Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-26
Appalling Details of Alleged Vi
Are Most Sensational.
SIX BANKS UNDER INVESTIGATION
Testimony Indicates that They Paid
Large Brides to Aldermen.
ORDER CITY FUNDS WITHDRAWN
in Big Installations Called
Out I'm Order that Alleged
"Givers" May Not Profit
Further.

PITTSBURG, March 25.-Laying bare the
appalling details of Pittsburg's civic un-
Righteousness, ordering indictments against
thirty-one present and past councilmen and
making a demand upon the directors of the
city repositories to investigate the town
boards and ascertain the bribe givcrs in
connection with the ordinance designating
their institutions as city depositoriss formed
the meat of two presentments made by the
grand jury today.
The presentments make a sensational
story of the inside history OF corruption in
the municipal bodies in 1908 and the demand
made on the banks named indicates that
even more sensational developments than
have been exposed are expected Monday
when the bank officials, complying with
the demand Of the grand jury, make their
report in court.
A further result of the proEentments of
the jury was the order of City Comptroller
Morrow late today for the withdrawal of
all city funds from the six banks and the
practical notification of the ordinance
designating them as custodians of city
funds.
There is about $500, 800 in these banks
now and this would be increased many mill
lions during the next week by the taxes
that are being paid. According to the
comptroller the withdrawal of funds will be
gradual however, so that the institutions
may not be embarrassed or any undue
alarm caused depositors. The extract from
the presentment calling on the bank diree-
tors read:
we call upon the directors of the six
banks named as city repositories to in
vestigate who paid for each of the said
banks the bribes herein set forth and re-
port the same to this grand jury not later
than Monday, March 2S, 1870 And we
further demand that said report be in writ
ing and certified to by directors of said
banks individually.
Dep0sitorIen Killed.
I'VE strongly recommend and insist that
the proper officials of the city of Pittsburg
tske immediate legal action to nulllfy the
ordinance making the Farmers Deposit Ma
tional bank the Second National bank of
Pittsbung, the German National bank Of
Allegheney, the Columbia National bank
of Pittsburg and the Worklngman's Savings
and Trust company OF Allegheny as city
repositories, in order that the brlbe gvers
may not benefit by reason Of their wrong
doing and criminal conduct"
The presentments give the full details Of
the plot OF the part of the councilmen to
obtain bribes from the six banks the means
adopted for paying the bribes are related
and the story Of the transfer Of $4,000 by
an unnamed man to former Councilman
Charles Stewart In the Hotel Imperial, New
York City, is told.
1t is related that Max Leslie, former
chairman Of the republican county commit
tee, received S25O0O by arrangement between
E. p. Jennings and F. A. Griffen Of the
Columbia National bank, and that Leslie
gave William Brand. who was then presl-
dent of common council directly or indi-
rectly S17,500 to obtain the city deposits for
the Columbia National bank An unnamed
man is said to be interested and concerned
in the payment of the money by Leslie to
Brand either as Intermediary or principal
Big Transaction Alleged.
1t is declared that Morris Einstein re-
ceived $4,000 from the Workingman's Saw
ings and Trust company to have that bank
named city depository, but the name of
the bank official who paid him the money
is unknown.
1t is further declared in the presentments
that the members Of the grand Jury are of
the opinion that the books of the Working
mans bank has been mutilated, three paees
referring to this deal having been cut from
the ledger Einstein. It is also declared
kept 5000 for his services in ARRANGING
the deal.
Further declarations in the presentment
are that two city clerks were given 81 600
each, and that $1,75O was set apart for news
paper men and that Henry NJ. Bolger. the
saloonkeeper already convicted of bribery
was given $500 for his services In bringing
about the meeting between the officials Of
the German National bank of Pittsburg and
the councilmen.
The public is urged not to pass hasty
Judgment on any officials Of the banks
mentioned and stress is laid on the solvencv
of the institutions.
Leniency for Klein.
It is recited that John f. Klein and
Joseph c. Wasson, by reason Of their con-
fessions and statements making possible
the exposure of the facts, are entitled to
great consideration, and a reduction of
klein's sentence is urged.
1t Is also recommended that no further
indictments be found against Klein or Was
lContinued on Second paReN