Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-09-09
EIGHTEEN In TOLLS
Many st. Louis officials Are Taken
Into Custody,
J. K. MURRELL MAKES A CONFESSION
AbsConder Returns Home and Tells the Full
Story of BOOdling.
CORRUPTION AMONG THE DELEGATES
How the $4,000 in Money for Buying
Votes Was Distributed.
STREET CAR FRANCHISES ARE SOLD
One of the Members of the Combine
Tells the whole story of the
CrOOkedness in the
Assembly.
oRaUPTIoN AMONG THE DELEGATES
How the $4,000 in Money for Buying
Votes Was Distributed.
STREET CAR FRANCHISES ARE SOLD

ST LOUIS. Sept. s.-A sensation was
rants for the arrest of eighteen members
and former members Of the house OF dele
gates on the confession OF Delegate ]. X.
Murrell, who fed to Mexico last spring
after being indicted for bribery by the
December grand Jury in connection with
the alleged boodling operations OF the mu-
nicipal assembly in relation to the grant
ing Of street railroad franchises, and who
Unexpectedly returned to the city and sur
rendered He is now in the custody of
Circuit Attorney Folk and will, It is stated,
be granted immunity from punishment for
turning states evidence.
Following are the names OF the alleged
combine members for whom bench warrants
were issued, charging bribery and perjury
in connection with Suburban Street rail-
way and other legislation:
Ed E. Murrell, John II. Schnettier.
Charles F. Kelly, T. E. Albright, George
f. Robertson, Louis Decker. John Helms,
Charles A. Gutke, Adolph MADEIRA, H. A.
Faulkner. Julius Lehman, Edmund Bersch,
Otto Schumacher, John A. Sheridan, Charles
]. Denny, William Tamblyn, J. J. Hannigan
and Emile Hartman.
Warrants were served on Messrs, q. e.
Murrell, Schnettler, Albright, Robertson,
Helms, Gutke, Faulkner Schumacher and
Hannigan. Albright and Faulkner were re-
leased in bonds of $4,000 each. The others
arrested were' allowed to go to their re-
spective homes in the custody OF deputy
sheriffs, who will remain with the accused
until they shall have furnished surety for
their appearance in court when the cases
are called for trial.
WITH the exception 81 william Tamhlyn.
who was a member of the last house OF
delegates and is now said to be In Cleve-
land, all the indicted delegates are be-
lieved to be in the city. Delegate Kelly
telephoned to the district attorney this
evening that he would surrender tomorrow
morning and give bond. The police are
watching the bridge and other possible
avenues of escape from the city and 1t will
be dificult for any Of the indicted men to
remain long out of the hands of the law.
Statement Made by MurreII.
J. X. Murrell made the -foilSSias- -Statc=
ment for publication today:
| have surrendered Internationally to the
circuit attorney and have made tull and
free confession. / could no longer stano
Justice and the wrong done me BY the par
ties just as guilty as /, who made me their
am not permitted to give the details of
the evidence that l have put the circuit
attorney in possession Of A., .-,o,. ,AV
am willing to go on the stand and tell all
know. l held the key to the box IN the
Lincoln Trust company containing the No,-
QUO bribe money to go to the house or dele
gates upon the passage OF the SUBURBAN Dill
This money was put up as the purenssee
price for the votes of the combine, that
price having been agreed upon.
The combine of the house of delegates
was composed of nineteen men,. This COM
bine held frequent meetings In the room ad-
Joining the house of delegates chamber.
There the most of the schemes to get
money for votes were concocted. When the
suburban matter came up before the com
bine l was selected to negotiate with Philip
Stock, the representative Of the suburban
for our votes upon the passage of the bill.
l reported the various negotiations to the
combine meetings and was instructed by
the combine from time to time what to de.
He Held the Key.
designated me as the person to hold the
key to the box containing the $4,000, which
we were to get when the bill was passed
The, deposit. of the money, the amount
and the conditions were duly reported by
me to the combine meetings.
/ am not permitted TO make the opera
tions of the combine on this particular mat
ter RH6G at TINS n nfTo e ae RTTP0ss & q sf sne
for the benefit OF the members
of the combine.
blne sold their votes on the lighting bills
for A7,5O0.
This money was handled by Kelly. which
was paid to the members of the combine at
a meeting arranged for that purpose at
julius Lehmann's house. Each member of
the combine received $500.
/ was present and saw that money paid
to the various parties. These are only two
instances, but there are others, evidence OF
which is in the possession of the circuit at
torney These two instances show how
ever, what has been going on In the munlc-
We did not look upon what we did as a
serious crime, as II had gone on so long
without interruption that IL was not re-
morally wrong. Until the present circuit
attorney took office no sincere effort, ap-
was ever made to punish what
was being done a crime.
/ have lived IN st. Louis all my life and
have many friends here. l have been honest
no man a wronP, and thought / would not
take a dollar from any person unlawfuly,
6Ht ihe PTdcSS Srbes 1I shS Sooihe Ia IN 19e as
/ went along with the tide and did not
realize the enoymity of the offense and my
conscience was scared in that regard.
Appreciates the Crime.
These Doodle Investigations have made
me see the crime In all its hideousness. No
matter what happens to me l will do ali 1
can to aid the circuit attorney in breaking
up The 59oGe gang that & mas SO long con-
far as l can for my awful mistake.
After my indictment and the commence
ment Of the Doodle prosecutions the gang
got together and raised money for the pur-
pose of lighting the cases, and to retain
the supremacy of the gang. This money
was used to employ attorneys, and for
other purposes.
Julius Lehman, Edmund Bersch and
John Helms acted as Coachers or drillmas-
ters for the witnesses who were to appear
before the grand jury, though ID seems thew
were not very successful.
| communicated with Mr., Folk through a
good friend OF mine who is not a member
Of the gang, but Mr. Folk refused 10 make
any terms whatever or give any promise as
TO what he would do In case should re-
turn. | then determined TO make an uncOn-
ditiOH surrender.
1 feel better and happier and my mind Is
easier now than for months. / propose To
give the state all the aid in my power and
/ hope that my conduct will be such that
In future years may regain the confidence
OF my fellow citizens
II is stated that ]. K MurTell returned
TO 81. Louis last Friday and surrendered.
The fact was kept secret until today, when
the members Of the June grand jury we're
called together by Circuit Attorney Folk
and Murrell was brought before the body.
Murrelis confession was read aud resulted
IN the issuance Of the warrants.