The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-12-23
Seven Councilrnep and Two
Bankers Unda Arrest
For Corru3 tion.
MORE ssNsATIoN4 DEVELOP.
mENTs ARE PROPOSED FOR TO-
DAv-cApTAlN o. DETECTIVES
RESPONSIVENESS LEAGUE is
BEHIND MOVE AND WILL AID
VIGOROUS PROSECUTION.
~ Associates PRESS.

Pittsburg. Pa, Dec. ~ Following
the sensational arrests here last night
Of seven councilmen and Two bank
ers on charges OF alleged corruption
In conducting the public affairs of this
city, is is intimated today that even
more startling Developments will tran
spire either today or early tomorrow.
In the meantime the people of Pitts
burg are surprised almost beyond de-
Scription at the suddegneSs OF the ar
rest of the nine men, who are well
known.
According to the best Information
obtainable today it is possible the mu-
nicfpal scandal of San Francisco will
alleged grating here.
Following are 1he men accused:
Councilmen WilHara Brand, John F.
Klein, j. c. WATSON. i. O. Atkinson,
Jacob SoffeH. W. Fl, Melaney and
Hugh Ferguson.
Former President w W. Ramsey
and former Cashier A A Vilsack, OF
the German National Bank, are also
accused.
Information against all the seven
members OF the council charge them
with conspiracy, corrupt solicitation
and bribery.
An additional information against
Brand, Wasson and Klein charges
Them with bribery and corrupt solicit
tatior.
From Brand, WATSON and Klein
bail IN the sum OF s3p.0oe each was
rhemantlea = Bail OF 49, soyu- nfa1nteys
of the council WAS 6xed at zsI5,0eB
each
The information against, Ramsey
and yilsack charges them with giving
Klein s17,500 as a bribe. Bail de-
manded from each Is $4,000.
While all of the defendants were
taken by surprise when arrested last
evening, each secured the necessary
bail which in the aggregate amounts
to s1Si.00
Voters League Back of Prosecution.
All the informations were sworn TO
by Lensard de Wolf. secretary of the
Voters League and formerly a politi-
cal writer on q local paper.
Robert Wilson, superintendent OF
the Municipal League. of Scranton,
Pa. is described as the man behind
the gun" Mr.. Wilson, assisted by a
corps of private detectives which he
brought to this city from Scranton;
gathered the evidence against the de-
PENDANTS. 1t is explained that for this
reason the entire matter was investi-
gated without the least publicity. The
Pittsburg police were not consulted
until yesterday when il was desired
to make the arrests.
Mr. Wilson says the Voters League
is back of the prosecutions and it is
the intention to make Pittsburg las
clean as Scranton is today. In max
ing Scranton so, Mr.. Wilson said,
prominent men committed suicide or
were sent to the penitentiary for long
terms
Bank Issues Statement
Concerning the case against Ram
sey and Vilsack of the German Ma
tional Bank. Attorney Charles A. Fa-
gan. vice-president of the bank, is
sued the following statement:
.On last Saturday after banking
hours the attention of the board OF
directors was directed by the national
bank examiners to the fact that a
charge had been made of the improper
use of money TO secure the selection
of the German National Bank as one
of the city depositaries. This infer
nation came as a great surprise to
the members of the board. 1t was
deemed advisable. however. pending
a proper investigation, to secure the
designations of Mr.. Ramsey, the presi-
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