The semi-weekly messenger., 1903-12-04

Grind Rapids. Mich. November 80.
The confession of ex-City Attorney
Lane K. Salisbury. in regard TO the
notorious water scandal in this city,
WAS told today for the first time in
court at the preliminary examination
of State SentOr David Burns and il
has created a tremendous sensation
on account of the number of prOmi-
nent persons it duplicates, in addition
to the seventeen officials and former
officials who were arrested on bribery
charges ten days ago.
Never once did Salisbury have 10
refer to his notes. He rendered his
testimony readily and rapidly, giving
names. date and occurrences as though
the alleged events happened only last
week instead of three years ago.
The examination of Senator Burns
WAS completely lost to view in the
story of the conspiracy as related by
Salisbury. As names of prominent men
were mentioned by Salisbury, and the
amount he paid to each for their in
Huence or silence was given. there
was a suppressed muTmur of surprise
throughout the thrOngeu courtroom.
The persons implicated by SAILS
bury during his testimony against
State Senator Burns and the amount
he alleges they received are as fol-
lows:
George r. Perry. eX-mayOr, S13:-
1925; j. Clark SprOat, manager of
Grand Rapids Democrat, $3,333; r.
A. Cameron. New York, $500; State
Senator David f. Burns, $500; Alder
man McCOOI, $500; Alderman Ellen,
$3.50; Alderman Dapagrer, $3.50; AL
derman Muir. $500; Alderman Kin
ney, $3.50; Alderman Donovan, $500;
Alderman Phillips. $1,000; Alderman
Johnson. $3.50 or $500; Alderman
StOnehOuse, $3.50: Alderman Lozier.
$500; Alderman Shrever, $3.50; Alder
man Mol. $3.50; Alderman Ghysels,
$3.50; Alderman Hodges. $500; AL
derman SlOCum. $500; Cory p. Bis
sell $500; J. Russell Thompson, re-
porter on Evening Press, $500: IsSal
LamOreauX. ex-city clerk, $1,500;
State Representative VanZeren, $3.50;
state Representative VanDerOck, $50:
f. d. COnger. manager Grand Rapids
Herald. $4,000; Thomas F. McGarry,
u prominent attorney now in Florida,
$500; c. s. Burch. manager of the
Evening Press, $1,000. He also i'm
pliCated in the water deals Dudley
E. Waters, ex-presidenu of the board
of public works; DR.. Uilke de Vries,
eX-Clty physician; George Ellis, a
local broker; Samuel NJ. Lemon, Col
lector of Internal Revenues and Will
liam H Anderson. president of the
Fourth National Bank.
Six separate water conspiracy deals
were on in Grand Rapids at one time,
according to Salsbury's sworn testi-
mOny, each gigantic in its size and
all calling for the use of a Doodle
Tn adj n ha
lOr 100000 Lake Michigan water
deal, he testified that there were t1ve
other strings out. from each one of
which thousands of dollars were
hanging. Every one of these six sets
of men who have put or offered to
advance a corruption fund. We're
dupes. so Salisbury says of himself.
Perry. MCCary and SprOut.
Salisbury testified that the water
deal first came to his attention in
June 1900, when Thomas F. McGarry.
Il local attorney told him that he had
some clients who wanted to get a
contract to furnish the city with wa
ter and that there would be s."
in ii for him. Salisbury was driven
into the deal. so he confessed. be-
cause of Il $4,000 shortage in his
bank account. caused by unfortunate
speculation in wheat. He met r. A.
Cameron of New York. who was con-
victed and fined here some time ago
and agreed TO go into the deal for
$4,000 cash The money was sent
by II. \. Taylor. of New York, the
moneyed man in the deal to the state
bank. My sole purpose was to get
the s25,O0O.' said Salisbury. ito
straiGhten up my bank account
We have bidders on the string
from all sides. and our first plan was
- get them to put up all the money
NOS Will IN,-ilN
then so to the council and exhibit
the money with the statement that It
was sent here to bribe us and then
keep it We had bidders in Mil
waukee, Omaha, Chicago. and other
places. and were Just getting them
warmed up when my arrest in Chi
cagO upset all the plans
Salisbury also implicated Samuel y.
Lemon. collector of internal Revenue
and William H. Anderson, president
of the Fourth National Bank who,
ne says. wanted $4,000 each. Lemon
was interested i'll one of the several
water deals that were on at one time
50 Salisbury said. and came to his
office. saying that he had paid the
mayor $4,000 and wanted to know
how much it would take TO get the
council.
I told him that it would take
100000" said Salisbury. He want
ed me to come down. but 1 told him
that he and Anderson wanted $4,000
without doing a thing"
The prosecution completed its in
PRODUCTION of evidence this afternoon
and the respondent asked for an ad-
jOurumcnt for week to 7repare his
defense. which the court granted.
Both conger and Burch deny hav-
ing received any money from SAILS
bury.