The San Francisco call., 1908-12-24

eight members of Pittsburg's duai
council will be classified today as
easy to bribe." That leaves SIX IN
the select and common council who. ac-
cording to testimony given In Masis,
trate Brady's court. can't be 'hanuleo
for money. marbles or chalk. Inc l"o
legislative bodies consist of s4 Hehi-
bers.
The opening chapter in Pittspurs
sensational scandal of corruptlon was
read this afternoon, when seven coun-
cilmen and two former bankers, ai.ei
evidence of shocking venality IN tue
city legislature. were held for criminal
court trial in bonds ranging~from @lo'-
600 to 100000 each. The accused al
the men arrested Monday night at the
instance of the Voters league
COSTLY, CHEAP AND EASY
OF the SS councilmen listed as ap-
proachable there are varied sorts ana
conditions Some are high priced,
others medium, others cheap, ana sun
others so easy" as to be called hooo-
lums.'
Robert Wilson, superintendent or the
municipal league of Scranton, VINO
gathered the evidence that resulted IN
the arrests. was the central ngure III
the hearing today and told Iohs
SlOIy lHCTlInlndIlnR Ger tain Va ~--S -
men under arrest
In that part of the testimony which
related to the dealings Of Captain Klein
of the big six in the common councii,
Wilson said the captain was especlaiiy
contemptuous in his opinion Oh the
''hoodlum" members.
why" Wilson declares Klein said,
those fellows are the easiest yet. You
can buy 'em for a suit of clothes They
but
what they are"
PICTURES SHOW CORRUPT DEALS
A fashlight picture of councilman
getting money was in court, put not
placed in evidence, but there were sew
era1 pictures placed in evidence snow
ing the plan of the rooms at the fort
Pitt hotel where the detectives listened
and looked while deals were peins
| made in the next room.
Among the most startling features
brought out at the hearing We're
That SO councilmen are accused of
taking money from the big SIX Tor
passing ordinances.
That there are only six councilmen
in Pittsburg who can not be bought
That T. Hart Given, president of the
Farmers deposit national bank of
Pittsburg, was accused by Councilman
Klein of manipulating some Doodle
money.
BOODLERs AID CONvICT'S WIFE
That William A. Magee, republican
city chairman of Pittsburg and candi-
date for the republican nomination for
mayor, was reported by the gang as
being "all right
That the so called "boodling" gang is
supporting the wife of former Council
man William A. Martin. who is in the
he GA
having been shown that Martin refused
$40 900 to "squeal' on them.
| That on one occasion a bank presi-
dent and cashier left $500 on table
in a room with Councilman Klein,
gauge collector, 1t being understood
that both Klein and the money would
disappear together.
EXAMINER TRACES CASH
Bank Examiner Nesbit testified that
he had examined the German national
bank, completing his work last Sat
urday morning He had found a sus-
picious looking note for $17,500. and
asked Cashier Vilsack about it At
first Vilsack said it was purely
personal matter between his brother
and himself. Finally Vilsack, he said,
admitted the money was used to Sc
cure city deposits and that S17,500 had
been paid to councilman.
Nesbit told a remarkable story re-
lated to him by Vifsack as to the man
ner in which the $17,500 disappeared
from the bank. According to Nesbit,
erlein approached Vilsack ard said the
German national bank would be made
a city depositary If the bank was will
ing to do as other banks had done.
Vflsack conferred with President Ram
say and later went to the reserve
vault and, taking out the money. placed
it on table. At this time Council
man Klein and a companion were in
the bank. Some time later Vilsack
and Ramsay went to the room and the
money was gone.
BANK PRESIDENT CONFEsSEs
| Nesbit said he also talked with Ram
sey. who finally told the same story as
! had Vllsack. On Saturday afternoon he
called a meeting of the directors, at
which he explained the matter, and the
directors immediately requested Ram
sey and Vilsack to resign.
This ended the case Of Vilsack and
Ramsey, and they were held for court
trial under $4,000 bail.
The second case was taken up imme-
diately and named as defendants Coun-
cilmen Brand, Atkinson, Ferguson. Sof-
| fel and Klein. Robert Wilson, a detec-
tive for the Voters league of Pittsburg,
was the first witness called. His testi-
mony was extremely sensational and
implicated many persons in the graft
scandal.
| According to Wilson, former Council
man w. A. Martin, who is now serving
three years in the penitentiary for con-
spiracy in connection with the passage
of railroad ordinance in the council,
will be liberated next April. Klein told
him that Martin would be pardoned and
would leave the penitentiary with a
bank account of $4,000.
That's the kind OF a gang to have