New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-27
G.. w. BOYD.
Pennsylvania.

& Hudson. Erie.
bribery. Now that the grand jury has taken
a hand in the case, the public is anxiously wait
ing to whether not the oldtime bribery
practices still in vogue in the City Hall.
The city was laboring under the impression that
with a reform Council in charge OF it's legislation
the bribery of aldermen had ceased TO be in
good taste. or. at least. that the practice had
become trihe dangerous
Three self-confessed jury bribers and two
1urymen who were bribed by them have been
sentenced by Judge Brentano to pay fines of
from 500 to $1,000 each. Among them were
the notorious jury briber, BILL" Gaaher and
Cyrus S. Simon, attorney for the Union Traction
Company. both of whom were also convicted of
jury bribing in the recent case in which Public
Administrators ODonnell and his law partner
Brady. were c0-defendants. This case brought
to close another chapter in a celebrated con-
spiracy TO defeat justice. In making a plea for
leniency, counsel for the defence argued that
there was nothing In law to make justice
court jury sacred" and that the defendants were
guilty of nothing more than technical viola
ton of the law" That this has been the pre-
vaing notion concerning Chicago justice
shops" was evidenced by the revelations made
in the recent bribery trials. Judge BrentanO
bribing mere technical offence" is not the
best legal FORM even in Chicago. He said: The
justice courts are the agency OF the law, estab-
Ished by the constitution and approved by the
Supreme Court. The vice is not in the courts
but in the way the courts used. and no argu-
ment do away with that fact. where guilt
has been admitted" Jury bribing has received
a severe setback in Chicago of late.
President Roach OF the Union Traction Com
pany presented to the stockholders OF that cor
poration their annual meeting a statement
of It's finances, showing deficit for the year of
S247. 527. The report showed that the net earn
ngs from operation were So 254 400 and the in
come from other sources was $117349. The
president gave the reason why the company
unable to end the year with anything in
hand that prospective profits were taxed into
a deficit"
II President Roach's figures are correct, it
be said that from great corporation
at least the city OF Chicago has been able
to obtain a reasonable amount of taxes. Presi-
dent Roach goes TO say that for the current
year he hopes the property of the company will
be taxed the basis of it's earning capacity,
thus cutting down the tax capital stock by
$4,000 So and materially reducing the
amount of taxes paid last year. which amounted
to $6S:I. 13l 81 Unless something is done for
the relief of the company, the president gives
little hope OF putting 1t a dividend paying
basis. In view OF the fact TINT before the next
annual meeting of the company IT'S most i'm
portant franchises Will expire, and that the
city will undoubtedly ask for the payment Of
30 per cent of the gross earnings from operation
before renewing the franchises. the outlook for
this particular corporation cannot he said to
be encouraging.
Another necessary part of the franchise extern
sion will be the expenditure OF some millions of
dollars In improving the physical condition OF
the lines putting down grooved rails, installing
machinery, lowering the tunnels under the
river and constructing the underground trolley
in the downtown district. From all appearances
the Union Traction Company has a serious prob
lem confronting tia problem to which the pa
irons of the company give little concern.
NO BATHING IN REFUSE THIS SEASON.
Been in bathing?" asked the Republican poll
tican OF his friend the Democrat. as the latter
took the sand of Manhattan Beach. The
Democrats bathing suit dripping with brine.
rtt.I, OH