Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-17
MAYOR WEAVER HAS STIRRED
UP NEST OF EVIL DoERs IN
PHILADELPHIA.
MORE ARRESTS SOON
Many Additional Prisoners Will Be
Brought Before court-state sena-
tor and Former City Officials Are
Said to be Indicted.

Philadelphia, June additional ar
rests are expected as result of the
startling disclosures made yesterday
at the hearing in the case of Select
Councilman Frank H. Caven, who Is
under bail on charges of being unlaw-
fully interested III various city con-
tracts Persistent rumors are in circu-
lation to the effect that the men whose
arrests are being considered are State
Insurance Commissioner l. WDurham,
State Senator James P. McNichol for
mer Director Of Public Works Peter E.
Costello, John w. Hill, former chief of
the filtration bureau and one or two
! inspectors of the filtration works.
More Alleged Plots to Rob.
Secret agreements to rob the city,
violations of city ordinances by coun-
| cilmen, contracts awarded without
competitive bids or to others than the
lowest bidder and the acceptance of
the resignation of the highest salaried
official have already resulted from the
mayors investigation Of charges
against Frank H. Caven, select coun-
Gilman.
Caven is charged with violating his
councilmanic oath by being interested
in city contracts. 1t was shown that
Insurance Commissioner l. w. Durham
leader of the republican organization,
is partner in the McNichol firm Of
city contractors anu James p McNich-
oil, now state senator, was represented
by his wife in the firm, while he was
in the city council.
i Other evidence was that a secret
agreement existed between Council
man Caven and his father, trading as
] James. Cayen & Son, and another firm
in which they agreed that no contract
should be entered into by either party
with Senator McNichol's firm or other
firm doing work on the ,city's filtration
system without the written consent OF
both parties.
i Filtration Bureau Head Resigns.
i AS a result of the hearing Mayor
John w. Hill, chief engineer of the
bureau of filtration, and also that Of
his son, Henry w. Hill, assistant tc
his father. The designations are tt
take effect Immediately. The oldel
Hills salary was $4,000 year. Mayor
Weaver it is said, was not satisfied
/ with affairs connected with the con
: struction Of the filter plants.
The system has cost the city abou,
S22 100000. and 1t will take upwards
of S5,000.000 more to complete it. The
5 McNichol firm has had contracts fol
| about three-quarters of the work.
Chief Hill testified that on one con
!. tract there was not bid lower thar
McNichols and that it was not award
ed to that bidder, but bids were AGAR
advertised for. This time .McNicho
5 was the only bidder and received The
contract.
3 D. j. McNlchoI Tells of Firm.
! Daniel ]. McNichol then gave unde
4 rigid examination the personnel of th'
! McNichol firm. He said he received
one-twelfth Of the profits of the firm
Attorneys for the defense inquired
what difference it made whether Dur
ham was in the firm, and Judge Cor
= don replied:
Gail the difference in the world. w
will show that conspiracy existed be
S tween all these parties, and that
S was this conspiracy that was respons
/ BILE for the awarding of contracts with
out any competitive bids"
Civil Service Inquiry On.
The United States civil service com
mission backed up by Presiden
\ Roosevelt, is inquiring into the cas-
, of Clarence Meeser, deputy interna
revenue collector for this district, an
Mrs. Elenora Park, an employe of tn
United States mint. Meeser was al
l. cused of election frauds and not col
victed.