Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-09-15
BOUND BY OATHS
NEW development IN ST. LOUIS
DOODLE CASES.
Each Man of the Combine SWOre,
Under Penalty of Death, Not to
Reveal Anything---One of Them.
However, Weakened, and Several
Others Are Now in Custody.

st. LOUIS, Sept. lO.-A great sensa-
ton has been caused here by the issu-
ance of warrants for the arrest OF eigh-
teen members and former members of
the st. Louis house of delegates, fol-
lowing Il confession OF Delegate j. X.
Murrell, who fled to Mexico last spring,
after being indicted by the grand jury
for bribery in connection with the al
legged boodling operations in the grant
ing of franchises to the Suburban
street railway and other legislation.
His confession, which is most direct,
involves eighteen members, all OF whom
have been prominently connected with
st. Louis politics. 1t was read to the
grand jury, and the issuing of warrants
followed quickly. Murrell is now in the
custod, OF Circuit Attorney Foulk, and
will, it is stated, be granted immunity
from punishment for turning states
evidence. In his confession Murrell
says:
81 could no longer endure the agony
l endured az fugitive from justice,
and the wrong done me by the parties
just as Sutits aS 1, WIZ Iiuuc IIic tifOiI
catspaw.'
In statement made by Murrell for
publication he says:
81 have surrendered Internationally
to Circ:.it Attorney j. W. Foulk and
have made a full confession to him.
am not at liberty to give the details OF
the evidence that l have put the circuit
attorney in possession OF. This will
all come out at the trials.
81 held the key to the box in the Lin
coin trust company containing the
$75, 900 bride money to go to the house
OF delegates upon the passage of the
Suburban bill.
chase price for the votes of the COM
bine, that price having been agreed
upon
When Judge Douglass adjourned
court for the day seven of the fifteen
members of the alleged Doodle combine
of the house OF delegates were still at
large. Developments in the case fol-
lowed each other throughout the day
with startling rapidity. The most
important was the finding of new in
dictments against eighteen members
of the combine. In addition to the
charges of bribery and perjury in con-
nection with the Suburban railroad
deal, the accused now rest under addi-
tional indictments charging bribery.
These were found by the grand jury
after J. X Murrell had testified as to
the city lighting scandal OF 1900, in
which member OF the combine is said to
have received - 800 in payment for his
services in securing 1.-THE passage OF the
bill Bail has been fixed at $l5, 900 on
each count, making $45 900 which each
must put up in order to secure temper
airy liberty.
1t has developed that an oath was
administered to each OF the nineteen
memers of the combine whose identity
was disclosed by Murrell's confession.
copy OF the oath has been given to
Circuit Attorney Foulk and the grand
jury. BY the oath each member of the
combine binds himself not to reveal
the names of the others of the combine.
nor any of its proceedings, and agrees
in case of his failure to keep the condi
tons of the oath to undergo death in
any manner the other members might
decide.