Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-09
MURRELL TELLS ALL
Exposes Conspiracy in st.
Louis City Council.
TO SECURE BRIDES
NINETEEN MEN IN THE CORRUPT
ooTERIE.
Eighteen Bench Warrants Are ISSUED
for Members and Former Mem
bers Of the Council.

says: A sensation was caused TODAY hv
the issuance OF bench warrants for the ar
rest OF eighteen members and former menu
oers of the house Of delegates on the con-
fession OF Delegate ]. X. Murrell who fed
10 Mexico last spring after being indicted
for bribery by the December grand fury IN
connection with the alleged boodling oper-
auons OF the municipal assembly in relation
10 the granting OF street railroad franchises
and who Unexpectedly returned TO the CITY
and surrendered. Murrell is now in the cus-
tody OF Circuit Attorney Folk. and will. it
is stated. be granted immunity from pun
ishment for turning states evidence
rollowing are the names OF alleged conn
pine members, for whom bench warrants
were issued, charging bribery and perjury
In connection with suburban street railway
and other legislation: Ed Z. Murrell. John
H. Schneider. Charles F. Kelly. T. f. Al
onsht. George F. Robertson, Louis Decker,
Sohn Helms. Charles A. Gutke. Adoph Ma
dera, II. A. Faulkner, Julius lehman.
Edmund Bersch, Otto Schumacher. John A.
Sherdan, Charles ]. Denny. William Tam
piyn' }. J. Hannigan and Emile Hartman.
warrants Issued for the Accused.
warrants were served on Messrs. f. r.
Murrell, Schneider, Albright. Robertson,
Helms, Gutke. Faulkner Schumacher and
Hannigan. Albright and Faulkner were re-
leased in bonds Of $4,000 each. The others
arrested We're allowed TO 60 10 their re-
specuve homes in the custody of deputy
sherfns. who will remain with the accused
until they shall have furnished surety for
ther appearance tn court when the cases
are called for trial. With the execution or
william Tamblyn. who was q member Of
me last mouse or delegates and is now said!
10 De In cleveland, all the indicted delegates
are believed to be In the city Deiegatet
Kelly telephoned to the district attornev
this evening that he would surrender TO-
morrow and give bond 4
j. X Murrell made the followinp .ta.~'
ment for publication today: A
Il have surrendered unconditionalIv "a
me circuit attorney and I have made a 4
full and free confession. / could no longer
Fan Inc agony ! endured as a fugitivs
the parties just as guilty as T. who made
me their catspaw.
II am not permitted to give the details
attorney in possession OF, This VIII liz
come out on the trials, and / am willing ia
go on the stand and tell all / know n
neld the key to the box in the Lincoln Trust
COMPANY containing the $4,000 bride money!
10 go TO the house Of delegates upon the
passage OF the suburban bin. This monew
was put up as the purchase price for thS
votes OF the combine, that price having
>H oeANNu dpOT
Nineteen in the Conspiracy. r,
The combine OF the house OF delegateS
was composed Of nineteen men. This conn
bine held frequent meetings in the room
adjoining the house OF delegates Chambers
Ihere most Of the schemes to get monevi
Tor votes were concocted. When the subj
urban matter came up before the combine
! was selected to negotiate with Phntp
STOCK, the representative OF the Suburban
railway, ae TO the best price we could eet1
Tor our votes upon the passage Of the bin
reported the various negotiations to the
combine meetings, and was Instructed bv
the combine from time to time what to do. (.
When the price was agreed on thew /
designated me as the person to hold tha3
Key TO the box containing the ST5 600 whiclIs
we We're TO get when the bill was passed
ana signed by the mayor
The deposit OF the money, the amounaa
ana the conditions were duly reported bv5
me to the combine meetings. The purpo.a
OF the combine was to control legislation
ana sell legislation for the benefit of the 4
combine. Shortly before the suburban hjllj
the combine sold their votes on the lightinel
bills for $4,000
This money was handled by Kelly. ana
was paid to the members of the combines
at meeting arranged for that purpose aci
julius Lehmann's house. Each member OF
the combine received $500
Il was present and saw that money nafd
to the various parties These are only two
instances but there are others evidence
or which is in the possession Of the circuit
attorney. 4
How His Fall Occurred. D..
Il have lived in St. Louis all my life.
and have many friends here. 1 have been
honest heretofore In all matters and have
done no man wrong, and though / would
not take dollar from any person unlaw-'
fully, the practice of the combine in tak-l
Ing brides was so frequent that l went
along with the tide and did not realize The
enormity of the offense and my conscience
was scared in that regard
AFTER my Indictment and the commence
ment of Doodle prosecutions the gang got
together and raised money for the purpose
of fighting the cases and to retain The SUI
premacy of the gang. This money was
used to employ attorneys and for other
purposes. Julius Lehman, Edmund
Bersch and John Helms acted as oannTrs.
or drill masters for the witnesses. who
were to appear before the granI jury,
though il seems they were not very SUCCESS
full
II communicated with Mr.. Folk througn
a good friend of mine. who is not a mem
Der of the gang, but Mr.. Folk refused to
make any terms whatever or give any
promise as TO what he would do In case L
should return j then determined to make
an unconditional surrender"
1t is stated that ]. x. MurreIl returned to
st Louis last Friday and surrendered.
The fact was kept secret until today. when
the members Of the June grand jury were
called together by Circuit Attorney Folk,
and Murrell was brought before the body.
confession was read to the Jury
and resulted in the issuance of the war
rants for the members of the alleged conn
bine. Charles J. Kratz member of the
who was indicted for bribery in
with the suburban deal and
escaped to Mexico at the time Murrell
went there, has not returned.