The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-06-01
REVELATIONS
ARE APPALLING
Official Corruption in ST. Louis
Without Precedent
GRAND JURY MAKES REPORT
Indictments Found Against Secretary
of Mayor Zeigenheim and Speaker
of the House of Delegates.
Two Defendants Fled.

st. Louis, May 31.-The April grand
jury. which has just been Investigating
municipal corruption, made final report
today to Judge W. B. Douglas. In it's
report the grand jury compliments the
circuit attorney John ". Folk and As
sistant Circuit Attorney w. Scott Han
cock, for the manner in which they are
dischargng their duties in connection
with the municipal investigation and
the prosecution of those indicted.
Indictments against the following who
had already been arrested on bench war
rants and released on bond, were made
public this afternoon:
Fred Ziegenheim, secretary to former
Mayor ziegenheim. charged in FIVE
counts with bribery and obtaining money
under false pretenses; Charles F. Kelly.
ex-speaker Of the house of delegates;
Delegate Charles L. Geraghty and Coun-
Gilman Louis Schnell. charged with mis-
demeanor in office
Appalling Revelations.
The report says: while there may
have been corruption in other cities as
great as we have had here, yet In no
place in the world and in no time known
to history has so much official corruption
been uncovered. and the evidence
shown so that all could see and under
stand. These revelations have been so
appalling as to be almost beyond belief
and it will be years before the extent Of
the discoveries are fully realized"
In the report reference was made to the
gigantic street railway franchise bribery
scheme, uncovered by the previous grand
jury. in which almost 100000 was put up
by two railroad companies to secure the
passage of bills giving valuable fran
cftses. IN one rlsta sce the report saws.
$4,000 was divided among the "combine''
members OF the municipal assembly In
respect to the other fund the report says:
by prompt and energetic action the
corruption fund of Si35,000 was caught be-
tween the lines and Is now held subject
to the orders of the court as evidence A
number of indictments grow out of this
attempt to purchase franchises.
Two Defendants ExiIed.
1.-TWO of the defendants have become
fugtives from justice. forfeiting large
bonds, and are now exiled In a foreign
land. Two others have been brought to
trial, each case resulting in a conviction.
one being given three years IN the peni-
tentiary and the other two years.
Another OF the defendants is still at
large in an alien couRtry.
I'm the trials the bribe money was pro-
duced In court.
Members of the municipal assembly
have come before our body and brazenly
admitted that they sought seats In the
assembly for the money they could make
selling their votes. and It is apparent
that this spirit has governed for years.
and no bill of consequence has passed un-
less money has been placed to secure fa-
vorable action
I'VE have carried the investigation on,
and although we were prepared to some
extent by what has transpired. to hear Of
official misdoings, we have been amazed
at the vastness OF corruption that has
been common among members of the as
semb1y and other officials of our city.
1T seems to have been the highest aim
of some officials to rob the city whenever
or portunity offered.
They have regarded the holding of Of
fee merely as a means of making live
lihood easier than they could in private
life"