The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-22
Two Bankers and Seven COun
cilmen Arrested.
OTHERS TO FOLLOW.
Voters League Is Responsible
for Shaking Up.
Information Charges Conspiracy
and Corrupt Solicitation.

sensational arrests here last night of
seven councilmen and two bankers on
charges of alleged corruption in con-
Quoting the public affairs of the city,
it is :ntimated today that even more
startling developments will transpire
either today or by early tomorrow
morning
The people are surprised almost be-
yond description at the suddenness of
night and early today there was ap-
parently no sleep for those interested
in the alleged scandal. The nine de-
PENDANTS and their attorneys and
friends held as many conferences for
the purpose of the discussing the mat
ter while the officials of the Voters
league, who worked up the charges,
together with prominent attorneys and
high municipal officials of the city,
also held a meeting at which, it is
said, plans were perfected for the ar
rest of other men alleged to be i'm
plicated in the bribery scandal.
According to the best information
obtainable today it is possible the
municipal scandal of San Francisco
will be insignificant when compared
to the alleged grating here.
Attorney A. Leo We'll, president of
the Voters league stated today:
This is the beginning. The end is
not yet
Following are the men accused:
Councilmen William Brand, John F.
Klein, J. c. Wasson. T. o. Atkinson,
Jacob Soffel, w. H. Melaney and Hugh
Ferguson.
Former President w. w. Ramsey and
former Cashier A. A. Vilsack, of the
German National bank, are also accus-
ed.
information against all the seven
members of council charge them with
conspiracy. corrupt solicitation and
bribery.
An additional information against
nd Iaiy ol,o
them with bribery and corrupt sOlici-
tation.
From Brand, Wasson and Klein bail
in the sum of $4,000 each was de-
manded. The bail of the other Tour
mem bers of the council was fixed at
$4,000 each.
The information against Ramsey
and Eilsack charges them with giving
Klein $17 500 as bribe. Bail de-
manded from each is $4,000.
While all the defendants were taken
by surprise when arrested last even
ing each secured the necessary bail
which in the aggregate amounted
to s17S,OOO.
All the informations were sworn to
by Lensard DeWolf, secretary of the
Voters league. and formerly a political
writer on a local paper
The Man Behind the Gun.
Robert Wilson. superintendent of
the Municipal league of Scranton, Pa,
is described as "the man behind the
of detectives which he brought to this
city from Scranton, gathered the evil
dence against the defendants.
1t is explained that for this reason
the entire matter was investigated
without the least publicity. The Pitts
burg police were not consulted until
yesterday when it was desired to make
the arrests. Then Mayor Guthrie, Di-
rector of Public Safety Lang. Superin-
tendent of Police McQuade and other
city officials met in the public safety
Tr h 4
tectives and members of the Voters
league laid the evidence before them.
Previously some of the best known at
torneys in the city had been consulted
and pronounced the evidence sufficient
to cause the arrests. Immediately
Mayor Guthrie ordered the arrests and
the private detectives accompanied by
city detectives rounded up all the de-
PENDANTS.
Mr.. Wilson says the Voters league is
back of the prosecutions and it is the
intention 10 make Pittsburg IS clean
as Scranton is today In making
Scranton so. Mr.. Wilson sand promi-
nent men committed suicide or were
sent to the penitentiary for long terms.
Concerning the case against Ramsey
and Vilsack of the German National
bank. Attorney Charles A. Fagan, vice
president of the bank. issued the fol- !
lowing statement:
ION last Saturday after making !
banking hours, the attention of the |
board of directors was directed by the |
IdllOnaI DdIk examiner TO lne erect !
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 deposit aries.
Bank Omcers Resigned.
This information came as a great |
surprise to the members of the board |
1t was deemed advisable, however |
pending proper investigation 10 Sc
cure the designations of Mr. Ramsey, |
the president, and Mr.. Vflsack, the |
cashier. they being he officials affect |
el by the charge This was DONE
The seven councilmen, it is formally
alleged. conspired with each other and |
with divers persons unknown to Sc
cure the passage, by corrupt and nm
lawful means and by bribery of the
members of the select and common
councils, of ordinances and resolutions
designating the depositaries of the
nances for freeing bridges between
Pittsburg and Allegheny, recently con-
solidated; an ordinance for additional |
filter beds for the new filtration plant:
Heberton street railway ordinance. a
resolution to pave a portion of Fourth
avenue with wood block, and others |
pending before councils. Ali the
councilmen are candidates for re-eIec-
ton at the next election in February
william Brand is president of the com
mon council; Ferguson, formerly a re-
form councilman; WasSOn. Chairman
of the finance committee; Soffel. |
chairman of public works committee:
and Klein, who is serving ihs first |
term, is well known riverman. |
prosecution are Thomas Patterson, ].
Ross Sterrett, NJ. w. Acheson, jr.. and |
David 7. watson, an attorney of in |
ternational fame. All have signided |