Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-06-21
GIVES STARTLING TESTIMONY
BEFORE GRAND JURY.
PROMINENT MEN INVOLVED
Merchants and Leading Members of
the Bar Summoned 10 Appear Be-
fore Jury Serious Charges Said to
Figure in Evidence in Connection
With Which They Were Cited.

Chicago, June 16.-The greatest
scandal Chicago has ever seen ac-
cording to States Attorney Healy, is
to follow the disclosures made yester,
day before the grand jury by John C.
Driscoll, when the former secretary
of the associated building trades and
coal team owners association re-
vealed the entire history of the deal
ings between the employees and union
labor leaders, particularly that
branch of union labor represented by
the Chicago teamsters' union.
Healy declared that The bribery and
conspiracy charges dropped into com
'paratiye insignifoance beside the ac-
.cusations which have been brought to
the attention of the grand jury. The
states attorney said:
Sensational Evidence Presented.
More serious offenses have been
committed than bribery and copspir-
acy, and the evidence presented has
been of an extremely sensational
character. 1t is very important and
will lead to startling results The
names mentioned by witnesses are
those of prominent men on both sides.
If ! thought there could be no results
from this investigation | would call a
halt Immediately. If necessary all
docket cases Will be sidetracked be
cause of the great importance | attach
to the results OF the present inquiry. -
Twenty or more prominent business
men of Chicago together with LEADING
members of the bar have been sum
moned before the grand jury today.
Charges Uf serious kind are said to
figure in the evidence in connection
with which these men have been sum-
moned.
Tells History of Dealings.
John c. Driscoll was yesterday the
chief witness before the grand jury.
He recited what he called the history
of the dealings between employers
the coal teamsters' union and coal
team owners made the first joint trade
agreement which provided that the
.owners should employ only members
of the union and members of the UNI
ion work for no employer not mem
J. IS no
The object, the witness declared, was
to force every coal wagon owner into
the union. The owners then raised
the carriage rates of Ccal from 80 to so
cents a ten for short hauls and to as
high as one dollar a ton for long
hauls.
Driscoll took before the jury several
check books which, together with the
cancelled checks are expected to
prove any charges made by him
against business men and labor lead
ers.
1t was evident by the appearance of
the states attorney and members of
the jury at adjournment that Driscoll
had given some very remarkable tes-
timony The states attorney, his as.
sistant and several members of the
jury were highly agitated and they
admitted passi,yely that evidence of
the gravest Importance had been CIV
en- but that everybody was sworn 10
secrecy. Driscon also was much ag-
tated as he left the building. He re-
fused, however, to discuss the nature
of his testimony.
Says Shea Accepted $1,000
Chicago June let was learned
late last night that one of the state
mems made by Driscoll to the jury was
that President Shea of the teamsters'
union accepted $4,000 at the time of
the stock yards strike last summer.
DriscOll declared he raised the money
and paid it TO Shea, and that the labor
leader was not able to prevent the
men from walking out. Driscoll after
ward. according to the story, demanded
the return of this money, and Shea de,
clared he had paid it over TO two other
men connected with the teamsters'
union.