The diamond drill., 1910-06-11
~~-
MANY LEGISLATORS
HIT BY CONFESSIONS
Representative BeCkemGyGT Be-
ore Grand Jury.

workings Of the Legislative corruption
Jackpot" placed az S5o0.00o. was
made before the sangamon county. IL
linols. grand jury at Springfield by
Representative H.. G. Beckemeyer.
and at the conclusion of his testimony
States Attorney Edmund Burke de-
clared that new legislators had been
involved as the actual receivers OF
bribes.
The hard-headed. hard.handed farm
er grand jury sat dumb with amaze
ment and wrath while Beckemeyer,
who was the second to confess TO
bribery in the Lorimer election. told
his story. lie revealed the inside
story OF the whole system of legisla-
tive corruption, named many bills
which he said were passed through
rank bribery. and opened up sys.
tematic graft that extends through the
whole legislature and which II Is be-
lieved will involve three-fourths OF the
members-more than ib0 men.
II was by far the most extensive
and searching revelation OF the rotten
mass OF bribery and corruption in the
Forty-Sixth General Assembly that has
as yet been made. And at its close
came a dramatic scene, when Becke
meyer. after leaving the grand Jury
room. said he was going to resign. ad-
mitted that he was down and out"
and was going back TO the farm Of
Carlyle for good and all.
Beckemeyer was examined chiefly
on the fish bill scandal He gave the
grand Jury the name OF the man who
is alleged 20 have collected the mon.
ey from the fish interests that is said
to have been used in killing the bill.
A sensational statement issued from
the office OF Governor Deneen, follow.
ing conference with States Attorney
Burke. adds 10 the acuteness or the
situation. The state executive used
strong language In declaring that the
'taint OF guilt should be traced from
the members who received the bribes
TO the persons or corporations who
gave them"
The governor declared "the whole
nefarious plot should be exposed and
all connected with II prosecuted"
States Attorney Burke Is understood
TO have information to the effect that
number OF commercial fishermen
paid $500 each into ''jack-pot" TO de.
feat the fish measure
When the money was collected II
was given 10 one OF the members OF
the legislature who refused 10 divide
with the others who were to be de.
clnred IN on the deal It Is asserted.
Frank S. Traut Of Beardstown. Ill.
was summoned 20 Springfield
Traut IS the man 20 whom States At.
torney Burke traced the Jackpot"
contributed by the ilsh men OF the
state for the alleged purpose Of killing
a bill inimical TO their interests lie
admitted receiving $4,000 from John
Dixon of Peoria. but denied emphat.
ically that a dollar of the money was
used for questionable purposes.
Traut also denied that he is con
nected in any way with the Federal
Construction company, in which sena
tor Lorimer IS interested.
There Is nothing wrong about the
transaction TIE morey collected was
used for legitimate expenses. We were
here for months lighting the bill and
anyone who knows the way things are
done in the legislature knows that II
Is expensive business loafing around
Springfield lobbying for or against a
/ bill"
Representative a. NJ. Foster OF Rush
! Vile. who was chairman OF the house
committee on fish and game to which
| the FISH measure was referred, insists
he knows Of nothing corrupt in con
nectlon with the killing Of the bill.
At Chicago Judge Scanlan decided
Lee O'Neil Browne. Democratic mi
nority leader in the Illinois legislature
must stand trial in the criminal cour
on the charge OF having paid brib'
OF 81 900 to Charles A. White. STATE
representative. TO vote for william Lor
liner for United States senator.
Judge Scanlan denied a writ OF ha
beas corpus prayed for by counsel 70
Browne. The effect was 20 turn th'
legislator over TO the criminal court
N The decision was accepted by State
Attorney Wayman as a complete vic
ltory for the prosecution. The prose
cutor predicted that nothing could nov
prevent Browne from being placed Of
litrlal In the criminal court
/ After Judrc Mcsurel, heard the dc
cision Of Judre scanlan he ordered tn
immediate arrest n Browne and tn
forfeiture 81 his si5 Oc0 / ond signed b
Aldermen Powers end Alderman Joh
lRrennau 3ra y. .owno was brought b'
fore ttc iudfe ty doruty sheriffs.
The sele, ilcn Of fury 10 try lie
l'O'Neil Browne On the charges Of br
bery Ii paving Reprcientative Whit
81 900 20 vote for Lorimer for senate
was then tcfun