The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-23
COUNCIL SCANDAL WIDENS
Scope Of the Bribery Investiga-
tion Becoming Broader.
WElNBRUNN BACKS GAsSER
List of Ten Witnesses Called for To-Day
Indicates the Thorough-goIng Pur-
pose of the Grard jury hey
viii Have to Do Largely
With Councils Relation
to Street Railways

to Street Railways
The developments in the investigation
q, the Council bribery scandal yesterday
h,- +be special grand jury. which has
The matter in hand. were both interest
ing and important.
II Is reported, and the report comes
from, an excellent source, that Contractor
7 G weinbrunn yesterday backed up
the charges made by Contractor Gasser
that members of the Street Committee
have held UP contracts for percentages
on contracts.
1t is reasonably certain that during the
two hours Captain Gasser was before the
grand iury that contractor followed the
advice Of his counsel. Mr.. II. NJ. Smith.
and made full and frank statement Of
all that he may know about Council cor
ruption.
Messrs. ]. A GUIDE and c. NJ Vein
brunn, also city contractors. were the
only other witnesses head.
The grand jury was in session from II
until 4 o'clock. when 1t adjourned until
to-day.
1t is learned upon good authority that
it is the purpose OF the grand jury to
call before it all Of the twelve members
of the old Street Committee.
It can also be stated that the grand
jury proposes to so fully into an invesu-
CATION of the circumstances surround
ing the granting of recent franchises and
privileges. not only to street railway
-, ,,a1, ,,n- ola pp~lyr ind,
Gated by the list of witnesses summoned
for to-day-but also to telephone compan-
les.
FURTHER WITNESSES.
At some later time it is highly probable
that a further list Of witnesses will be
called representing those who are
thought 10 be in position to throw light
on any possible Council corruption in
connection with the granting of the re-
cent telephone franchise ordinance. AS
the grand jury can only summon per
sons in the State. this list will necessarily
be limited SO far as the company is
concerned to representatives of the COM
pany in Virginia at this time
From the course which the inquiry OF
the grand jury is taking. it is impossible
to satisfactorily forecast what length OF
time that body will be in session. 1t
will hardly reach the end of its labors
before the end of the week. however,
at the present rate, at the earliest, unless
something unexpectedly happens.
SUMMONED FOX TO-DAY.
The following ten witnesses was sum-
moned yesterday for to-day:
Captain Carlton Mccarthy, city acount-
ant who made some interesting state
ments concerning the Council during the
recent municipal campaign.
Mr.. Wyndham Boiling and Mr.. Freder-
ick w Scott stock brokers, who may
know something Of stock or financial in
ycstnents or speculations of members Of
the Council
Mr. J. Thompson Brown, real estate
agent, who may know of similar invest
r>ents or speculations of Councilmen in
real estate.
Mr.. John Shelton Williams president
of the Seaboard Air Line. which has had
numerous applications for franchises be-
fore the Council.
Mr.. Fritz Sitterding, president OF the
Virginia Passenger and Power Company:
Mr.. Miles NJ. Martin,5 general counsel for
this company; Captain Andrew PiZzini,
Jr, for years its general manager, and
Mr.. David a. Ainslie. one of its lncorpo-
rators. who may know of overtrres on
the part Of Counclmen towards this COM
parry.
Judge J. l. Haner, of the Richmond and
Petersburg Electric line, who may have
something interesting to tell in relation
to his company's inability to secure a
year ago permission to enter the city and
obtain satisfactory terminal facilities.
a DAMAGING LETTER.
On the day before Messrs. Z. l.. Be-
miss and Everett Waddey. president and
secretary of the Traction Company, We're
summoned These gentlemen have not
had opportunity to testify yet. Mr..
Be.niss. It is reported. has in his posses
sion letter from an Alderman of a
somewhat compromising character. The
letter is a request for the employment of
some relative or friend by the company
and the writer gives assurances that this
kindness will be remembered From the
wording Of the letter, however, it IS not
believed that it will prove a very seri-
ously damaging document
YESTERDAYS SESSION.
The grand jury yesterday proceeded
with the second day of its work behind
closed doors in the most earnest fashion.
All nine men had their coats of. The
different witnesses as they retired from
the room had the appearance of men who
had passed through the trying ordeal of
a continuous fire Of the most probing
questions.
An interesting little incident illustrates
the earnest and determined purpose of
the grand jury not to be trifed with.
When one OF the contractors retired from
The room, word was passed out from the
grand jury to the court officer in charge
at the door that the next contractor was
to be brought in at once before any time
was given for the two TO confer as to
the testimony given by the first con-
tractor
commemorative Attorney Richardson
was not present in the grand jury room
during the questioning of the different
witnesses-the law forbids this He was