The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-06
A SHOCKING STORY

AS sequel to the monstrous public
robbery which was recently accomplish
ed by Boss Clay and his accomplices, a
very interesting dispatch appears in tho
Philadelphia Press from Harrisburg, re-
citing the operations of the same gang.
carried on in the state legislature.
The Philadelphia Press is a recognized
Republican daily Of power ana weight
Its readers represent as we'll the stall
Wart adherent Of the g. O. p. as the voter
with Independent tendencies who re-
fuses to accept the seal of party regu-
larity as justifying even the color Of
wrong, It's Harrisburg correspondent
evidently has unusual means and oppor-
tnities of securing correct information.
His story of the operations of the Quay
gang in the last legislature Is told on the
authority Of both brtbe-givers and brlbe-
takers, ana specifies in all needful d.
rections save in giving the names of the
corruptionists and the prices they were
paid on each of the measures on which
lhey were hlred to vote.
over a million dollars is charged to
have been distributed to corruptIy intlu-
ence votes in that body. Aside from the
contest for speaker, which was decided
by one vote, the measures on which tho
money was distributed included the Phil
0delphia franchise grab, measure az
faNfin 70 IN
another called the fifth court bill and
some legislation affecting Pittsburg
There were a number OF minor measures,
but on these was expended the bulk of
the corruption fund.
Here is a sample of the free way in
which the Press correspondent treats the
situation Telling how the money was dis
tributed he writes, and the Press pub
fishes, the following!
At least half a million dollars was dis
tIlbuted among members of the senate
and house during the contest over the so
called P1ttSburg ripper" OF this amount
not less than 500, 900 was paid to mem
bers of the senate. and half of this sum
is generally believed to have gone into
the pocket IS Of q half-doZen men. Three
of this number, after negotiating for sew
eral days with advocates and opponents
OF the bill, voted aye when the roll was
called on It's final passage. They had
been offered $4,000 each to vote against
the ripper Two of them are supposed
to have received $4,000 each for their
votes. How much in excess of $50 900 the
third received has been estimated at
from $250.0 TO $4,000.
The highest price promised for a single
vote for speaker, of which any statement
has been made by the bride offerer or
the person who received the offer, was
$2tOG0 Speaker Marshalls election by
one majority was brought about by the
votes of five Democrats. Two days be.
fore the house was organized the men
engaged III buying the votes needed to
elect Marshall were employing their
without the aid Of Democratic votes. Of
feTs Of $4,000 were made to a dozen DIFF
ftrent iBsurgent members of the house
and enc OF 100000 for the votes of three
members WAS made to one of the, trio
supposed TO control the two others. None
OF their efforts was successful. and the
five Democrats were finally called into
service t. insure the election Of Mr.
Marshall as speaker.
This is. truly a shocking story. but it
bears the imprints of truth on every line
of it. The press correspondent was evil
IDENTIFY a member of either branch of
the legislature and enjoyed the confidence
OF both those giving and those receiving