St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-04-15
REVELATIONS BY
AN EX.MAYOR

Hu [h'mhIUl
FIRST YELLED ATTEMPT Al
BRIBERY.
Blunt Offer Of $4,000 for Veto Of
an Ordinance-The Briber's Agile
Retreat-Bold Attempt to Secure
Public Works Contracts Corruptly
"A Real Temptation.
BY AN Ex-MAYOR OF ONE OF THE
LARGEST AMERICAN CITIES
DRIBERS are of two breeds-thost
Id who want you to do something
and those who want you not to dc
something. That is the way l grouped
them when l was mayor. do no,
know how many times was zap.
preached" during my term of Office mol
do l know how many fishing expedi-
tons were sent to find out if I would
b1te. Undoubtedly many attempts were
made to ascertain my views on mat
tiers OF direct interest to those who
would be willing to pay well if only
would look at the matter from their
point of view W.
Several times-more than l like to
recall-indiscreet persons broadly init
mated that there would be something
in it for me" if I would allow this or
that ordinance or measure to "go
through" The first time realized that
l was being offered a bride, although
the offer was yelled by words of ambig-
nous meaning, l almost was frightened.
the man who had it in his mind to
offer me money Or its equivalent for
my signature approving the ordinance
we had under discussion was an in
conspicuous lawyer. l think now he
Was as much frightened as I was, for
before I had recovered my poise he
made clumsy excuse for leaving the
office, and never saw him again.
Perhaps it was the shock of the sur
prise that startled ne. I was not ex-
pecting anything of the kind, and when
he, after exhausting his arguments,
spread out his hands and with smile
which probably he thought was partic-
ularly significant, said: "Of course, we
do not want you to inconvenience your
self, but you may find it worth your
while to take a day off, come out and
look the ground over Anyhow, you
won't lose anything by it," the accent
he placed on the word "lose'' gave me
the key and found myself tongue-tied
for the instant. Then he suddenly left
and the incident was closed.
AS l grew more accustomed to my
work grew hardened to these indirect
tests of my official integrity I at times
felt like kicking the would-be bribers
out of my Office, but my better judg-
ment prevailed. Sometimes l laughed
at them-their scheming was SO trans
parent. It might be asked: why
didn't you expose them?"
There was nothing to expose. Not
one of them made me a direct offer.
could not prove a material fact against
my Of them. l could but testify that
believed they were trying to bride me
weak evidence, which wouldn't stand
n court. I did consult the corporation
counsel and asked his advice, which |
vas, either have the man thrown out
II the Office on general principles or
ell him to get OUT
One day the man came in who had |
he courage to use plain, straight Eng |
ish. He offered to give me $4,000 in |
ash if I would veto a certain ordi-
rance. He looked me straight in the
we and repeated his offer. We were
lone in small room of my Office
Jone but myself heard him when he
made the business proposition.
'pened the door and asked my secre-
airy to step in. When he came I said
o the man: please repeat what you
ave just said to me"
Without the least evidence of embar-
assment he said: II would NOT give
Oh $4,000 for that property-which
) easily worth $4,000, 000-if you sign
hat ordinance, for the ordinance SIM
" destroys it."
you offered me $4,000 if I would
etc the BILL" I answered. Didn't
ou?'
'.Is that the way you look at it," he
aid why, Mr.. Mayor. if l wanted to
fer a bride to kill the ordinance I
'ouldn't offer you paltry $4,000; I'd ;
lake it $4,000. 1t would be worth it, ]
hen he said: Good morning" Ii
After thinking the matter over 1 j
oncluded I had a clear case against +:
i'm, for / could swear he made me the
fer, and when charged with it before {
" secretary he had not denied it. l
,nt Cor the corporation counsel and (
,lated the occurrence to him. i
you might have him indicted by the s
rand jury" was his opinion, "but you I
aven't the corroborative evidence 7
seded to convict him. A man who at {
mpts to bride will commit perjury,
Id he would swear he did not try to t
'ibe you and had no idea of doing it, g
Id there you are.' t
Now, this man who boldly proposed a
at should sell him a veto and the
her man who was afraid to do more d
lu uiNI eudt ne "oulu pay 1ol my
,proving signature were bunglers. r
heir work was too rough. They did t
IT possess the nice touch of the adroit t
ibers. Yet each of them played the t
lf-same game. Each was careful that +
, witness was in hearing. But they v
it me on my, guard and fer some time n
permitted no man to speak to me $
Hess my private secretary was near n
ough to hear what was said. n
One day, however, was approached q
ON an unguarded quarter. A fierce I
between two sets of n,1h1ic n