The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-07-02
BOODLER CONFESSES
Ex-Member of ST. Louis House of
Delegates Tells of Bribery.
MEN HIGHER UP ARE INVOLVED

Declares There Is Hardly a Corpor'
alton Of s25o,ooo and Over In CITY
That Has Not Been Held Up For
Bride Money,
ST. Louis, Mo, June 29.--It was an
nounced that Charles A. Gutkea. a
former member OF the house of dele
gates. convicted on charge OF brib-
cry, and soon to be tried on another
similar charge. made q complete con-
fession to Circuit Attorney Joseph W.
Folk. in which he declared that former
Delegate Charles f. Kelley had told
him that he had received $4,000 for
going to Europe when his presence In
st Louis jeopardized men OF Dromi-
nence Kelley is also resting under
one conviction, and is soon to be tried
in another case Circuit Attorney Folk
attaches great importance to the reVe-
lations which have been made by
Gutkea. He says il opens up many
now avenues of Investigation, and that
80 brought things to light which have
not been heard OF before. involving the
men higher up.
When he came out of the office OF
Circuit Attorney Folk, Gutkea said:
1.-The best reparaton that can
make for the wrongs have done is 70
confess fully to everything in order
that the public may realize what has
been going on.
I became a member OF the house OF
delegates in 1897, and at once became
a member Of the combine of that body,
which was an organization composed
of 10 delegates for the purpose of sell.
ing legislation
THE first bill that came up after |
had become a member OF the combine
was the suburban loop bill The com
blne got $4,000 for their votes on this
bill: on the Union avenue bill We got
$4,000: on the Central Traction bill
we got $4,000; on the Third street
line bill we got $4,000; on the light
ing bill we got $47.500; on the subur-
ban bill we were to get $4,000. which
Is now In the safe deposit box In tho
Lincoln Trust company, being placed
there with the agreement that 10 was
to be turned over to us when the bill
had been passed,
"While these are some Of the largest
brides secured during my term OF Of
flee. there were innumerable others
ranging from $4,000 for switching bills
to a few hundred dollars for some
minor privilege The bride prices
were fixed in meetings OF the combine,
the procedure being for some member
to get up and move that a certain
price be fixed on a certain bill. Other
members would give their opinions
and a vote would be taken, and the
price receiving the highest number of
votes would he adopted
"Then We would select an agent of
the combine by ballot to negotiate for
and receive the money. From my In
innate knowledge Of dealings with this
combine and from information secured
on what has been going on here for
the last quarter of n century, | make
the positive statement that there is
hardly corporation in the city Of st.
Louis Of s2j0,000 and over that has not
either been held up for bribe money or
bought official action from the COM
bine in the house Of delegates.
81 acted as the agent of the COM
bine In a number OF these deals. In
the suburban deal I went with Kratz
to Stocks house and was present
when the agreement was made regard
ing the bribe OF SEQ, 900 for Kratz,
which is now in a lock box in the Mis-
slssippi Valley Trust company. | went
with Charles Kratz and Carroll to the
Office of q prominent broker in the
lighting deal, and there $4,000 was
paid me by this broker TO give the
combine. and the promise was made
then that s27.j00 more would be paid"
other details were given by Gutkea.
who mentioned the name Of prOmi-
nent local politician, who. he said, had
been at the head of nearly all the COM
hines in the house of delegates dur
ing the past % years. He said the
doodle gang" in st. Louis has already
planned to capture the circuit attor'
neys office az the next election.