The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-03-06
HAVE BRIDGE COM
PANlES FORTSTALLED
PROSECUTOR?

bridge companies fOreStalled the ell
forts of Prosecutor -Wachenhefmer in
investigating the bridge graft, and
destroyed all their records and corre-
spondence' which would incriminate
them il exposed to the grand jury?
That this has been done is the be-
lief of one of the witnessed now sub
grand jury.
The biggest battle that County Pros
ecutor Wachenheimer has had has
been to make the bridge companies
produce their books and records in
court Subpoenas were issued for a
number of bridge oGlcials, ordering
them to produce their books. AS yet
none have complied.
The prosecutor then endeavored to
execute flank movement, and SUBJ
poenaed Waiter Watts, court stem
ographer of Erie county, to appear
| before the Lucas county grand jury
with his record. The Erie county
court ordered the Canton Bridge
Company to produce it's records. The
Canton Bridge Company complied to
the extent of sending up several
months correspondence on bridge mat
| ters. But, it is said there were no
official record or books with the cor
respondence. This correspondence of
the Canton Bridge Company arrived
| in Toledo Thursday morning in pos
session of Watts.
MUST SHOW EXISTENCE.
Before the bridge combine can be
prosecuted in this county it will be
necessary to show the existence and
operation of the pool in this county
within the last three years.
Witnesses are now being examined
to show this point. Subpoenaes were
issued today for County Prosecutor
B. A. Unverferth, of Putnam county,
where indictments were returned
against bridge agents and against
county officials. County Commission
er ]. H. Rover also of Putnam county
will be subpoenaed.
Rover is the county commissioner
| who confessed that he had been ap-
| preached by bridge agent who told
I
him that it was customary to give
the county commissioners a percent
age of the contract price, graded by
the length of their service.
REED ANSWERS QUESTIONS.
John r. Reed the bridge agent of
Canton who refused to answer the
questions put to him in the grand jury
room appeared before the grand jury
this morning
That Reed answered the questions
put to him satisfactorily and without
further trouble from the court was
evidenced by the fact that at the con-
clusion of the morning session he was
excused
Judge Morris, it is believed, has rui-
ed against the bridge agents on their
stand taken before the grand jury.
1t is claimed that some of the wit
nesses in refusing to testify as to the
existence of pool in which they were
not directly interested did so on the
plea of self incrimination. The court,
it is believed, ruled that they did not
need to tell anything that would di-
rectly incriminate themselves, hut they
could not shield others by refusing to
! testify.
DR.. Bunts, the family physician OF
James King, the head of the King
Bridge Company, with headquarters
at Cleveland, was served with a sub
! poena at his residence in Cleveland
! by Deputy Sheriff Hurlbut Wednes-
| day. He arrived here Thursday morn
! ing.
"Mr. King is certainly in no condi-
tion to come before a grand jury"
said Dr. Bunts Thursday morning.
He is an invalid and is suffering
from ailments which would make
such trip as this dangerous"
Does the present investigation of
bridge companies tend to aggravate
his condition." the doctor was asked.
We'll, / cannot say that it does. 1t
would certainly work a hardship upon
him tc bring him here and subject
him to severe examination in the
jury room. do not believe that he
worries any about bridge affairs at
home, however"
! Wednesday Deputy Sheriff Hurlbut
also served Frank Osborne, of the Os-
borre Construction Company. Mr..
Osborne arrived here from his home
in Cleveland Thursday, morning.
w. c. Jacobs, of the Massillon
Bridge Company, was sought at his
residence In Massillon Wednesday,
but he could not be found. The sub
poena for him was left at his resi-
dence.
The examination of John r. Reed
OF the Canton Bridge Company, occu-
pied the entire forenoon in the grand
jury room. Mr.. Reed was a prom
inent witness Wednesday.
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