Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-27
been paid out in blackmail on such ac-
counts
The Immortal Nineteen.

been paid out in blackman on such ac-
counts.
The Immortal Nineteen.
"The business has been done by a con-
tinuous gang of nineteen and their subordi-
Mates" continued Mr.. Folk. "It took nine
teen votes to control the city council and
these nineteen men passed upon what
legislation should be enacted and how much
they should be paid for each act or fran
chise. AT one time the combine received
4I,50O for an ordinance to light the city.
Ihe bargain was made on the floor of the
house of delegates and the money was
handed over to one of the combine. After
voting the nineteen met at the house of one
OF their number, and the host sat at the
piano and played Home, Sweet Home
while the money was distributed in s., 800
lots"
A Million Dollars Profit.
I asked Mr.. Folk about the Central Trac-
ton deal of 1898. out of which New York
promoter made almost $1,000, 600. He re-
piled:
mat was for a franchise which covered
nearly all the street railways of the city.
The promoter man named Snyder. gave
$2Jo,ooO in bribes to the municipal assembly
TO get IT. He paid twenty-five out of the
twenty-eight members of the house of DEL
egates $1,000 each and the seven members
of the council from $4,000 to $4,000 each
One councilman took $4,000 from other
parties to vote against the franchise, but
returned 1t when he found that he could get
$4,000 from the promoter to vote in its
favor. He gave back the first amount, say
ing he did not think he could honestly
earn it. That franchise was sold by the
promoter for $1,2JO,0O0. so that he made a
clean million out of the transaction. The
city did not receive one cent for all the
streets given away"
That was the case in which Uthoff fig
ured was it not?"
Yes was the reply "Uthoff was the
man who got $4,000 for his vote and gave
back the $4,000 which the opposing parties
had given him to vote for them. The pro-
moter, however. had promised Uthoff
100000 upon his saying that $4,000 was
not enough. and with this understanding
uthof gave him back the $4,000. expecting
to get 100000 the next morning.
Ihat night the promoter left for New
York, taking all the money with him.
nothing. He took pistol and followed
the promoter to New York They met at
the Waldorf Hotel, and there, under the
influence of bottle of champagne, Uthoff
was made to compromise his claim of $780,
900 for 5000 cash. At the same time he
signed a statement that he knew the pro-
moter was not corrupt, and that he be-
lieved he would be as far from Offering a
bride as he (Uthoff) would be from accept
ing if offered
How Boy Made $4,000.
One of the queer cases described by Mr..
Folk during our conversation was the at
tempted bribery of a man named Meier in
the central traction bill. The promoters
thought they could carry the franchise
without Meier but they wanted his vote
in case one of the other boodlers failed
them. They went to his and handed
him $4,000, saying; My boy we are not
sure of our majority. and If we need your
fathers vote willing to pay for it.
Give this money to him and tell him that
he is to vote for the bill, If his vote is re-
quired to pass it In that case he is to
keep the money, but if it is not needed he
can vote against the bill and you can re-
! turn the money to US. The boy took the
money. The vote was taken and his
fathers vote was not required. Thereupon
the promoters asked young Meier for the
$4,000, but were refused in language some
what like the following:
Il don't intend to give that money back.
l did not give it to father for that would
be trying to bride him, and l don't think
you ought to have it for you have tried
to use it to corrupt US. think l will Just
keep it for myself He did keep II, using
ii for start in business.
Folk Talks of the Governorship.
The conversation here turned to the
gubernatorial campaign, and L asked Mr.
Folk what he would do if he were elected
He replied:
that bribery is exterminated in our state
legislature. The first time a legislator
takes a bride L Will send a message to the
general assembly asking for his impeach-
ment. l will not allow corrupt lobby to
exist al the legislature and the day of the
Sand-bagging legislator will be at end.
L shall use all my power to put corrupt
men out of the party organization and VIII
do what l can to purify party politics. L
shall recommend laws forfeiting franchises
obtained by bribery and protecting wit
1r-I,n in bril- In
short l intend to do all 1 can to wipe out
bribery and corruption in the state of Mis-
souri,"
Doodle Issues as a National Movement.
DO you expect to see the anti-boodle
issue extend to other States?'
II think it is already doing so. Public
sentiment in regard to such matters is
charging, not only in this state, but
throughout the Union. Bribery is becoming
a crime in the eyes of the people, and near
1y every state is now waging against
such corruption. Until our exposures here
a bribery was practically unheard Of
Indeed there is hardly score of cases in
the court reports of the United States. We
have had more prosecutions for bribery
within the past ten years than within the
century back of them. The movement is
spreading to other countries and we are
now negotiating with the governments of
Europe to close their territories against
bride givers and bribe-takers. Our treaty
with Mexico has already been SO amended
that that country will no longer be haven
of boodlers.
.WiT boodling ever become a national
issue?"
Il do not know" replied Mr. Folk ct
certainly ought to be a national issue. Its