The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-09
WARRANTS OUT
 FUR ALDERMEN St Louis Bosses Are Brought
 to Taw for Bribery EIGHTEEN MEN INVOLVED
Confession Is Made by One Man. Says Combine Secured $75,ooo for One Bill and $47,ooo
 for Another.

St. Louis. September s.--A sensation was caused today by the issuance of bench warrants for the arrest of eighteen members of the former house of delegates on the confession of Delegate J. K. Mur- rell, who fled to Mexico last spring after being indicted for bribery by the grand jury in connection with the alleged boo ding operations of the municipal assem- railway franchises. It is stated he will be granted immunity from punishment for turning states evidence.
 Following are the names of members of the alleged combine for whom bench warrants were issued charging bribery and perjury in connection with the su- burban Street railway and other legisla- ton:
 Ed E. Murrell. John H. Schnettler. Charles F. Kelly, T. E. Albright. George F. Robertson, Louis Decker, John Helms, Charles A. Gutke, Adoph Madera, H. A. Faulkner. Julius Lehman Edmund Bersch, Otto Schumacher. John A. Sheri- dan. Charles J. Denny. William Tamblyn. J. J. Hannigan and Emile Hartman
 Albright and Faulkner were released on bonds of sSO,OOO each The others arrested were allowed to go to their respective homes in the custody of deputy sheriffs. who will remain with them until they shall have furnished surety for their ap- pearance in court when the cases are called for trial. With the exception of William Tamblyn, who was a member of the last house of delegates and is now said to be in Cleveland, all the indicted l delegates are believed to be in the city. | Delegate Kelly telephoned to the district attorney tonight that he would surrender tomorrow morning and give bond. The police are watching the bridge and possi- ble avenues of escape from the city, and it will be difficult for any of the indicted men to remain out of the hands of the law. J. K Murrell made the following statement for publication today:
 MurreIps Statement.
 q have surrendered internationally and have made full confession. could no longer stand the agony I endured as a fugitive from justice and the wrong done me by the parties just as guilty as l, who made me their catspaw. held the key to the box in the Lincoln Trust company having the s75,000 bribe money to go to the delegates on the passage of the suburban bill.
 This money was put up as the pur- chase price for the votes of the combine, ( that price having been agreed upon.
 The combine of the house of delegates was composed of nineteen men. This combine held frequent meetings in the | room adjoining the house of delegates l chamber
 When the suburban matter came up 1 before the combine I was selected to negotiate with Phillip Stock, the repre- sentative of the suburban railway as to 1 the best price we could get for our votes upon the passage of the bill. q reported the various negotiations to | the combine meetings and was instructed by the combine from time to time what to do.
 "The deposits of the money, the amount and the conditions were duly re- ported by me to the combine meetings I am not permitted to make the opera tions of the combine at this time The purpose of the combine was to control legislation and sell legislation for the benefit of the members of the combine Shortly before the suburban bill the combine sold their votes on the lighting bills for $47,500
 Each Man Gets $25oo. > "This money was handled by Kelly 1 and was paid to the members of the l combine at meeting arranged for~that purpose at Julius Lehmans house. Each 1 member of the combine receiving s25O0
 "We did not look upon what we did i as a serious crime as it hsd gone on SO l long without Interruption that 1t was l not regarded by those who participated as morally wrong Until the present cir cult attorney took office no sincere effort was ever made to punish what was being done as a crime.
 l q have lived in St. Louis all my life. | I have been honest heretofore In all i matters Although I would not take 1 dollar from any person unlawfully, the practice of the combine in the assem- bly taking bribes was so frequent that went along with the tide and did not realize the enormity of the offense and my conscience was scared in that re- gard"