The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-09-24

spring of 1897, 1t elected Henry Zieg.
enhein mayor Under this Republi.
can.Ziegenhein administration all. or
practically all, of the corruption at
st. Louis grew up. A majority Of
the municipal assembly boldly band
ed themselves together for the pur.
pose of eXacting bribe money. At
the same time the representatives of
powerful corporate interests willing.
ly entered into conspiracy with
these aldermanic rogues, because the
concessions desired could be obtain.
ed more cheaply by corrupting pub.
lie servants than by honestly pur.
chasing the concessions from the
municipality.
not long continue. The corruption.
! ists-corporate and aldermanic--bo.
came holder and holder. The citizens
of st. Louis saw rights which were
worth many thousands of dollars
given away without compensation.
They beheld with establishment the
bankruptcy of the municipal treas
ury and looked with indignation upon
conduct which each day more clear
ly demonstrated the venality of their
municipal officials, So apparent was
this corruption, that in the elections
of the fall of 1900, and again in the
spring of 190l-the Democrats bold.
ly charged that the Zicgenhein admin.
| istration was reekng with villainy.
And in both elections the Democracy
was triumphant upon the issue so
made.
AS to the Ziegenhein admntra-
ton, it is now patent that "its latter
end was worse than the first" 1t was
during this latter end in the
months of October and November,
1900, that Charles II. Turner, presi-
dent of the Suburban Railway Com
pany entered into corrupt scheme
with the representatives of the Alder
<Aanic bribery combine. Pursuant to
the terms of this conspiracy $780,
100000 was deposited in two safe de-
post vaults, to be paid when the
Aldermanic rogues should steal the
franchise which the Suburban Com
pany desired. The Combine" tried
to carry out the infamous agree.
ment, but before it could be consum-
mated the Circuit Court issued an in.
junction. and prior to the dissolu-
ton of the Injunction, the terms of Of
flee of the corrupt councilmen eX-
pired The ex-aldermen demanded a
part at least of the corruption fund.
Turner refused to pay anything; he
stood upon his contract, and said its
conditions had not been complied
with. The aldermen actually en-
ployed an attorney, who seems to
have conceived the brilliant idea
that these thieves could recover on
a "Quantum meruit."
The controversy between these
public plunderers over this huge cor
ruption fund of S135. 100000 waxed
fast and furious. 1t will be remember
ed that at the time this conspiracy to
rob the city of SL.LnuiS- WAS enter:
ed into, and the corruption money
placed in the safe deposit box, both
bride giver and bride taker retained
a key so that neither party could
obtain possession of the fund with
out the concurrence of the other.
Hoping to brighten Turner into re-
leasing the money one of the gang
gave a guarded intimation of their
wrong doing to a newspaper. There
upon public inquiry was aroused and
fearing exposure and punishment for
his crime, Turner consulted an emf.
nent criminal lawyer, Gov. Chas. P.
johnson. Upon his advice, Turner
sought out the Circuit Attorney and
made a clean breast Of the entire
disgraceful transaction. Following
his confession Turner testified to the
same facts before the st. Louis
Grand Jury and upon this evidence
several indictments were returned.
There remained however, a miss.
ing link in the chain of evidence,
which could not be supplied, unless
the testimony of John X. Murrell
could be secured. Murrell was at
that time a fugitive from justice.
This testimony was. obtained by the
Post-Disptach, which, at its own ex.
pense, located Murrell in Mexico,
sent a representative there, and in.
duced him to return and testify.
Prosecutions promptly followed.
The evidence was there, bald, naked,
unanswerable. The press had al
ready published many of the salient
facts. The voice of the people and
the mandate of the law alike demand.
ed that justice take her course.
The developments of these trials
were startling They showed such
an outrageous condition as called for
swift punishment, and those who as
sisted in bringing these rogues to
the bar of justice are entitled to the
thanks and commentator of all Mis-.
sourians.
In st. Louis there have been
about twenty convictions. In all cases
there have been, believe, appeals.
But four of the appeals have yet