The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-12-24
SMALL PRICES FOR
COUNCILMEN IN
PITTSBURG
Some Sold Their Votes For Five
Dollar Brides
$4,000 DIVIDED TO SIXTY
Bank Officials Paid $4,000 for Privl-
eye Of Handling Funds Of the
Smoky City

Pittsburg, Dec. 24-Pittsburg was
shaken from end to end yesterday by
thunderbolts of sensational testimony
In connection with the newly dis
closed municipal legislative scandal.
The testimony offered in court
lntimated strongly that over three
score councilmen are easy to reach"
and the reaching" necessltated only
small sums, ranging from 500 to IS,
and out of mass of testimony came
an apparent disclosure that MAORI
ty of the council body had been
reached" In the passage of one or
dinance alone it was testified that
sixty counclmen had divided $4,000
w. w. Ramsey and A. A. Vilsack
former president and cashier of the
German National bank, testified
that they had been approached by
Councilman John Klein, one of the ac-
eused who stated the bank would be
made depostary for the citys
funds IF the German National bank
would do as other banks have done
The witness further declared that
after several conferences, the bankers
placed $l7 1900 on table In room of
the bank, and that Councilman Klein
and a companion entered the room,
and a short time later left the bank.
The bankers then visited the room and
the money was gone.
At the request of the directors, both
of the bank officials resigned last Sat
urday. They were held in bonds of
$4,000 each
The principal witness was Robert
Wilson private detective and super
intendent of the Municipal League Of
Scranton. Pa. who Is employed by the
Voters League Of Pittsburg which
brings the complaint against the nine
defendants.
Mr.. Wilson's testimony was sensa-
tional Aided by an assistant, it was
told that Wilson engaged a room in
local hotel. cut holes in the door and
walls of an adjoining room. Then a
series of meetings were arranged with
counclmen. His assistant. Herbert
Jones. posed as business man desir
ing certain ordinances passed. and dur
ing these conferences with the coun-
cilmen. Wilson and a stenOgrapher
were stationed In the next room max
ing n full record of the transactions
During these conferences Councilman
Klein had a great deal to say regard.
ing how completely councils were con
trolled by the accused men. the detec-
tive said. IL was also testified that
Klein and Brand each accepted $500
from Jones In payment for securing
the passing OF an ordinance
AT a meeting held IN another local
hotel, Klein, It was testified. told VIII.
son how hard 1t was 10 divide money
among the councilmen To illustrate
his remarks. II was testified, Council
man Klein told OF how $4,000 had to
be split between sixty councilmen.
This money was alleged to have been
received in connection with the con
structlon OF filter bends az the new
alteration plants OF Pittsburg.
Councilman Klein Mr.. Wilson testi.
fed. said that the councilmen had dit.
ferent prices Some councilmen. Klein
told him, wanted 500, some 1915,
some %. and some s.. According TO
Councilman Klein. Wilson related. the
81 councilmen were known as hood
lums.' Il was also possible TO secure
some cOuncilmanic votes on some
measures I'm return for q suit OF
clothes or for street car tickets,
With the exception OF Klein and
WATSON. all OF the defendants imme'
dlately renewed their bonds for APP
pcarance for court trial and were re-
leased. In the aggregate the bonds
amounted to SllS,000.