The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-05
TO PROBE FARTHER
Alderman Westphal Calls Another
Meeting Of the Bribery Inquiry,
Committee.
Fire Chief Canterbury, Captain
.. .g- -. ~
Runge and Others Will Be
Questioned Then. -.

Alderman G. A. Westphal chairman OF
the council committee on the investiga-
ton of the Powers bribery charges, an
nounced to-day that he would call another
meeting Of the committee for p. m. to-
morrow. T..
At this hearing. Fire Chief J: r. Cam
terbury, Captain A. H. Runge of the Cen"
trail police station, and Aldermen A. S.
Adams and S. E. Adams will be asked TO
tell what they know as to the charges.
These witnesses, save Captain Runge,
have already told the grand jury what
they know about Mr.. Powers accusations.
Alderman Powers says that he waited
upon thes men Immediately after an at
tempt had been made to bride him and
told them what had happened. They are
supposed to have gone before the grand
jury simply to corroborate his testimony,
In which event what they may have to
say to the committee can hardly have d
material bearing on the case Captain
Runge says he knows absolutely nothing
about the charges and that Powers made
no such statement to him.
:. So far the .investiga ton seems TO have
ma rowedf down to- a: question: qf syeracitY
between Alderman Powers and the hose
company's- representative. No one iseems
disposed to doubt Alderman Powers state
adeiatsG bdE She udafe1hsb1fI is iRanlEdl t that
his unsupported testimony is not sufficiehht
t. fas{en gRGR any 9ns the GrIAs Of s brib b;
offered a pgiEsffssahe alderman who ka6Ald
take the affirmative side of the debaee ti1f
the council chamber as to whether aater-
tain contract for hose should be made
lit is impossible to get his side Of THE
story now, as he has been iout Of town for
several weeks. - -: =s'=a- r. =
Cause for Regret. .:
II greatly regret" said Alderman West
phal, that the man at whom; these
charges are aimed is not here to defend
himself. We would be better able to
reach conclusions if we. could hear both
sides. OF course, he might decide to treat
any invitation to testify with cool con-
tempt, but it would hardly be to his in
terests to ignore this Investigations
| AS for morning papers charges that
| the investigation had proved a fiasco and
| that the committee was trying to white
| wash the Inquiry, he declared emphatical-
| ly that there was not the slightest ground
! for any such superstition.
! Committees Limitations.
! 1T would be ridiculous he said, "for
! the committee to expect any one with in
forma ton to speak freely unless he could
be insured some privacy in so doing. we
| have no authority to compel any one tc
/ appear before us. Such action must BIZ
purely voluntary The committee viii
esteem 1t a courtesy if any one who has
the slightest knowledge of corruption i,
in the council will tell us about it to
morrow. We want to free the good nam,
of the council from suspicion and we wan
this investigation to go as far as DOS
sible. 1t IS unreasonable to call the in
vestlga ton f1asco. It is not the faul
of the committee if nothing more de
velops. The shorthand report of our SEES
sion will be made public eventually"