New-York tribune., 1907-09-09
BRIBERS CAUGHT In ACT
THREE HELD ON CHARGE.
attempt Made to Influence Nog's-
trate Corrigan Goes Wrong.

giving Henry s Hama, proDeitioIl oiiiOo1
TO Magistrate Corrigan $40 TO use his powers
of persuasion in getting the magistrate 10 re-
lease Katie Blum from the workhouse, Abraham
Kutner of No 1877 West 102d street, and JACOB
Gold No 321 Second avenue were arrested
last evening by Hand and County Detective
Reardon and were held in the night court IN
So 500 bail each for bribing public official
Later in the evening Morris Klein. who gave
his home as No 325 West 18th street, made
call on Hand at the court. and tried TO get him
- use his good offices with the magistrate IN
eating Mary George. or Black released from the
worlhouse He also was held for attempt at
bribery in the same amount TOT h7
Tuesday.
The attempts to bribe the probation ofncer
were communicated by him at once 10 Magls-
trate Corrigan who informed District Attorney
Jerome The three held q long consultation
yesterday afternoon at Mr.. Jerome's home, IN
Rutgers street. and then Hand and ReaIooH
started for the probation officers home at NO
40 East SOD street. where, by advice OF the
District Attorney and the magistrate, he hao
arranged for an interview with hutner ana
Gold.
Tho F2uDo woman was arrested last Friday
night and sentenced to the workhouse for So
Letting The next day Kutner and Gold' VINO
in some way that the District Attorney Is now
trying to find out learned that Hand might DC
able TO get the woman out on probation com
municated with him and asked him If he could
effect the release of the woman. They told
Hand that the woman was the wife OF Gold.
who gave his occupation auctioneer
Hand pretended TO be inclined TO CONSIDER
their offer. II the man would make II worth MS
while and asked them TO wait till he could see
what he could do about getting the sentence
suspended. He then went to Magistrate Corri-
gan who Immediately became interested ana
laid the whole matter before Mr. Jerome
The appointment with Kutner and Gold was
fixed for o'clock last evening. Reardon ac-
companied the probation officer to his home and
secreted himself in room adjoining the parlor
The door was left open so that he could near
all that passed at the interview.
Kutner. who seems TO have taken the lead In
trying 10 obtain the services Of Hand, intro
duced Gold as the husband Of the woman who
had been sent to the workhouse. The two then
asked Hand If he could not get the worans
sentence suspended Hand rephed that he was
not sure that he could, and said that he would
first like TO know how much he would get out
of il The men said they were willing 10 give
S25 but when Hand declared that he was no
cheap skate and could not think Of the prop
osition at such price they came up to $50 This
offer the probation officer declined. saying that
If the Job was worth anything IT was worth
$40 and after much discussion. Kutner paid
over that
AS soon as the money had changed hands
Reardon popped out from his place ~ conceal
nent and the two brIbers. who saw that they
were up against it, tried to escape TheF put
I'D feht and there was a hand-to-hand
struggle, but the sight OF revolvers IN the hatds
OF the officers Gained them
When the night court opened its session last
night District Attorney Jerome appeared with
stenograpner from his office and had confer
ance with MAGISTRATE Corrgan. after which the
tu-o officials went into the latter's room and
John Connocs. keeper of the Jefferson Market
nr1son was sent for He was closeted for a
long time with the officials. and then Hand
was called in 20 give his testimony
When the cases Of the two men were called
both pleaded not guilty 10 the charge ot orloefy.
but the $40 was marked for identification al
the hearing which set for tomorrow al
:. 80 O'Clock before Magistrate Corrgan In the
West Side court
Meanwhile Klein who IS slight and under
sized was waiting anxiously in Hands room TO
see what could be done about getting the
Caor9e or Black woman out of the workhouse
She was also sentenced last Friday night by
| Magistrate Corrigan 20 forty daEs. When HAND
had finished giving his testimony before DIS
! trtct Attorney Jerome he talked the matter over
| with Klein. The latter wanted 10 know how
much the release OF the woman would cost MN
and seemed a bit perturbed when Hand quoted
s25 as his lowest possible figure Klein pro-
/ tested that he didn't have that much money
with him. but Hand said that would be all
right and that he could have till o'clock 10 get
q hut after a conference with the magistrate
and Mr. Jerome II was thought that there was
enough evidence against Klein TO warrant his
arrest He also pleaded not guilty.
The District Attorney would make no state
rnent about the last night but from the
interest he had taken in the attempts made 10
bribe Hand it is more thar probable that he
will institute an investigation into how far the
practice is in fashion in the courts. Magistrate
Corrigan said after the arraignment of the three
| prisoners last night that though they were the
| first instances at which the offenders had been
caught the game it was not by any means
the first time that offers Of payment for ser
vices in propitiating the magistrates had been
made to court officials.
A point which Of those who knew about
| the would explain last night was how Kut-
| ner. Gold and Klein came to know that Hands
| recommendation might he effectual with the
| magistrate in getting the women released from
| the workhouse. would the DISTRICT Attorney
| say why Prison Keeper Connors had been called
| into consultation.
Kutner, who said he was a hotelkeeper was
| arrested years ago for shooting an in
| spector at the polls, when John McCullaugh
| Superintendent of Elections
DIDN'T OBEY CAPTAINS WARNING.
Captain Toole and Detectives Thellison and Nam
| mack last night raided the Greek restaurant OF
| Peter Psilajon. in Madison street, and locked him