The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-04-30
CHICAGO GRAFT
STRIKES HIGH
Officials in League With Ex-
Convicts in Working Some
Stupendous Steals

Chicago, April 3O.-Bombs exploded
thick and fast today in the big in
vestigation which States Attorney
Wayman is pursuing against city
hall graft. A sensation developed
when 1t became known that the tenn
porary city hall is costing the city in
rental about three times as much as
that for which various business men
and firms say they could have secur-
ed it previously. On top of this
story there came allegations involv-
ing an ex-convict who Stands we'll"
and city detective, both of whom
are declared to have played the role
OF go-betweens in the general game
of graft. Then there were many in
cidental charges as to powerful poll
ticians who were trying to sidetrack
Mr.. Wayman. These efforts only
made the states attorney chuckle
and repeat his warning:
Hands off, gentlemen-at your
peril!"
Owners Said to be Disinterested.
The interests which own the prem
ises now occupied as city hall are
declared to be disinterested parties
so far as the outcome of the inquiry
is concerned and not to be culpable
in any way, but certain contractors,
relatives of city hall officials, have
been mentioned in connection with the
alleged receipt of more than half of
the amount of the rental in so-called
Commissions"
News that the lease of the tenn
porary city hall was being inquired
into created a sensation and was fol-
lowed by the admission of an attache
of Mr.. Wayman's office who tried to
persuade Mr.. Wayman that it is too
late to do anything and that it is
only causing trouble for number
Of big people"
City Pays $4,000 Yearly.
The lease in question is for one
and one-half years with the right to
renew for another year. making it
practically for two and one-half
years. at $4,000 year. One of the
business men from out of the city
who visited Mr.. Wayman asserted
that he was offered an opportunity
to lease the building for a little more
than $4,000, while others say they
could have secured it for other
amounts. none of which range higher
than $4,000 per annum. One Mill
waukee firm, it is reported, has in
formed MIR. Wayman that it could
have obtained the lease for $4,000.
Source of the Information.
"The information upon which we
are working was furnished by Mil
waukee man and by some Chicago
men," said an assistant states at
torney who has special charge of in
vestigating the complaint concerning
the lease. Some Chicago men say
they were offered the opportunity to
lease the building for amounts be-
low $4,000. OF course. this was in
dealing with the interests control
ling the property and not through
the intermediary men who now have
the city contracts and who are ac-
tive in politics in various ways.
"Our information is that certain
men acted as Intermediates in the
transaction which resulted in the
payment of $4,000 year by the
city for the rental. The question is.
who got the difference in the rental
quoted to the business men and the
rental paid by the city?
Efforts Made to Suppress 1t.
1T is surprise to me that SD
many influential city hall officials
and other officials holding county
positions SHOULD interest themselves
today IN an effort to prevent 4 thor
ough inGuiry iG:o this transaction
ami to check public airing of the
facts. Whether the transaction in
wolves merely legitimate commits
sion Of more than fifty per cent of
the rental or whether 1t involves
graft and corruption will probably be
determined when we get to the bot