Evening journal., 1905-06-17
MORE ARRESTS
ARE EXPECTED
Elihu Root Attends Confer
ence of Weaver's Advisers
in Philadelphia
THEY ARE AFTER MEN HIGHER UP

Philadelphia, June 1.-Two impor-
tant arrests, at least may be made. It
Is said. as a result of the revelations
made at tho hearing Of Select Council
man Frank H. Caven. The charge, Il
is expected, will be conspiracy to de-
fraud the city by meansofcontracts.
With Elihu Root, former secretary
Of war, and chief of counsel for Mayor
Weaver. present, the mayors war
board. the advisory committee Of IA
citizens he recently named, met in
important conference at the mayors
Office.
IL Is understood that Mr.. Root had
been summoned by the mayor, and
that in the presence of the advisory
committee the facts brought out by
the investigation into city contracts
were made clear to him.
lie was then asked. II is said, If he
would advise further prosecutions,
being told that upon his decision would
hinge the question of whether addi-
tlonal arrests would be made or not
After the conference Mayor Weaver
said they went over the entire situa-
tion. "Of course cannot 90 into de-
tails" he said, but we touched on al
most all matters in general"
Il is understood that Mr. Root ad-
vised the mayor TO take no further
steps in the matter of prosecutions
until he shall have had time to exam
Inc the evidence submitted at the
hearing of Councilman Frank II. Caven,
who was held in $25OO bail for court
on the charge of violating his council
manic oath in being interested in city
contracts.
Insurance Commissioner Durham
and State Senator J. p. McNichol are
prepared for any move which may in
volve their arrest. Il became known
that they had arranged for bail in
case they should be taken before a
magistrate and held under bonds.
Mr.. Gordon refused to tell who would
be taken into custody, but the names
of the men are well known. When the
conference was ended he authorized
the following statement as coming
from the mayor with his authority:
"Other arrests will follow as the re-
suit Of .e,e investigation. I cannot say
just wat the nature of the prosecu-
tions viii be, but they will be of a
most striking character. Mr. Auter-
bach will assist in the legal proceed
ings We discussed the suspension OF
the filtration work and the arrests Of
others implicated in the municipal
misdoings were considered
Il Is known that the mayor and his
advisers believe that the most signi-
fcant development Of the Caven hear
ing was the admissions made by Dan
lei J. McNichol, the holder of the I'll
tration contracts, that Insurance Com
missioner Israel W. Durham and State
Senator James p McNichol were the
principal partners.
Insurance Commissioner Durham
was questioned concerning the state
ments made on the stand by Daniel
J. McNichol and said: Il have never
denied thet was interested in the
McNichol contracting firm, and thought
that fact was generally recognized.
have heard the rumors that warrants
are to be issued for me on a charge of
conspiracy but know nothing Of the
matter beyond what have seen in the
papers and the reports that are in cir
culatiOn."
Senator McNichol said: up to the
present time the total amount of ultra
tion contracts that have been awarded
my firm aggregates SlS,660000. We
are under bonds of SS.000,000 for the
proper funlment of the specifications
of those contracts. This bond OF ours
continues in force for five years after
the completion of our contracts. say
again that the work speaks for itself
and that every detail connected with
those contracts is open to the fullest
Investigation.