Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-04-01
INCIDENTS IN HISTORY OF THIS
KIND OF THIEvING.
ADDITION, DIVISION, SILENCE
They Come Westward, Until Oregon
and California Were Finally
Reached.

| ne latest extensive graTt cases
which have attracted the attention OF
the country at large are those con.
nected with the city government OF
Pittsburg, Pa. The Associated Press
reports that twenty of the present
members of the councils are under
indictment in connection with the
graft cases. 1t is expected that some
will protest their innocence, but the
majority are expected to hand in
designations quite as meekly as they
confessed last week"
1t has been ascertained that AT
least $102,500 was used In influenc-
ing legislation, the source of the
money and the dispensers OF It are
to be the focus of the grand jury's
attention. Much Of this bribe fund
was paid to get through the council
an ordinance known as the bank de-
posits ordinance. Six of the banks
OF the city are involved. The city
OF Pittsburg has been thoroughly
stirred up by these graft scandals
and the churches on Easter morning
devoted no little attention to the SUBJ
ject. In the sermons delivered in
over a hundred churches the idea
seemed to be that public condemna-
ton OF graft was the duty OF every
good citizen. It would seem that
graft Is the one great source from
which we may expect the disruption
OF our government Nearly 40 years
ago grating on a large scale In the
city Of New York was undertaken
by the Tweed gang. The New York
Times electrified that city one morn
ing by the publication OF large
number OF accounts taken from the
books Of the city auditor which show
ed tnat Bill Tweed, a political boss,
had manipulated accounts so that
the taxpayers had been robbed to
the extent Of millions. A man by
the name OF O'Brien, a clerk In the
auditors office had been induced to
furnish the story for publication, ac-
companied by facts and figures
which could not be disputed. This
clerk. knowing what was going on.
had kept himself posted and at the
proper time told the story in his
own language. This thrilling an
nonncement was made in the morn
ing and the afternoon papers took II
up and the following day the other
morning papers got into the game,
but the Times had prepared Itself
with new matter, containing addi-
tional facts, exposing the now terri
fled gang who had robbed the city.
Big Bill Tweed, the leader brazened
II out for some days, and in an In
tervlew with half dozen reporters
at one time fairly admitted his guilt
by asking, What are you going to
do about IT." There was no law at
that time to send these fellows to
the penltentlary. Tweed was fin
ally sentenced TO Ludlow Street fail
for term OF twelve years, but did
not live out his sentence. other
members Of the gang fled to foreign
countries but finally returned, after
compromise had been effected with
the public prosecutor by friends.
A few years later Harrisburg Pa.
had a big scandal over the construc-
tlon of the state capitol Public In
vesilgatlon showed that millions had
been divided among the thieves
The newspapers, as usual. made the
discovery and brought home their
charges 10 The individuals who had
committed tha robbarr Tha affair."
''hofha THaai an1al attracted OFF,
laH'o1 over tHa m..ra rn.n1 aafoa
7ha Nw Fo. SIM n' or. nj H
wm t0 ''WT'aha.r vho. jv aomo
mawa ao' haH OF Iia nonoanond-
o0ra nf ONO OF tho ladHg raftcrs.
who bed received % lotlor from one
Of hls associates containing this
torso sentence: Addition, division
and silence" This was the slogan of
the gang used among themselves.