The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-09
JvllvS LE-caANN. ST,l. ~ -psrsTzec,AEeri

fn1mrns from nnnzuemsns esosuss -
the statue ef nm3taetonA ia was IN
riicatsd n the Suburban bribery - ehs
man who held the kay Co tina pAfs IA
postt vault OF the LAnee1n Trust Com
pany, which contained che t7kooe That
had bean put up to oribe the bill
through the House OF Delegates. EDS
wife sued him for divorce alleging
that the notoriety resulting from his
exposure made her life uneeerah1s.
She rot the decree.
Just one member of the ola House,
combine fought successfully the bribery
and perjury indictments against him.
That was T. Edward Albright, twice
tried and twice acquitted. Albright.
was indicted for bribery and perjury
in connection with the city lighting
bill He beat both cases, but II cost
and left him heavily in debt. with the
printing business he had established
practically destroyed
One other man who was involved IN
the bribery charges is dead-JOhn A.
Sheridan, a typical st. Louis Indian
politician. Sheridan was really never
elected TO the House of Delegates. He
came from the Fourth Ward. which had
long been controlled by the element
tive body. He was needed as a mem
Der of the combine, and the candidats
who on the face of the returns was
elected was unseated to make room
for Sheridan. lie was building his de-
Tense on the theory that. not being
legally elected to the House, he was
not an ofice-holder and therefore could
not be bribed. He died before his case
was reached on the docket. and this
unique point OF law was not decided,
All OF these mfsfortunes, accidents
and tragedies might not be considered
strange but for the fact that the six
members of the corrupt combine who
turned States evidence at the begin
ming OF the prosecutions have not met
with any sorrows or reverses OF any
kind. 1t was necessary for the State
to procure evidence to convict ths
bride takers and givers from men who
actually participated IN these crimes
Following the wholesale Indictment oc/
the recreant city lawmakers In the fall
OF 1902. Folk permitted John Helms.
Otto Schumacher, George Robinson.
William NJ. Tamblyn ana Edward 81
and John K Murrell, brothers. TO turn
States evidence. During all the iong/
series OF trials that followed these siE
men rendered the State all the assist
ance within their power by testifyfnB .
against their fellow members. II was
not very creditable thing to do. nor
a pleasant one but IL was fndnaesly/
better than going to the penitentfary.
During the four years that have/
elapsed since these meP hrst expresssd/
a desire TO assist the State IN the
prosecutions and thereby atone f5r/
their own crimes there has not heen al
single misfortune in any OF their fam
lilies Charles III. Turner. the MIL
lionaire bride giver. was the oulyX
rfe II mf~fu 49,
fate dealt unkindly.
Just one man-John Schnettler-who/
elected to stand trial on the Charged
preferred against him. has escaped
without some misfortune other than/
the penitentiary sentence imposed upon/
him. He has served out his sentence
One man who was indicted-Adolph/
Madera-has never been heard from
He was living in Colorado at the tins
OF the exposure and eXtradition papers
were issued for him. He ran away
from Denver. and TO this day the ON
GERS of the law have not been able
to find him. 1t has been reported tc
St Louis that he escaped to a lonely
ranch in the Western States, where ne
died several years ago.
These are what may he called the/
tragedies Of the St Louis Doodle
crusade. The facts are =trange-al-
most startling. The boodlers' punish
ment in the penitentiary was the least
Of their suffering They saw their
children scorned by other children If
the schools and on the streets. Tier
saw their faithful wives. heartbroken
fall at the feet of the law their hus-
bands had outraged and plead forX
mercy that could not be given. These
men were naughty. brazen: when n
the zenith OF their power as corrun-
tionists they sacrificed every interest,"
Of the people for the money OF tran
chise grabbers. But they have ~
their punishment. The man vho 4,
about to sell his vote for money runx
determine for himself whsthsr fafs
Joined hands with Law 20 soourx> ~.
recreant public servants IN 81 Lout.