The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-11
William Tamblyn, Former Mem
ber Of st. Louis Council,
ALDERMEN SUMMONED
To Testify in the Lighting
Scandal Investigation.
Murrell Tells Why He Came
Back and Confessed.

St. Louis, Sept. 11.-Wllllam Tamblyn,
gates. who was indicted Monday on two
charges OF bribery in connection with
the passing OF the city lighting bill in
1899. was brought back today from
Cleveland. O., where he had been for
two years. He is one of the members
of the alleged combine that J. K. Muir
ren laid bare in his confession to the
grand jury after his return from Mexi-
co. Jamblyn, in custody of Detective
Williams, was taken to jail and locked
up pending an attempt to secure bail
sThe grand jury reconvened today and
took up the consideration of the lighting
scandal of the last municipal assembly
The following members of the council
that passed that measure were sum-
moned to testify before the grand jury:
=. F ". Meier: president: VIM; r.
roll. Henry Gauss. jr.. Paulus Cast,
Charles H. Thuner, Charles Virgins.
W. r. Hodges. August Hoffman. E. e.
Meysenberg, Eben Richards and Louis
Schnell- Charles Kratz. a member of
that body is supposed to be in Mexico,
where he fed after being indicted on
the charge of bribery In connection with
the Suburban street railway legislation
1t has been reported that kratz has
been seen in the city during the past
day or two, but this could not be veri-
fled.
Robert E. McMath, former president
of the board of public Improvements,
has also been summoned to appear be-
fore the body and disclose such facts
concerning the transaction as he has
claimed will be of material benefit to
the fnquisitors in fastening the crime
of boodling upon certain members of
the combine Mr.. McMath has already
made some startling statements to the
public. Charles Kratz was member
of the combine at the time the bill was
passed, October q. 1899. The vote on
the bill was as follows:
Horton, Kratz, Thuner. Virgins and
President Meier.
Noes - Hoffman. Meysenberg and
Schnell.
No charge of completely is attached
to Hodges. Horton or Virgins, and they
are subpoenaed simply to tell what they
know of the transaction
| Following a conference with Judge
Sherwood OF the supreme court, at
Springfield. Mo-, Wednesday, Judge
Chester IA. Krum has decided to with
draw the application for writ of ha-
beas CORPUS made to secure the re-
lease of those imprisoned on the Doodle
charges It was found that such a
proceeding would first have to be filed
before some judge having jurisdiction
under arrest claim that their bond has
been made excessive. and the habeas
corpus proceedings were based specif1-
ca1ly on this point.
| other witnesses before the grand jury
were August Hemens and John c.
Hemens, contractors, who were bidders
in 1899 for the privilege Of lighting the
| portant testimony in connection with
| the lighting legislation
| One member of the house Of delegates
/ combine whom the circuit attorney is
anxious to get before the grand Jury
| is Delegate Charles F. Kelly who. with
| five other indicted aldermen, is still at
| large Kelly is said to be the dispenser
| of the SAT 500 that J. K MurreH testified
| had been paid members of the ring. The
authorities have been unable to find him
anywhere in the city. He is still believed
| to be somewhere In st. Louis, despite
i the stories that capitalists interested in
I the doings of the combine had helped
him to escape on a special train
WHY MURRELL CAME BACK.
John K Murre1l. the seIf-confessed
bribe taker. for the first time since his
return to ST. Louis talked to several
close friends about his fight from the
city and the causes that led him to
come back. Said he:
After my Indictment I did not have
any idea of going away until the even
ing of March Is, when Julius Lehman
and John Helms came to me and said
i I had better get out Well send you
money while you're gone. they said
| and see that your wife is supplied with
funds also-'
They declared it was of the utmost
importance that i leave, so I lost nc
time in shaving on my mOustache and
changing my clothes so as to disguise
myself as much as possible. While ir
Ell Paso Julius Lehman came down
to see me- Instead of bringing me
money Lehman borrowed SO from me
I had expected some remittance from
the gang, and then I began to realize
that they were apt to throw me-
received letters from the gang in which
there were the usual promises A few
days after lis return to ST. Louis Leh-
mann telegra phed me that I had better
go further into the interior. as it wa:
dangerous for me to remain near tn.
| border
Il went to Chihuahua and later tc
Mexico City. I continued to receive let
tiers from Lehman, but letters from my
wife became less frequent. found out
since that the gang destroyed many OF
her letters, evidently suspecting thai
she was after me to come back. / die
not receive one cent from the gang from
the time left the city and it was sim.
ply my own mental anguish and the
fact that my wife was deserted and
probably starving in St. Louis that lee
| me to come back
Pronounced Legally Dead
New York, Sept. 1I-Capt- w. And
rews who tw ice crossed the Atlantic il