New-York tribune., 1902-09-09
ST LOUIS BRIBERY CASE.
Fiji. CONFESSION By J. X. MURRELL,
ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF
"COMBINE.

members of the House of Delegates on the con-
fession Of Delegate ]. h Murreli. who hed TO
Mexico last spring after being indicted Tor orio-
erv bv the December grand jury in connection
with the alleged boodling operations OF the Mu-
nicipai Assembly. in relation to the granting Oh
street railroad franchises and who une1pect-
ed1v returned to the city through the efforts of
The St Louis Post Dispatch" and surrendered
Murrell is now in the custody of Circuit Attor-
NOV Folk and will it is stated. receive i'm
,,,unitv from pnishment for turning States evil
dence.
The following are the names of the alleged
combine" members for whom bench warrants
were issued, charging bribery and perjury IN
connection with suburban street railway and
other legislation: E. E. Murrell. john H.
scbnottler. 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 j.
Denny William Tambyn, J. j. HannlSan ana
Emile Hartman
Warrants were served on E. f. Murrel'
schnettler Albright Robertson Helms, Gutke'
Faulkner Schumacher and Hannigan Alpileh'
and Faulkner were released m bonds Oh f.''Vo
each The others arrested were allowed to go 10
,boir reenective homes in the custody of deputy
sheriffs who will remain with the accused ihe'i
until they shall have furnished surety Tor lhelI
annearapce in court when the cases are called
for trial. With the exception or "liilam l an
hIyr who was member of the last House OF
delegates and is now said to be in Cleveland
oil tho indicted delegates believed to be
IN tho city Delegate Kelly telephoned to the
District Attorney this evening that he Would
surrender tomorrow morning and give ponu
The police arc watching the bridge, and other
,o.sib,e avenues of escape from the city, and it
will he difficult for any OF the indicted men TO
remain long out Of the hands of the law
] K. MurrelI made the following statement
for publication to-day:
have surrendered unconditionally TO the
Circuit Attorney and have mace tuiI "a anu , ItTv
confession I could longer stand the agony
T endured as a fugitive from justice, and the
wrong done by the parties just as guiitS
as I who made me their catspaW.
az am not nermitted to give the details of the
| evidence that l have put the Circuit Attorney
| in possession Of 49,, .;, . r ~
wiling 10 go on the stand and tell all l know.
| I held the key to the box in the Lincoln trust
| Company containing the s'oTJo nrloe money
| 70 90 70 the House of Delegates upon the pas
| ga pc of the Suburban bill.
| This money was put UP as the purchase price
| for tho votes of the combine that price haV-
| ing been agreed upon w. - r,o,o,,,.o.
| was composed of nineteen men. This com
| bine" held frequent meetings IN the room eu-
| Joining the House of Delegates chamber
of the ScnelneS 10 get LlOhtE iVl
,-o+as y.are concocted When the Suburban mat
ter came up before the combine" was selected
| TO negotiate with Philip Stock. the representa- MA
| tive OF the Suburban Railway AS to the pest
| price we could get for our votes upon the pass
| age OF the bill.
u ranorted the various negotiations TO the
| "combine'' meetings and instructed by the
combine" from time Tina what to do
When the price was agreed on they desIghaleu
| me as the person to hold the key TO the box
containing the $4,000 which we We're to get
when the bill was passed and signed by the
The deposit of the money. the amount and
the conditions We're duly reported by me to the
combine meetings.
| of the combine on this particular matter pup
| lie at this time. The purpose OF the combine
| was control Legislation and sell legislation
| for the benefit of the members OF the COM
Shortly before the Suburban bill the com
sa75oo. si7S sold their votes Q" the s"'"S ''ls
| This none was handled by Kelly. and was
| paid to the members of the combine at
| meeting arranged for that purpose at Julius
/ Lehmanr's house, Each member of the com
| bine'' received 5000.
l was present and the money paid 10 The
| various parties These are only two instances.
| but there are others, evidence of which IS in
| the possession of the Circuit Attorney.
These two instances show, however what has
| been going in the Municipal Assembly.
We did not look upon what we did as Sc
| rious crime, it had gone on so long without
| interruption that it was not regarded by those
| who participated in il as morally wrong. Until
| the present Circuit Attorney took office sin
| cere effort. apparently. ever made TO punish
| what being done a crime.
| have lived in st. Louis all my life and have
| many friends here. / have been honest hereto
| fore in all matters, and have done no man
| wrong and I thought / would not take dollar
| from any person unawfully. but the practice
of the combine in the Assembly taking bribes
was frequent that | went along with the
tide. and did not realize the enormity of the
offence and my conscience was scared in that
| regard.
These Doodle Investigations have made me see
| the crime in all its hideOuSneSS. NO matter
! what happens to | will do all | to aid
| the Circuit Attorney in breaking up the Doodle
| gang that has long controlled affairs in this
| city and to atone as far as can for my awful
mistake.
After my indictment and the commencement
| of the Doodle prosecutions the gang got together
| and raised money for the purpose of fighting
| the cases and to retain the supremacy of the
| gang. This money used to employ attor-
| neys and for other purposes.
| julius Lehman. Edmund Bersch and John
| Helms acted as coachers or drillmasters for the
| witnesses who appear before the grand
jury. though it seems they were not very sue
cessful.
| I communicated with Mr.. Folk through good
| friend of mine, who is not member of the
gang but Mr. Folk refused to make any terms
| whatever or give any promise to what he
would do in case L should return. ! then deter
mined make unconditional surrender
/ I feel better and happier and my mind is
| easier now than for months. l propose to give
| the State all the aid in my power. and | hone
| that my conduct viii be such that in future
years | may regain the confidence of my fellow
citizens.
1t is stated that J. X. MurreH returned to st.
Louis last Friday and surrendered The fact was
kept secret until to-day, when the members of
the June Grand Jury were called together bv
Circuit Attorney Folk, and Murren was brought
before the body. Murrelrs confession was read
TO the jury. and resulted in the issuance of the
/ warrants for the members OF the alleged COM
| bine. Charles ]. KratZ member of the C.,un-
| Gil who was indicted for bribery in connection