The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-12-27
New York Liquor Dealers
Contributed to It.
WAS ON TAP AT ALBANY.
1t was Spent in Influencing
Members of the Legislature.
A GRAND JURY's REPORT.
District Attorney Jerome viii Prepare
Bill for the Regulation Of the
Liquor Traffic In New York-He De-
nounces the Police as Corrupt.

New York, Dec. 23.-No evidence
warranting indictments in this county
was presented to the grand jury in
connection with the charge that q
bribery fund had been collected by the
Liquor Dealers association to infiu-
ence legislation at Albany according
to presentment handed in yesterday.
The presentment described as shock
ing" the facts disclosed by the evi-
dence, and after reporting that 1t has
been impossible to return indictments
In this county, requests that al the
evidence-175 typewriter pages-be
sent to the governor and to both
branches Of the legislature to do with
as they see fit.
| The grand jury says 1t appears
from evidence submitted to it that the
Liquor Dealers association, which ex-
tends throughout the state, from time
to time raises money from its men,
bers and applies 1t for political pur-
poses. 1t was shown that large sum
Of money was raised in this way dur
ing the present year and that 1t finally
| was received by a committee known
as the legislation committee. which
went frequently to Albany while the
l
with it the money in cash.
The report Of the jury says the evf-
dence presented to It showed that
this legislation commission allowed
its disbursing officer to give q consid-
cradle part Of this money to one Of Its
members to use in influencing the OF
fetal action of one of the state depart
ments of this state In seemingly an
unlawful way; that large part Of this
money was, by this legislation CON-
mittee, expended upon various men,
bers of the assembly and senate Of the
state OF New York and their friends In
an appalling and shocking way, with
the intention of influencing such
members in the discharge Of their Of
fetal duty as members Of the assem-
bly, or senate"
After reading the report, Judge
Cowing said that he would see to II
that copies would be forwarded to the
governor and the legislature as re-
quested, with request that they take
such action as the evidence warrants
After denouncing the local police
, force for alleged failure even to at.
. tempt to force the present excise Law
as provided by the measure which has
!, become known as the Raines law, Dis.
trict Attorney Jerome said YESTERDAY
that he would soon have ready q
lengthy brief in support Of bill Of his
|, own for the regulation Of the liquor
traffic which he hopes to have made
law by the legislature.
= The announcement was made b.
: Mr.. Jerome after he had read q state
ment of State Senator John Raines t<
the effect that the trouble in this city
was wholly due to the failure Of thu
police to enforce the law. Senato
a Raines' views were in a measure en-
al dorsed by the district attorney. but q
|. the same time he declared that tn,
o. Raines law did not appeal to him .,
e by any means a perfect measure
The whole responsibility for th'
k non-enforcement of the law Nj
6 Jerome placed upon the police depart
: ment, which, he declared, was NOR
; disorganized and corrupt to-day tha,
/ at any time during the last 16 year
O that he has personal knowledge of.