. Thomas O'Boyle. l.. j. Coleman
and former Councilman but now Rep
"csentative Edward James.
Mr.. Grffiths was examined by At
torney l.. c. Newcomb, prompted at
times by +. X. Sturges, and gave his
testimony in a frank and open man
ner. as il he had said to himself BET
ter make an open breast Of all you
know. The truths the best thing. af-
ter all"
Mr. Newcomb. without indulging in
any preliminary skirmishing, asked
Mr.. Grifflths the plain question;
Did You ever while a councilman,
receive any money or any presents
from anyone"
"Ycs. 7 did" replied Mr. Grifiiths. 'T
received money on several occasions
GAVE PARTICULARS.
Asked to mention some of the spc-
"itc instances, he replied that an en-
Ncope had on one occasion been given
to him by W. w. Davis. The envelope
contained 500 and n note stating that
il was 10 be used in assisting him to
pay his election expenses. No sigma
turc was attached to the note. He
had spoken to Mr.. Davis about it and
the latter told him that |. Davis)
had met Carl W. Mckinney on the
street ard that Nc Kinney had given
him the envelope and had asked him
tDavis) TO leave it for Mr.. Grif1iths.
In response to further questions. the
witness said that six months after hc
had taken his seat in councils former
Common Councilman James J. Grier,
of the Third ward. a foreman for the
Barber Asphalt company, gave him
500 in currency in the corridor OF the
city hail, telling him that il was for
election expenses" a month or so
afterwards the Barber asphalt ten
year repair contract ordinance was in
troduced and Grier had asked him then
To support the measure.
He said he had also received $50 In
a room at the Hotel Rudolph from
Detective Harris. the agent Of the NIu
aicipal league.
Nov. Mr.. Grifiths,' Queried Mr..
Newcomb, didn't you receive any
money from anyone else? Think hard
now
Mr. t;rifhths hesitatod for Just about
p minute and then said:
YES, did. General Manager Wey-
- -",t ~. Wv, -'' y. go !" 'I4'"" . :.
'"l''I So n'S - t0 pieHV'' to'
''1 s'' WI ""' o'''e i'i ',,e i.N
oi'p""'' 'au "'""s" ''''' Wy '"'
NV N''"D""''
M''NEN NOT MENTIONED.
He said he had talked with c. G..
Boland about the ordinance, but that
money had not been mentioned Mr..
Weyland was the only person who had
approached him with any offer Of
money in regard to the new company's
ordinance. He had no positive knowl-
edge of any of the other counciImcn
having received any money except that
hc had talked with the indicted men
about the money received at the Ru-
doIuh from Detective Harris. Asked
ii he had accepted any other money,
NI, 'rl'l'hs rcpI'eu'
~ sll' nav" not l nave t"ld
q" tnc ""tn az laT as my memory
'""lf Pe''n,''
N,orheF Joseph - hrler' appearing
,"' '''r "c'oiuahts' prlenS crosS-e%ain"
,'''u 'n' "ithess as To lhe time ne
nao receiver me HIOo from General
manager NeElahd. lhe witness stated
that ne Hau received H. ne thought
come ti'hc III ie''' Wh'Ie ,he telephone
"rulhah'e was penulhS' Nothlng had
p'e'l s"lh oS MI N'Si"Iu CT himsell
a. l" any service ne was 10 renuer
!" return 'or rue i'o''eE' ihere mao
p,e' 10 previous arrangement pN
"n'ch ne was 10 receive any money.
"l'er u'e croSs-cNtr'ihat'on' MI
NJ mi