New-York tribune., 1905-01-01
FOLK OF MISSOURI.
S"ccess of His Fight against Bood-
Lers and Bribers.


Tue story of his relentless prosecution OF Missouri
booders and brtbers ''
Mr.. Folk believes there must be two psrties "a
tle crime OF bribery, and before the the brihe
siVer is as guilty as the bribe taker. To make the
punishment OF bribery possible 1t is necessary m
nave one or the parties act an informer Mr.
Folk didn't care which side told its story Of cor
rupton. but he needed evidence to convict and he
let 1t be known that immunity awaited him who
would tell first.
Philip Stock was the Legislative agent" for the
Suburban Railway Company 1t has generally
been accepted that anything in a safe deposit box
was as private as the boxholder might want it 10
De Mr. Folk took three grand turymen and Mr..
STOCKS attorney and to the Lincoln Trust
Company one afternoon and told the president
they had come to look into a box Of which they
held one key. Their request refused; the law
gave no power to open the deposit box OF another
they told.
"A crime has been committed-the crime of
bribery" said Mr.. Folk to the banker In that
box there is important evidence of the crime I'M
less you open the box will consider you an ac-
cessory TO this crime will other Methods
Mr. Folk and his jurymen started for the door
Wen be back in about twenty minutes" he said
10 the trust companys president. "and then I'm
sure the box will be opened"
Give us five minutes TO talk with Judge Lubke,
our attorney" the banker said
Before the five minutes the Folk party was in
slice the safe deposit section with the trust M
pany president his attorney and the superintendent
or the safe deposit department The president un-
locked the box and ii drawn from its COM
partment. 1t contained only a parcel wrapped in
manila paper and held together with rubber band.
When the cover taken of the money came
TO Vlew-s75,0e0, twenty-five one thousand dollar
bills and the rest in five hundred AMI one hundred
dollar bills 1t counted, wrapped in the
manila paper, and, with the rubber band holding
II secure. 1t replaced in the box. The trust
company's officers were ordered to let no one
touch II.
The Circuit Attorney and his Jurors went to the
Mississippi Valley Trust Company next. There
another refusal TO open the box followed again
oy Mr. folks threat and five-mnute conference.
This very large box and when it was taken
out it appeared to be empty. A second look showed
little parcel back in a corner-sixty thousand
dollar bills; $4,000 in good money. Those sixty
bills were not wrapped; only a rubber band held
them together. They were also replaced and Mr..
Folk FASTENED to the court. had the money In both
places impounded and tho trust companies were
commanded TO hold it subject 10 the order Of the
court.
It was easy task for Mr.. Folk and his grand
jury after that.
Mr.. Folks campaign for Governor was con-
strugted lines far broader than mere partisan
ship. The Democratic machine. which had been
triumphant for thirty years. diszed distrusted
Folk, and many of its leaders whom he had Of
Tended by his fearless performance of duty used
every weapon OF treachery against him at the
polls. Mr.. Folk voiced his defiance of the booders
in these words:
Il want every boodler and the friend of every
boodler TO vote against IF l cannot be elected
by the votes OF honest men, I would rather retire
10 private life than hold the great office which
seek"
why. it Will be suicidal for you." said warm
political supporter OF Mr.. Folk day. Ito make
this question too specific
There can be no objection to your argument that
boodling should be suppressed that its voaries
entitled TO no mercy at the hands Of the law and
that you Governor will try to stamp out corrup-
ton in every forrn-but stop there. You making
a mistake in challenging defeat"
Mr.. Folk smiled calmly.
Il will fight 1t out he said doggedly.
Mr.. Folks associates in the conduct of the State
government Will be Republican. and he will also
have to deal with Republican legislature As an
indication of the friendly feeling existing between
Mr.. Folk and the Republicans. it may be cited that
the Governor-elect has received assurances from
many Republican legislators that they will be only
too glad TO help carry, out his reform policies;
Mr.. Folk is married and lives in modest two
story brick house in an unpretentious part Of the
When his war on the 'boodlers' was at its height
party of St Louis business men called at his
worS he had done They had subscribed $500 to
buy him new home.
Il would rather pay rent here he said than
into the finest s nrSss1 ySg ofTd & give dnd
go up that 1 was making my work as prosecutor a
tender. but must decline to consider it." And
when Mr Folk made this statement, he was IN the
financial condition he is to-day-practically poor
man. -
drawing salary OF 5000 a year since November
1900 Under ordinary conditions this income would
NT But Fold did somethng no other candidate for
Governor in the history Of Missouri has done He
spurned the overtures of special interests to sub
scribe TO his campaign fund. A., -. ....,o 90
the State on his speechmaking tour and delivered
total OF 69 & IS snE ydyg M f1H Taneed an a
gregate distance of 5000 miles, that his railroad
f1S b ths 0e fea At sa@ S Of q drain told
Mr.. Folks resources II soon Tpeu WIPE oua ms d Gu
the man who could have named mis- price had he
consented tc stop his fight against the 6oodters s,
pe4so6al %as G9inPgitesSd Pfgiends' 70 seen
the remarkable interest manifested by the farmers
OF the State, who without regaLC 20 p"i'4S0"
"a IN instance of this loyalty shown one day
at Monroe City Mo-. where MT; Folk was scRed, e,
began his address Madison Payne. farmer; eighty
hye years old. drove into town from MS pace
Where red did You come from?', asked the old
ass as Eprightiy as man forty years old
From home, OF course was was. the in,,a5 answer
Wefr ~ eft 6oms S5a yGa at s'sF clock % this his morning said Mr.
Payne and drove straight thf9nsR S ana St ,bat 9
/ aid not own this rig, would have started yes
terqay airo not the assurance of politicians, but the
evidence OF such devotion as that, commented
Mr. Folk, that makes me feel certain am soihs
70 Moberly man who had been arrayed against
MN no 1on know, Mr.. Folk while have read
great deal about y8G have nav e2d {91r P2eaEed
ihe importance of the issue as IL is in Missouri to-
"a .stbe most telling eigument you made was
where YOU demanded that one must not only be
against aqrB3on Rnd an then when you Said
farmer is against weeds and added ne must no. h4
be passvely against weeds. they viii destroy ms
crops: he must go out and dig them up; that