The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-24
Prices on Pittsburg Councilmen
Range From So to 500.
Testimony Shows That All of
Them We're For Sale.
MANY OF THEM FLED.
Those Caught Are Held Under
Bond for Trial.
A Trap Was Set by Municipal
Voters League.

Pittsburg, Pa, Dec. 24.-The mu-
nicipal corruption of Pittsburg has
developed into one OF the most gigantic
and sensational scandals in the his
tory of city governments in America
The seven councilmen and two bank
ers arrested here Monday night for
conspiracy and bribery were given
hearing before a police magistrate.
Following the introductions of start
ling testimony, which implicated
many councilmen at present unknown.
all the defendants were held for court
trials.
According to the testimony, it was
an easy thing to bride a majority of
the council body of Pittsburg by the
payment of sums ranging from 500 to
$5
Charges were made that William
Brand and John Klein. councilmen,
had each accepted $500 for the pas
sage of an ordinance.
1t was also testified that sixty
councilmen had divided $4,000 graft
money recently in connection with
the filtration plant.
With the exception of Councilmen
Klein and WATSON. all the defendants
have been released on bail, amount
ing in each case from $4,000 to-
100000.
Bank Examiner Nesbit said that he
had examined the German National
bank, completing his work last Satur-
day morning. He found a suspicious
looking note for $17,500, and asked
Cashier Vilsack about it. At first Viii
sack said it was purely a personal mat
ter between his brother and himself.
Finally Vilsack. he said. admitted
the money was used to secure city de-
posts and that ST, 500 had been paid
to councilman.
Examiner Nesbit told a remarkable
story related to him by Vilsack as to
the manner in which the $17,50O dis
appeared from the bank. According
to Nesbit Klein approached Vilsack
and said the German National bank
would be made city depository if the
bank was willing to do as other banks
had done.
Vilsack co-operated with President
Ramsey and later went to the reserve
vault and taking out the money
placed it on a table. AT this time
Councilman Klein and a companion
We're in the bank. Some time later
Vilsack and Ramsey went to the room
and the money was gone.
Examiner Nesbit said he also talked
with President Ramsey, who finally
told the same story as had Vilsack,
On Saturday afternoon he. called a |
of the directors at which he
explained the matter and the directors
requested both president |
and cashier to resign. This ended the |
case of ViIsack and Ramsey and they |
were held for court trial under $14, 900
bail.
The second case was taken I'D i'm
mediately and named as defendants |
son. Soffel and Klein. Robert Wilson, |
a detective for the Voters League of |
Pittsburg, was the first witness called. |
His testim ony was extremely SenSa-
tional and implicated many persons in |
the graft scandal. According to Will
son, former Councilman w. A. Mar |
tin, who rs now serving three years in |
the penitentiary for conspiracy in con-
nection with the passage of a railroad /
ordinance in councils, will be liberated |
next April Martin, he said, would be |
given a pardon Wilson said that at |
a meeting in a local hotel, which |
Brand. Klein. WATSON, |
Atkinson and Soffel attended, Klein |
told him that Martin would be par |
doned and would leave the peniten- |
tiary with a bank account of 100000. |
That's the kind of a. gang to have
behind you" Klein is said to have told
Wilson. I'VE can get the stuff re
former went to the penitentiary and
offered Martin $4,000 to tell all he
knows about the railroad ordinances
and Martin refused to talk. We took |
care of Martin and we will have him |
put of the penitentiary next April" Ac- |
to Wilson's testimony. there are
six honest councilmen in Pittsburg. On
November 16. Councilman Klein sub |
mitted to Wilson a councilmanic guide
which contains the names of all the |
Wilson then asked Klein |
to designate the councilman who would |
take money and after marking off the |
names of Councilmen Moran, Hirsch, |
Wallace, Deitrick, McMorris and Riley, |
Klein said:
Now, those won't take money |
All the other members of council can
be reached They will all take money, |
put those six. They are - FOOLS
Mr. Wilson explained that ordin- |
ance for paving Fourth avenue with i
wood blocks was a trap set for the
by the members of the |
Voters League 1t was while carrying