The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-25
briggs INDICTED AT LAST.
aROOkLYN EX-CONGRESSMAN AC-
rrSED or BRIBE-TAkING.
~. Gives Bail and Goes Before tho Grand
Jury to Explain Things-WhO's Next:
is Beavers to He Prosecuted in the
HrookIyn district, where He Lives?

is Beavers to He Prosecuted In the
brooklyn district, where He Lives:
Edmund H. briggs, Democratic e1-
Congressman and vice-president OF the
runire State Surety Company, was in
,ucted by the Federal Grand Jury in Brook
l,, Yesterday for his connection with the
+ j Brandt Dent Company Of Watertown,
Wis. in the sale of automatic cashiers"
~ the Post Office Department while he was
in Congress.
Four indictments were returned against
ur briggs. To two of them he pleaded
"a, guilty, and to the others he reserved
The right to plead after his lawyers had
a,amined them. The last two indct-
wants each contain sixteen counts. They
we're not read in court.
I, was said on good authority that in the
Two indictment with sixteen counts each
Mr.. briggs was named jointly with another
man who has been mentioned prominently
in the investigation Of the sale to the Gov
eminent by the Brandt Dent company of
80 automatic cashiers for $3.50 apiece.
Mr.. briggs has admitted that he had
dealings with the Post Office Department
in connect ion with this contract and that
be received sl2.5OO from the company.
|
been issued for the other man named with
Mr.. briggs.
Mr.. briggs was held in IS 900 bail, which
was furnished by ex-Sheriff William j.
h,ttling Of Brooklyn. The bond had been
made ready before the indictments were
presented to the court, and Mr.. briggs
was in court when the indictments were
handed in.
Immediately aft err being released Mr..
briggs went before the Grand Jury, which
had resumed it's session. The Grand
jury had notified United States District
Attorney Youngs that it wanted to see Mr..
briggs and Mr.. Youngs subppnaed him.
This is not a customary proceeding, but
Mr. Youngs said the Grand Jurors wanted
an explanation" from Mr.. briggs and they
got it. The explanation remained a Grand
Jury secret.
Mr.. briggs had been notified that he
would be indicted, and when he appea red
in the Federal Building about 2 o'clock
there was stir, although it was known
that the Grand Jury had been hearing
evidence relative to Mr.. Driggs's connec-
ton with the fraudulent Company for
two weeks.
Mr.. briggs was accompanied by his
counsel, Hugo Hirsch, and John G. Jenkins.
president of the First National Bank of
brooklyn. They went to the District At
torneys office, but, not finding any one
here hurried to the United States District
Court. There they met Assistant United
states District Attorney Chatfield and
after short confab left the building. Mr..
Hirsch said 1T was mistake and Mr.
loungs said, when questioned, that MIR.
briggs had been subpenaed to appear
before the Grand Jury.
In about an hour the briggs party re-
appeared and went into the court room.
The members of the Grand Jury, which.
had adjourned, were standing outside of
their room when Judge f. B. Thomas
who had been sitting in Manhattan in the
morning, came into the building MIR.
Hirsch announced that he had been in,
formed that Mr.; briggs would be indicted
and he was ready with bondsman.
Then the jury filed into the courtroom
and after the usual preliminary questions
Foreman Henry w: Rozelle announced
that he had some indictments and batch
81 papers we're handed to the clerk. Dis
trict Attorney Youngs said:
There are two or three indictments
against Mr.; briggs, and his counsel may
want to look at them
Mr.. briggs said in low voice, scarcely
audible IL the court: Not guilty
indictments n,
Ex-Sheriff Buttling offered his Bath Beach
house and propertv In Smith street, Brook
ivn. az security. and in a few minutes Mr..
ijrires was ont Of the courtroom.
The indictments against Mr., briggs are
found under Sections I7sl and 1882 OF the
Revised Statutes of the United States
which make II crime punishable with i'm
prisonment for two wears or fine OF $40 900,
or both, for any member of Congress to
receive money from anv person for pro-
curing or aiding to procure any contract
from The Government. Mr.. briggs pleaded
Yesterday to an indictment under each of
these statutes,
The indictments specify that draft for
$500 was drawn on JULY 20, 1900, by the
Bank of Watertown upon the Hanover
National Bank Of New York, payable to
The Brandt Dent Company, and was in
dorsed by the company to their agent,
George +. Miller. in New York, and by
him ineorsed to Mr. briggs and delivered
nv Miller to Mr.. briggs, and finally de-
posted in the First National Bank in Brook
lyn to Mr.. Driggs's account.
The indictments charge that Mr.. briggs
got this money in payment for the making
If a contract for the delivery Of 25O Brandt
automatic -cashiers" to the Government
Mr.. briggs was a member of Congress
between March S, 1899. and March 4, 1902
and this tranSactiOn comes within the