The age-herald., 1902-04-06
Grand Jury in St Louis Re- turns Sensational Report
 on Cit Officials
MEMBERS GOT AS MUCH
 AS $1OO,OOO FOR VOTING
Men of No Mental or Moral Standinu Elected to Office and Immediately
 Put Themselves on Market.
 Prominent MeE1 Perjurers.

St. Louis, April 5-Most sensational charges are made by the grand jury which has been Investigating the bribery and official corruption in the municipal assembly in its final report to Judge ONeill Ryan, in the Criminal Court to- day. Indictments returned today and made public were:
 Bribery: Robert N. Snyder; attempted bribery, Edward Butler; John H. Becker; perjury, George J. Bobsusch. The grand jury report declares that tho people of St. Louis have but a vague con- ception of the extent to which corruption and venality have for the past years ex. isted among the public servants. It finds the true condition of affairs almost too appalling for belief. tribute is paid to Joseph W. Folk, the Circuit attorney under whose leadership the Investigation IS being made. In part the report reads follows:
 "A far reaching and systematic scheme or corruption has been carried on for years by members of the municipal assembly. These members form what is called com plnes for the especial purpose of holding up prospective Legislation until their de- mands in the way of money consideration are compiled with. They become orsan- lzeo gangs Tor plumber, using their offioes lo enrich themselves at the peoples ex-
 
 or less fully a ,reriod of ten years sfcxvs 1 that with few exceptionssno ordinance has been passed wherein valuable privf- | legeS or franchises are granted. until
 those interested In the passage thereof
 have paid the legislators the money de-
 manded for action in the particular case
 No municipal corporation has ever had
 its most valuable franchises so reclxlessly | ana scandalously disposed of for a con- | s1deration which found its way, not to the city treasury, but into the itching palms
 of the public pilferers"
 But Small Per Cent Indicted. The persons against whom indictments TOT Dribe-gfving and bribe-taking have been returned are but a small percentage ol those whom inquiry convinces us de- serve to wear the garb of convicts We have had before us many of those who have been, and most of those who are now, members of the house of dele gates. We regret to report that we found a number of these utterly lliterate and lacking in ordinary intelligence. un- able to give a better reason for favorinsr or opposing a measure than a desire to act with the majority. In some, no trace of mentality or morality could be found: in others lower order of training ap- peared, united with base cunning, grovel- ing instincts and sordd desires.
 These men. through their corrupt agents, approach the legislative repre- sentative of powerful combinations or corporation competing for valuable fran chises, demand and receive of them sums of money ranging from $100 to $100 900 for their individual vote and influence.
 From the evidence before us it ap- pears that official of the city govern ment boasted of the fact that he had made $25,000 a year out of his official po- sition, which paid a legitimate salary of but $500 a year. Another official, accord- ing to evidence before us, agreed with one interest to do official act for $75,- GOO, and afterwards accepted from the op- posing interest the sum of $100000 for act- ing with them.
 Got $5o,o0o for His Vote.
 One legislator received in cash at his own residence the sum of s5O0Oo for his vote a pending measure This was retained by him for few days, then re- turned in the hope of receiving larger sum. The measure was enacted and the member, after much delay, was finally compelled to accept S5000 in full for his vote for a franchise bill In many other cases 1t was shown that members of the assembly who, prior to their elec- tions were wholly without means, upon induction into office were soon in af- fluent circumstances and in independ- ent position financially, and this, too. notwit hstandng the fact that the salary of such official was only s25 per month.
 "Convincing documentary evidence was unearthed, proving that the sum of $145,- GOO was placed in escrow in a bank in this city to be paid to the members of the municipal assembly of St Louis upon the passage of a valuable franchise ordi- nance. This ordinance failed and second bill was introduced upon the passage of which the sum of about S25000O was dis tributed among these members After the passage of this ordinance the franchise was sold for $1501, ,250 The city realized nothing whatever for this franchise. In these matters the statute of limitation was a bar to the finding of indictments against nearly all of the guilty parties.
 The evidence shows that there in this city men of seeming great respectable ity who are directors in large corporations and prominent in business and social cir cles, but who have not hesltated to put up money for the purpose of briblng through the assembly measures in which they were interested. When called before our body some have added to the offense of bribery the crime of perjury, and only escaped the ignominy attaching to their infamous conduct by reason of the fact that the evidence, though satisfying their minds, would not be admissible in the trial courts. Some of these are as guilty as those against whom indictments have been returned. the only difference being that they have been more successful in covering their tracks"
 No names are mentioned in connection with these charges of fraud. As a remedy s for the present conditions in the munici- pal assembly the grand jury suggests that the method of selecting members of the house of delegates should be changed so that they may be chosen by the city at large. The payment of liberal salaries to these officials is advocated in order that honest men can afford to serve the city in the capacity of legislators.