The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-12-24
Seven C0uncllmen and Two
Bankers Arralgned
BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE
Men First Heard Held for Trial in si4,-
ooo--onIy One Witness Examined
and He the National Bank
Examiner.

Pittsburg, Dec. 24.--When the sever
councilmen and two former bankers, ar
rested Monday night, charged with cor
Eruption, were brought yesterday bcfor'
police Magistrate Brady for preliminary
hearing, great crowd of politicians
were gathered in the vicinity Of the
central police station. Owing to the siz'
of the court room, however, but few
were able to enter. From all apparent
indications IL was the intention Of the
authorities TO probe deep into alleged
Irregularities for the purpose Of getting
sufficient evidence warranting the arrest
Of other persons. The strongest feature
Of the evidence presented when seven
members OF councils and two former
bank officials were given preliminary
hearing on charges Of bribery, corrupt 50.
lieitstion and other illegal acts, brought
BY the Voters Lesgus, is picture which
IL is said was taken in A private room
in a downtown hotel Monday night i'm.
mediately before the couneilmen were
arrested
Besides the couneilmen, the hashlieht
photograph is said to show an agent
on the Huhing detective agency Of Scran-
ton, Pa, which worked up the. case. This
man is reported to have posed as a
member of firm anxious TO sell wooden
paving blocks to the city and 70 have
become very intimate with the council
men.
With other detectives concealed within
hearing. distance the councilman is al.
legged TO have been induced TO tell or
the negotiations to secure the passage
Of the legislation, to name the other
members who were to share in the bride
and TO say that the members were tired
Of promises and wanted to see some real
money. The detective peeled off 500
and $500 bills from large roll, and
just as the councilman reached for his
allotment the fash was ignited. The
councilman, il is said, broke down and
vept and when he accused his companion
of trapping him there was no denial.
Then the officer appeared and made the
arrest
Bank Examiner Harrison Nesbit was
expected to testify to finding suspi.
cious entry in the books Of the German
National bank accounting for sl1 500 and
that President W. " Ramsey and
Cashier A. A. Vilssck Of the bank, upon
being summoned before the directors,
that that sum had been ex-
IL 4f.n IT IL
bank as city depository. The directors
repudisted the action of the o2ccrs and
immediately asked and received their
II is reported that some
Of the bribc money was paid in checks
and that the checks and stubs will be
used in evidence. II is practically adj
mitted that number OF deeoy contrac
tors and promoters were introduced to
trap councilmen and that many tempta
lions have been offered members during !
ne past six months.
In some quarters IL is believed that |
Mayor Guthrie was back Of the probe, he |
having been an attorney for the Voters
League some years ago.
The Voters League, whose secretary,
De Wolf, brought informations against |
line defendants, have in their possession /
rwelve subpoenas signed by Magistrate
Brady These will bring forth the per-
IONS who are expected TO establish a
,rima facie case against the councilmen
md bankers. Following are the accused
men:
Councilmen Brand, WATSON, Klein. /
Ferguson. Atkinson, soffell and Melaney.
,ankers w. w. Ramsey and A. A. VII
iack
The first case taken up was that OF
Ramsey and Vilsack But one witness,
National Bank Examiner Nesbit. was
allied, and by his testimony IL was
hown that Captain John Klein, council
nan, had approached the bankers about
making the bank city depository and
hat sl7,50o had later disappeared from
he hank. Both defendants were held
or trial on charges of conspiracy and
'ribery. Their bond Of $4,000 each was
enewed.