The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-16
BOSS DURHAM IS
CLOSE TO ARREST
Leaders in Philadelphia Machine
and Alleged Graft in Tight
Places.
Mayor Viewers Crusade for
Good Government Involves
High Officials.

Philadelphia, June 16.-Additional
arrests are. expected as result Of the
startling disclosures made Yesterday at
the hearing in the case Of Select Coun-
Gilman Frank II. Caven, who is under
200 bail on charges of being unlaw-
fully interested in the city contracts.
Persistent rumors are in circulation
that the men whose arrests are being
considered, if they have not already
been decided upon, are State Insur-
ance Commissioner l. w. Durham; State
Senator James 2. McNichol; former
Director Of Public Works Peter E..
Costello; John ". Hill, whose resigna
was accepted yesterday by Mayor
Weaver, Immediately after the revela-
lions at the Caven hearing, and one
or two men who were employed as in
spectors on various portions of the fl
tration work.
Chief Hill would prove as surprising as
the arrest of Durham himself, for it
was only few weeks ago that the
mayor had councils increase his sal
airy from $4,000 to $4,000 a year,
while his ability as an engineer is rec
| ognized all over the country. Mr.. Hill
has refused to make any statement con-
corning his resignation.
Root and Weaver Confer.
Former Secretary of War Root, Of
counsel for Mayor Weaver, arrived here
1 this afternoon from New York and
went Immediately to the city hall,
where he went into conference with the
mayor and the advisory board of four
teen citizens.
4 Oscar Noll, assistant commissioner Of
highways, rendered his resignation to-
day. It was accepted by the mayor.
oil +
the beginning Of the gas lease fight.
| George S. Webster, chief of the sur
veY bureau, has been placed in tenn
porary charge of the office resigned by
Chief Hill.
q Durham and the Graft.
i The name of "Iz1 Durham, repub-
j lican boss, has been directly linked with
!, the graft charges now being brought
s. to light and investigated as result of
, Mayor Weaver's crusade for good gov
eminent. This was shown at the hear
ing of Select Councilman Frank H.
Caven, who is charged with violating
his coincilmanic oath by being inter
ested in city contracts.
During the hearing it. was shown that
Insurance Commissioner Durham is a
partner in the McNichol firm of city
!, contractors It was also shown that,
while James P. McNichol, who is now
> a state senator and one Of the local
: republican leaders, was in city coun-
? ellis, the McNichol firm consisted Of
. Durham, Mrs. James 2. McNichol, John
. M. Mack and Daniel j. McNichol, q
: brother Of James P. McNichol.
: From Councils to Profits.
;. It was also shown that after James
l. P. McNichol left the council, his wife
! withdrew from the firm and that her
Il | n1aoa "a lion hvy him self
Other evidence of a sensational char
acter was to the effect that secret
n agreement existed between Councilman
3 Caven and his father, trading as James
: Caven & Son, and another firm, in which
Q they agreed that no contract shall be
I with the McNiehol firm or other firm
" doing work on the city 8 filtration sys.
!. ten! without the written consent OF
both parties.
hsan M of John " Hill ehe en
% neer of the bureau of filtration. and
= also that of his son, Henry w. Hill. who
. was assistant to his father. Chief Hill
= was the highest salaried official in the
=, - city, his compensation being $4,000 q
year.
? Work Comes to a Halt.
o simultaneously with the acceptance
o Of the designations, all work on the
r city's filtration system was ordered
e stopped. The office of Chief Hill wat
IS placed in charge Of Assistant Director
e Of Public Works Hicks and the city 4
IL offices at the filtration plants were put
in charge of detectives, with instruc
tions to permit no one to remove any
records or other documents.
While no official expression could bl
obtained as to the reasons for the res
ignations, it is learned from high au
thority that Mayor Weaver was mo-
y satisfied with affairs connected with tn,
= construction of the filter plants.
The filtration system has cost til,
city about $22,000,000 and it will tax,
Y upwards of $5,OOO.O0O more to com
plete the work. The McNichol firm ha
: had contracts for about three-quarter
of the work.
Machine Is Hit.
Another blow was dealt at the re
publican organization when the stree
N railways committee of councils re
90 ferred back to that body and recon
10 mended passage of the bills repeating
% the ordinance granting to the Philadel
. phia Rapid Transit company franchise
~ for ITO miles Of streets without pay
II II ment to the city. The ordinances grant
h -. ing the franchises were passed owe
~ Movor Waaver3s veto and at his in ati