The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-29
KeIIeyWanted by St. Louis for
Accepting Bribes.
HE LONG EVADED ARREST
"For Gods Sake Let me Alone, My Son is
Dead and I'm Going Right Back to
st. LOUIS" He Said When
Recognized.
(By the Associated Press.)

Philadelphia, Nov. 2S-After eluding
arrest for several months. Charles f.
Kelley, the former Speaker of the ST.
Louis House of Delegates, who is wanted
in the Western city, in connection with.
the bribery cases unearthed some time
ago, was arrested in this city at 1;10
o'clock this afternoon.
Kelley arrived in New York on the
steamer Celtic this morning from Liver
pool and had just stepped from the
Western Express of the Broad Street
Station of the Pennsylvania railroad,
when he was taken into custody by a
detective of this city. He admitted his
identity and is now locked up in the
Central police station. He will be given
hearing tomorrow morning by Magis-
trate Kochersperger and will be held to
await requisition papers from the State
of Missouri
Kelley was crestfallen when he reach
ed the police station. In an interview,
he said:
Il was on my way back to ST. Louis
and meant to announce my arrival there
Monday and give myself up to answer
me- l had been absent in Europe for
several months, and spent most of my
time in Ireland. On my arrival in New
York this morning 1 received word that
my 11-year- old boy had died in st. Louis.
AS soon as / stepped from the steamer it
was suggested to me by an old acquaint-
ance that l come to Philadelphia for a
few, days. / came here and now | find
to it,
The accused man carried considerable
baggage, and the labels on it indicated
that he had been in Naples. Paris,
London Berlin, Dublin and Killarney
New York, Nov. 2S.-Charles f. Kel-
ley, former Speaker of the House Of
Delegates of St. Louis, arrived here to-
day on the steamship Celtic. At the dock
when the Celtic arrived was Congress
man-elect James B. Butler, of st. Louis.
kelley's face looked white and
wrinkled. He was recognized, as he
walked down the gang plank, by r. G..
Carroll, correspondent of the ST. Louis
Post-Dispatch, and when he was called
by name, he started back as though he
had been struck Congressman Butler
tried to keep the correspondent away,
but Kelley held out his hand and said:
For >rod's sake let me alone for today.
l have nothing to say; l have just re-
ceived word that my son is dead and l
am going right back to st. Louis
st. Louis, Nov 2S.-Charles f. Kelley,
the former Speaker of the st. Louis
House of Delegates, left ST. Louis sew
eral months ago, soon after the grand
jury had returned indictments charging
him on several counts with bribery, in
connection with municipal legislation for
street railway and ether franchises.
His bonds were fixed at $4,000. Kelley,
it is charged, is the man who distributed
the $47500 Doodle fund among members
of the House combine three years ago,
for the passage of the city lighting bill.
Until today, his whereabouts were un-
known to the authorities. A reward Of
5000, offered by the State for Kelleys
arrest, still stands. After today it Will
be too late for Kelley to give any testi
mony before the grand jury ON the city
lighting deal. Because of the statute of
limitations, this is the last day on which
anyone connected with the lighting deal
can be indicted.