Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-04-07
The Grand Jury Indicts and Arraigns
City officials.
ORGANIZED FOR LAUNDERING
Instances Cited In Which Politicians
Have Accepted Large sums of
Money For influence and Votes.
Conn enced Ten Years Ago.

| st. Louis, April 7.-Most sensational
charges are made by the grand jury,
which has been investigating bribery
and official corruption in the municipal
assembly, In its final report to Judge
O'Neill Ryan in the criminal court.
The following indictments were also
returned: Bribery, Robert N. Snyder;
attempted bribery, Edward Butler and
John H. Becker; perjury, George ]. Ke-
burch.
The report declares that the people
Of st. Louis have but a vague concep-
ton Of the extent to which corruption
and venality have for the past ten
years existed among the sworn officers
and public servants. 1t finds the true
condition of affairs almost too appall-
ing for belief A tribute is paid to Jo-
seph w. Folk, the circuit attorney, I'm.
der whose leadership the investigation
is being made
What the Report Says.
In part the report reads as follows:
"A farreaching and systematic scheme
of corruption has been carried on for
years by members Of the municipal as
sembly. These members form what are
called combines for the especial pur
pose Of holding prospective legislation
until their demands In the way of
money consideration are complied with.
Instead of discharging the duties Of Of
fee for the public good and in accord
ance with their oath they become or
ganized gangs for plumber, using their
office to enrich themselves at the peo-
pies expense. Our investigation, cover
ing. more or less, period of ten years,
shows that, with few exceptions, no
ordinance has been passed wherein
valuable privileges or franchises are
granted until those interested in the
passage thereof have paid the legisla-
tors the money demanded for action in
the particular case
mo municipal corporation has ever
had its most valuable franchises SO
recklessly and scandalously disposed
Of for consideration which found it's
way. not to the city treasury, but into
the itching palms Of the public pilfer
erS.
But q Small Percentage.
''The persons against whom indict
ments for bride giving and bride taking
have been returned are but a small
percentage of those whom inquiry con
vinces US deserve to wear the garb of
convicts.
these men approach the legislative
representative of powerful combina
tons or corporations competing fol
valuable franchises and demand and
receive Of them sums of money ranging
from 500 to $4,000 for their individ
ual votes and influence.
"From the evidence before US 1t ap
pears that an official Of the city govern
ment boosted Of the fact that he had
made $25, ZOO year out Of his officia
position, which paid legitimate salary
Of but $500 year.
Another official, according to evi
dence before us, agreed with one inter
est to do an official act for $4,000, and
afterward from the opposing interests
accepted the sum of 100000 for doing
the very opposite of that which he
agreed to do for SIS, 1000. One legislator
received in cash at his own residence
the sum of $4,000 for his vote on a
pending measure. This was retained by
him for few days, then returned in
the hope of receiving larger sum
The measure was enacted, and the
member, after much delay, was finally
compelled to accept $4,000 in full fol
his vote on the franchise bill"