The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-10-06
BOODLER C~0NFESSES.
Charles T. Kelly duplicates Colonel Ed
Butler in His Statement of St.
Louis Graft.

st. Louis. Oct. Sin a swritten coz
feSsion today Charles F. Kelly, speaker
of the house of delegates during a pc
rod in the life of the Doodle combine.
relates the story of hat combine. He
declares Edward Butler, 4 prominent
local politician, promised himself ana
others implicated that the next circuit
attorney would be ALI right" and
promised tina if they would remain
firm he would secure for them either
co]ntinuances until the new circuit at
torney took office. or parQons after
ward.
He declares Butler said the new cir
u attorney. fer which office nomina-
tions are TO be made by the democrats
today. would be his man"
Kelly declares he refused this offer
and makes this confession to satisfy the
pangs of an accusing conscience, to
obey the requests of his wife. and to
do what he can 10 make atone1nent to
the public and prevent other young
men from following a path which he
declares has led TO his ruin.
Kelly details the story OF the city
lighting deal, for which a Doodle fund
OF $47.500 was divided between nine
teen members Of the combine at Julius
Lehmann's birthday party. He de-
and that he took ii 10 Lehnlarn's house
ana divided it.
Some Warm Charges.
In the course OF The confession Kelly
said:
Il know from my own knowledge and
from statements made TO me by those
on the inside, that bribery has been 60
ing on in the municipal assembly Of
st. Louis for the past twenty-five years.
Hardly a bill has passed that body in
the last quarter century unless it was
r-4S -. vat --E E-a- --I
punishment, because We believed no
one would dare do il. In case of attack
we knew most Of the politicians and
many of the large ]fnanciers OF 81.
Louis would be with Us. a former
prosecutor showed some signs of start
ing after Us, u he vas bluffed u t.
WHEN Prosecutor Folk commenced
war on us, we tried TO intinidate hin
by threats of assassination. and when
traps for him without success. Then
It was decided the best plan would be
10 start 2 newspaper and libel him so
~ieTcely as to draw his fire by taking
up his time in libel prosecutions. Al
though We could find nothing after a
thorough search to make an attack on,
libels were deliberately made for the
purpose OF affecting public sentiment.
This plan was participated in not only
by members of the house of delegates
under indictment for boodling, but by
prominent hranciers Of st. Louis who
feared exposure. and by those who gave
us money.
"Honor" Among the Thieves.
The combine never thought of pass
ing q bill out Of which any none
could be obtained unless we were paid
for our votes. We went ABOUT 1t In n
businesslike way, and had combine
meetings at stated times and fixed
bride prices which we were to receive
for u votes. by a majority vote Of
The combine. Then we would select one
Of 4 combine in whose honesty we
had confidence TO yet out and get he
money. These agents would rarely be-
tras us Among ourselves We had a
nigh code OF morals. and 1t was con-
sioered extremely dishonest for a mem
Ter OF the combine TO accept hribe
money without dividing it mons his
fellows"