The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-24

WAAAAh6 hO ub ao thC ONHET UdAlkS HAe done. Vilsack conferred with Presi dent Ramsey. of the bank and latei went to one of the rooms of the insti ton. At this time Councilman Klein anC l companion were in the bank. Som, time later Vilsack and Ramsey went tt | the room and the money was gone | Klein and his companions had also lef ! the bank. Examiner Nesbitt said he also talked | with President Ramsey concerning tho transaction and that Ramsey had al first denied 1t was banking business but later told tine same story as had Vilsack.
 Saturday afternoon Mir Nesbitt call. ed meeting of the directors. at which he explained the matter. The directors immediately requested both the presi. dent and the cashier to resign and fill ed their positions.
 Monday evening they were arrested along with Klein and six other Council men. This ended the case of vilsack and Ramsey. and they were held for court trial under s14.0Oo bail.
 COunclImen on Trial.
 The seven Counciimen, President Brand and members Klein. soffel, Was son. Melaney and Ferguson. of Com mon Council. and Atkinson. of Select Council. were then called for trial.
 The principal witness was Albert Wilson, a. private detective and super intendent of the Municipal League of Scranton. Pa, who fs employed by the Voters League of Pittsburg, which brings the prosecution against the nine defendants. Mir. Wilson's testimony was sensational.
 Aided by an assistant. Wilson en- gagged a room in local hotel, and, he testified. cut holes In the door and SA series of meetings were arranged with Councilmen. His assistant, Herbert Jones. posed as a business man desir- ing certain ordinances passed, and dur ing his conferences with the Council men, Wilson and a stenoErapher were stationed in the next room making a full record of the transactions.
 During these conferences Council. man Klein had a great deal to say re- garding how complete councils were controlled by the accused men, the de- tectlve said. It was also testified that Klein and Brand each accepted $500 from Jones in payment for securing the passage of an ordinance
 At a meeting held in another local hotel. Klein, it was testiffed. told Will son how hard 1t was to divide money among the Councilmen. Councilman Klein told of how s45,O00 had to be split between sixty Councilmen. This money was received in connection with the construction of filter beds at the new filtration plant of Pittsburg.
 Councilman Klein, Mfr. Wilson testl- fled, said that the councilmen had dif- ferent prices. Some Councilmen, Klein told hiIn, wantede 8l0a. some e75. some $z5 and some @o. According ro Coun' cilman Klein, witness related the sev- en men were known as ''hoodlums. :"
 According to Mr. Wilson. former Councilman w. A. Martin. who Is now serving three years fin the pent- tentiary for conspiracy in connection with the passage of railroad ordi- nance in Council, will be liberated next April.
 Wilson said that at a meeting in hotel at which Councilmen Brand Klein. Watson, Atchison and Soffels att tended, Klein told him that Martin would be pardoned and would leave the penitentiary with bank account of s3O,O00.
 "we can Get the stuR."
 That's the kind of gang to have behind yod," Klein Is said to have told Wilson. We can get the stuff. A re- former went to the penitentiary and offered Martin Sl0,000 to tell what he knows about the railroad or ordinances, and Martin refused to talk. We took care of Martin. and we will have him out of the penitentiary next April.
 According to Mr. Wilson's testimony, there are six honest Counctlmen in Pittsburg. On Nov. Is. 1t is said. Councilman Klein submitted to Wilson a Councilmen's guide. which contains the names of all the Councilmen.
 Wilson Is then said to have asked Fallon to designate the Councilmen who would take money and after marking the names of Councilmen Moran. Hirsch. Wallace, Deibeck, Me Morris and Riley, Klein Is said to have money. All the other members of the Council can be reached. They. will all take money but those six. They are - fools.
 It was while carrying on the nego- tlations for the passage of a street paving ordinance said Wilson, that Klein was so free in telling him 
 Mir. Wilson said:
 T secured two rooms at the Du Quesne Hotel. They were connecting rooms and through the door and walls had bored number of holes so could hear and see what was going on. My assistant, Herbert Jones, sent for Councilman Klein and said he repre- scented a Western lumber company. For an experiment. Mir. Jones said he want
 
 'T have been informed" said Mir. Jones to Klein. that you are the right man to see. We want you to assist us in getting the ordinance through Coun- els. I admire the way you put through the German National Bank deal"
 All the time Detective Wilson was in the adjoining room with a steno- grapher. taking down the converse tion."
 Read- to aCSI, Nelona"
 "Yes. I am always ready for a melon cutting" Klein is reported to have re- piled to Detective Jones. You know Councilman Brand is a big man in councils, and if he Is willing we will take the matter up"
 Klein added. You know some of the Councllmen want Sl00 to vote for your ordinance. Some will want S75. some t25 and some g.. The S5 Councilmen we call the easy marks -
 Wilson testified that on November 16 Councilman Klein by agreement, met MT Jones in the Du Quesne Ho- tel. Klein told Jones that the ordi- nance was in good shape for pass age.
 q have something for you. Mir. Klein said Jones.
 ."Jones." said wilson, then counted out five 81QO bills and gave them to Klein. On the same day Councilman William Bond called to see Mir. Jones and received $500"
 It was at the Fort Pitt Hotel, how ever. where Councilman Klein told Wilson of the strong combination that controlled the Councils. According to the testimony of Wilson Klein said
 You know l get the buildings and melons and get them ready for the cutting. You know Wasson looks like