The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-28

schedules Of bride prices, j based ipon what
each business would stand, "a nging from
a few hundred dollars for a. sWi itch bill
10 thousands OF dollars for a franchise.
Indeed. I believe as much as S 70, 600. 900
has been paid out in blacknlai Il on such
accounts Syi s;5 n 81 S3 &; lsss3
The Immortal Nineteen.
.Thc business has been done by az con-
3tin,ous gang Of nineteen and their
Esubordinates, q continued Mr.. TO TX
took nineteen votes to control the city
council dnd these nineteen men passed /.
upon what Legislation should be enacted
mud how much they should be paid for
each act or franchise. At one time the
combine received s47.5o0 for an ordinance !;
ia light the city, The bargain was 4
made on the floor Of tile house OF dele
gates and the m oncy was \ la nded over
to one Of the combine After voting
the nineteen met a + the house Z OF one
5of3 their number, and the host sat at me q,
piano and played Home Sweet Home.
while the money was distributed in $500
lots, y t.sss VI a S
"A Million Dollars Profit.
Il asked Mr.. Folk about the Central
Trac ton deal y OF ] $685. out Of which q I
New y ork pr omotersmad almost 81. O00,-a
600 lie replied 4;
THAT was for a. franchise which GOV. \
cred nearly all the street railways Of
the city. TIL promoter. imam named \
snyder CAV sa5o,0o0 In. brides to the
municipal assembly 7 % get it. He paid
5twenty-five out OF the twenty eight mem
sbers Of the house Of delegates $4,000 eacll 1
and the seven members OF the council
from $1,000 70 81, 900 each. One cou-A
Gilman took S25, 900 from other parties TO
vote against the franchise, but returned
1t when he found that he could get $50 900
from the pronloter to!votc its favor he
gave back the first am ount. saving he
did mot think he could honestly earn t.
That franchise was sold by the promoter
for 81, $50, 900. SO that he made a clean
million out OF the transaction. The city
did notreceivc one cent fol all he streets cts
given awuy.'ss ~,
THAT was the case III which Uthoff.
figured. wns 1t not? tS
, Yes, was the r,iy. s5thoV was
tile man who got $4,000 for his vote
and gave back the se5,0oD which the
for them. The promoter, however, had
promised IIthoff 500. 900 upon his saying
that $50 900 was not enough, and with
this understa nding Lthoff gave hin, back
the $50, 900. expecting to get 500 900 tho
next morning.
THAT night the promoter eft for New
| York, taking all the money with him.
| Uthoffs had voted for the bill and had
nothing. He took pistol and followed
! the promoter. to New York, They met
at the Waldorf Hotel, and there, under
| the influence OF n bottle Of champagne
Uthoff was made to compromise his claim
\ OF 800. 900 for $4,000 cash, At the same
| time he signed a statement that he knew
| the promoter was not corrupt. and that
| lie believed he would be as far from
| offering bribe as be Uthoff9 would be
! from accepting one II offerad
How a Boy Made $4,000. E't
Ono Of the queer cases described by
| Mr.. Folk during our conversation was
the attempted bribery Of a man named
!. Meier In the central traction bill. Tho
i promoters thought they could carry the
4 franchise without Meier, but they wanted
4 his vote In case ono OF the other booders
failed them. They went TO his son and
4 handed him. $4,000. saying; MY boy
we are not sure of our majority. and i
we need your fathers vote we are Wiling
4 to pay for 1t. Give this money to him
\ and tell him that no is to vote for the
4 bill. II his vote is required to pass It..
\ In that case he is 10 keep the money,
4 but II 1t Is not needed he can vote
4 against the bill and you can return the
\ money toEus. The boy took the money.
A The vote was taken aud his fathers vote
was not required Therefore the pro-
4 moters asked the young Meier for the