The St. Louis Republic., 1902-05-30
Grand Jury in Final Report To-
Morrow Expects to Give In
teresting Information.
JUDGE WILLIS CLARK CALLED.
Court OF Criminal Correction .'T-
rist and Clerk Questioned
About Disposal of One
ef Their Cases.

: The Grand Jury will make its final report
/ 10 Judge Douglas tomorrow morning. 1t
! Is expected that this report Will lay bare
several schemes Of municipal boodltns
! which We're not exposed by the December
I and February Grand Juries
II Is said that II will expose the printing
deals, the methods which have prevailed in
the purchase of the city supplies. the re
mitting OF police court fines under the
Ziecenhein administration, and the manner
in which city officials obtained supply con-
tracts with the city through bogus meth
ods in violation of the laws.
After completing its report yesterday the
Grand Jury adjourned until tomorrow
morning, to-day being legal holiday.
Minnie Smith. who conducts the Ozark
Hotel at No. 1914 Chestnut street was ar
rested yesterday on a bench warrant
charging her with conducting an unlawful
place A bench warrant IS also out for
Leopold Freund. who is said to own the
hotel but the Deputy Sheriff who was in
trusted with the warrant was unable 10
serve It yesterday. He was informed that
Frepnd was absent from the city. The
Smith woman was released on an $500 bond.
Father James T. Coffey was largely in
strumental in working I'D this case.
No other bench warrants were called for
yesterday but il is said that one other f>r-
rer city official is 10 be included in the list
of those indicted. This official was at the
head Of one OF the municipal departments
under the Ziegenhein regime.
Judge Clark Witness.
Judge Willis II. Clark OF the Court ct
Criminal Correction was n witness before
the Grand Jury yesterday afternoon. A few
minutes before noon word was sent 10 him
ed by the Grand Jury. No subpoena was
issued. Judge Clark sent back word that
he would be on hand as soon as he ad-
journed court. About ! o'clock he adjourned
and called on the grand jurors.
II was reported about the Four Courts
that he was wanted to explain the dispo-
sition of 4 case in his court several duys
ago. Louis Zepp. chief deputy clerk Of the
Court Of Criminal Correction, was also a
witness.
Hiram Phillips. President OF the Board OF
Public Improvements; Abe Slupsky. Samuel
+. Meyerson. Doctor +. L. Deck. Tom Shee-
han. son of Councilman Sheehan. and Fred
Schnell, son of thu Councilman. were the
principal witnesses yesterday
After the witnesses were heard the Jurors
spent the time drawing Up their final re-
port 1t will be a lengthy and comprehen-
sivc review of municipal bcodllng as il has
come TO light during the recent investiga-
tions. Special stress is TO be laid on the
printing deals in connection with which
Charles T. Kelly. former Speaker of the
House of Delegates. is under Indictment. 1t
is said that the contracts We're not always
awarded to the lowest bidders and figures
are to be cited in the report.
Pr'..tinc Contracts Crificised.
The awarding of the printing contracts
on several occasions provoked adverse cri.i-
cisIn and the charge was made that it was
Impossible to get Il contract unless certain
'1avors" Were shown TO the persons award
ing the contracts
The practice Of city officials using their
Office to procure contracts with the city
through ficticious concerns is to receive
its share Of ventilation. Three indictments
have been found in this connection.
1t is SAID that this practice has been IN
vogue for years in violation of the city ord
inances which provide that no city con-
tract shall be awarded to any municipal Of
fcer or to any concern in which a municipal
otnc!ai is Interested. Whenever Council
man or a member of the House of Delegates
found he could get a contract he simply
put in his bid in the name of some straw
man OF fictitious concern.
In this way it is charged that Councilman
Louis Schnel procured thousands of dol
lars worth OF contracts through the South
S.Se ra 1bnPpiy Soimpany CON an Deiesats Charles
and stabbed horses for tn. city in the name
of the John Z. Murphy Livery and Under
aking Company: and Charles i. Kelly is
said to have obtained contracts for city
printing in similar manner.
The practice formerly in vogue In the
Mayors office Of grantinS permits indis-
criminateiy and rsmittirg police court
fines by the hundreds Will come in FOR a
share of criticism.
Fred ". ZIegenhein has been arrested or
n bench warrant charging him with bribery
and extortion. which is said to be in CON
nection with the renting Of police court
fines.
All together. II IS said that this GrandJury
report will he one of the most Interesting
IN, rri,