The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-09

lHere was anotEer nearing before
Alderman Fuller yesterday in the
councilmanic bribery cases but moth
Ing OF any importance was ELECTED
from Richard O'Brien. the only witness
examined.
Before the hearing began Select
Councilman Thomas O'Boyle entered
the Office In company with his attor-
ney. /. II. Burns, and said he was
ready to enter bail. He had heard that
a warrant was out for him and was
on his way to the alderman's Office to
enter bail when he met Officer HufIling
who served the warrant upon him.
DO you admit there is probable
cause for your arrest" asked Alder
man Fuller.
Il admit nothing of the kind" replied
Mr.. o'Boyle, with considerable vigor
II cannot allow you to enter bail
then" said the alderman. I'VE will
have to go into q hearing" and Mr..
OBoyle's case went down with those
against Select Councilmen ]. j. Nc
Andrew and T. G. Melvin, Common
Councilman T.. ]. Coleman. and former
Select Councllmen r. II. Williams and
p. +. Mccain, all of whom are charged
with soliciting and accepting bribes.
MIR. o'BRIEN CALLED.
Richard O'Brien was called immed-
lately after the hearing opened. He is
u director of the Central Pennsylvania
Telephone and supply company, and
took an active Interest in defending the
ordinance granting a franchise to the
Lackawana Telephoe company i'm 1898.
He prepared some of the amendments
which were attached to that ordinance
in councils. His purpose was to make
II impossible for anyone to go into the
telephone business here as a rival to
his company for speculative or stoci;
jobbing purposes.
Did 1t cost any money to have these
amendments nader" he was asked by
F.. c. Newcomb, one of the attorneys
for the league, who examined Mr..
OBrien.
II do not know"
did you handle any of the money ?"
Certainly not" came Mr.. OBrien's
quick and decisive reply.
He was examined at length about the
statement made by p. W. Gallagher
that Mr.. O'Brien had given him money
to use in councils. That statement
w u.
never even talked about money with
Mr.. Gallagher in connection with the
councilmen. He requested Mr.. CAL
lagher to help them to oppose the or
dinance granting franchise to the
Lackawanna Telephone company, be-
cause he under stood Mr.. Gallagher had
influence with councilmen.
WHAT HE SAID.
Mr.. O'Brlen was also questioned at
length about conversations with e. j.
Maloney, assistant superintendent OF
the company. lie declared that he
never instructed Mr.. Maloney to use
money with councilmen or talked with
him about the use of money further
than to say at the time the first Lack
awanna franchise ordinance was in
troduced in councils that he wanted
to know nothing about the use of
money in fighting the franchise. He
had heard that money was used in
councils in such emergencies, but
would have nothing to do with any
thing of the kind and wanted to know
nothing about it.
Mr.. O'Brien said he had a conversa-
tion with Mr.. Maloney about three
weeks ago. the latter coming here at
the request of the witness. He told
Mr.. Maloney to tell all he knew about
the fight on the telephone ordinances
in councils. Z. B. Sturges told the
witness that he had evidence that
would convict Mr.. Maloney, but II the
latter told what he knew Mr.. Sturges
would make 1t as easy as he could for
him. These facts the witness commu-
nicated to Mr.. Maloney He was asked
IL Mr.. Maloney was not in Canada Just
before he came here and said he did
not know. He does not know where
he Is at present.
Mr.. O'Brien said he knew nothing
about the telephone company having
a number of councilmen on it's pay roll,
further than what he had seen in the
papers. He could not say whether or
not the books of the telephone COM
pany used in 1898 are now in this city
and could not say whether or not the
company Keeps an expense account
that would include items OF expense
incurred in forwarding or resisting leg
islation.