The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-16

Two more X-Councimen, Richard
II. Williams and Charles II. Godshall
both of whom up to a few months
ago represented the Fifth ward in
select and common councils respective
| ly. yesterday took the stand in Alder
| man Fuller's office and made confes.
sons. telling of all the money they
received while i'm council.
The cases being heard were those
brought by the Municipal League
! against Councimcn Thomas G. NIL
win, John J. McAndrcw, Thomas
O'Boylc, II. J. Coleman and cX-Coun-
| clmen Edward James, jr., Cor bribery
| and against II. IL. Williams for per-
| jury.
Mr.. Williams was the first witness
| examined. When the league entered
| into an agrC Cment with the eleven in
Gicted councilmcn some few months
| ago, Mr.. Williams, who had not been
| indicted. took advantage of the offer
made by the league at that time and
resigned from council, agreeing TO
| abide BY the same conditions which
were imposed urOn the ether council
men.
He was examined yesterday by At
| the league. He started right out by
asking Mr. Williams if he knew +. j.
| Maloncy. the former local manager of
| the Central Pennsylvania Telephone
company, and if he had ever received
| any money from him.
Mr.. Williams replied that he knew
| Maloney very will and that some time
| in 1898. when the Lackawanna Tclc-
| phone ordinance was up for the first
| time. Maloncy had come over To the
witness house, in West Scranton. and
| had given him $50 in an envelope, to
| stick by the old company"
MONEY WAS WAITING
After that he received money on
a number Of occasions from the old
company. He would receive a postal
card telling him to come down to the
| ST. Charles hotel on a certain night.
and when he got down there he would
go into back room and always find
an envelope ON the table marked
| Fifth Ward"
| These envelopes would sometimes
| contain $50 and sometimes $1J. lie
would get them at intervals varying
from one to two months. IT was I'M
| derstood that the money was coming
from T.. j. Maloney, and that he was
supposed to vote against the new
telephone franchise. He always voted
against the new ordinance until the
night of its final passage.
Mr.. Torrey then began a series of
| questions with the idea of eliciting
something about the combination or
| cabal of select councilmen which. it is
| alleged. was in existence for o con-
siderable length of time. Mr.. Williams
admitted The existence OF such q, COM
| bination. He said it was comprised of
twelve members.
Meetings, he said. were often held
in the ST. Charles hotel and at those
meetings ordinances and measures of
various kinds pending in councils
would be discussed. The combination
was formed, he said to get legislation
| through 1t was formed originally by
a number Of the West Scranton coun
oilmen because the east side council
men didn't support the viaduct ordl-
nance.
Asked to name some OF the members
OF this combination, he mentioned the
names of Thomas O'Boyle. Il. G. Mel.
vim, John }. McAndreW. simon Thorn
as II. 7. Fellows, Il. j. Coyne, John
shea ana Edward James, jr
WOULD GIVE THE WINK.
y number of these members would
| generally be i'm and around the hotel
when he would be summoned there by
postal card. Some of them he couidn'l
remember which, would give him the
wink and he would go back and get
mis- envelope. lie had no positive
knowledge that any of the other mem.
bers were receiving money, but he sup.
posed that everybody got it.
The night before the Lackawanna
telephone ordinance was finally passed
in select council on third reading ht
received an unsigned letter telling him
that if he voted for the new franchise
he would not regret it, and telling him
to go around after the meeting to tho
new wyoming hotel at the corner OF
| wyoming avenue and Center street