Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-26
SOME BOUGHT ON
STREET CAR TICKETS
RoopLERs WERE DIVIDED INTO
-FOUR GLASSES. ACCORDING TO
THE EASE WITH WHICH THEY
COULD BE BOUGHT.

Pittsburg Pa. Dec. Eighty.
eight members OF Pittsburg dual coun-
Gil have been classified as easy 10
bribe. That leaves six in the select
and common council who, according
to testimony given in Magistrate
Brady:s court. can't he handled for
money. marbles or chalk. The Two
legislative bodies consist OF ninety-foGr
members.
The opening chapter in Pittsburg's
sensational scandal of corruption was
read yesterday afternoon when seven
councilmen and two former bankers,
after evidence of shocking venality IN
the city legislature, were held for
criminal court trial in bonds ranging
! from $4,000 to 100000 each. The
accused are the men arrested Monday
night at the instance of the Voters
league.
| Street Car Tickets Bought Some.
| OF the Lightweight councilmen listed
as approacbable, there are varied sorts
and conditions. Some are high priced
others medium, Others cheap and still
others sos"easya as to be cshiledsshood-
! lums-''
! For instance, voters, it is alleged
4
4 500. Glass B commanded from S. to
! $40 Or $50 Glass G ''came across for
S5 or a $40 suit of clothes, while class
y was dismissed with word OF praiss
and book of street car tickets in eX-
change for its good work in school
Ultra sensational evidence was pro-
duced, involving secret meetings in
hotels where detectives. listening
| through holes bored in doors, heard
the recital Of deals for legislative cor
ruption.
Eat Asparagus, but Don't Know 1t.
Robert Wilson, superintendent of the
Municipal league of Scranton, who
gathered the evidence that resulted
in the arrests, was the central figure in
the hearing yesterday and told long
story discriminating certain of the al-
dermen under arrest. His recital,
while showing that large amounts OF
money had been passed in bribery, also
brought out the cheapness of some OF
the transactions and the contempt in
which some OF the city fathers We're
held bv the leaders in the grating
operations.
/ Wilson, in that part of his testimony
which related to the dealings of Capt
Klein Of the "big six in the common
council. said the captain was especial
ly contemptuous in his opinion Of the
'thoodlum'' members.
t'Why." Wilson declares Klein said
*.those fellows are the easiest yet. You
can buy EN- for suit Of clothes. They
eat asparagus tips, but they DOM
. know what they are
) A fashlight picture of councilman
getting money was in court, but not
placed in evidence. but there were sew
: eral pictures placed In evidence show
, ing the plan of the rooms at the Fort
Pitt hotel where the detectives listen
ed and looked while deals were being
made in the next room.
Some Startling Features Shown.
) Among the more startling features
: brought out at the hearing were:
| That eghty-eight councilnen are ac
{ cused Of taking money from the "be
six" for passing ordinances.
: That there are only six councIlrer
: in Pittsburg who can't be bought.
That r. Hart Given, president Of ths
5 Farmers Deposit National bank o
: Pittsburg, wac accused by Council
: man Klein Of manipulating some
, "boode" money.
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 "alI right
That the so-caIied "bcodling" eani
10 supporting the wife Of former coun
Gilman William A. Martin, who is Il
;. the penitentiary for "boodIing," tn
e gang having been shown that Marti'
t refused $4,000 to "squeaI" on them.
2 That on one occasion a bank pres
4 dent and cashier left $17,5Oo on tabl
e In room with Councilman Klein
Y gauge collector, il being understood
! that both Klein and the money woui
Q disappear together.