The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-26
Illinois Legislative Acts Are
To Be Investigated by
the Grand Jury
LIQUOR LEGISLATION IS
ALSO DUE FOR PROBING
By Representatives of Prohibition
| and Anti-Prohibition Ele-
ments In the state

Springfield, H., May 25.-That at least
three persons will be indicted as re-
suit of evidence given before the Sanga-
mon county grand jury in the investiga-
ton of legislation for new desks in the
house and senate is officially prophecy I'd
tonight. NJ
| Developments of an important nature
are expected tomorrow when Senator D.
w Holtzclaw OF Iuka, Marin county, and
Otto Freir, testified. The latter was agent
for the Ford & Johnson company at the
time this company got the contracts
| The appearance before the grand jury
| this afternoon of a mysterious witness
was followed by the issuance of sub
poenas for the appearance of Senator
HoItzclaw, member of the COMMITTEES
which had charge of negotiations for fur
niture
A subpoena has been out for Freir for
some time, but he was not found until
today.
Inquiry into alleged corruption in con-
nection with liquor legislation was begun
| today with the appearance before the
grand jury of Nathan A. Cole of Peoria.
director of publicity and organization for
the United Manufacturers and Mer-
| chants association, an organization
| formed of the liquor interests; Charles
Richter of Chicago, treasurer of the
United Societies, another liquor organiza-
ton; Ernest A. Scroggins of Springfield.
legislative superintendent of the AntiSa-
loon leage of Illinois, and the Rev. James
x Shields of Chicago. president of the
| Anti-Saloon league.
Cole vehemently denied that his Or
\ ganization has used any money to infu-
/ ence legislation or that lobby had been
maintained. He said its work was purely
educational. He said:
/ Talk that the Anti-Saloon league and
the prohbitonists are at outs is the rank}
est kind of nonsense. The anti-saloon
people and the prohibtionsts made the
fight together whenever there was a
chance of distribution of the spoils. In
Chicago the prohbitionists sent a man
into my office in an attempt to steal MY
| papers I'm an effort to make an exposure
of the organization of which l am an Of
| icer They even forged my signature.
| The United Manufacturers and Mer-
| chants association has never used any
money In furtheranee of it's objects ex-
| cept to conduct a campaign of education.
| The prohibitionists are not fair fighters
| They have never been In a campaign yet
| but what they yelled corruption about
| we do not know. We do nor charge cor
| ruption ourselves unless we know 1t to
| be a fact. | am willing to bring all the
documents belonging to my association
| before the grand jury.
| I'VE have nothing to conceal
| Scroggins stated he knew nothing posi-
| tive about bribery.
| Il have heard rumors. of course said
| he, but know nothing definite. We heard
| II %
| secure the passage of house bill No $50 at
| the last session, but It was only rumor.
| This was the Dill which provided that
| cities and Incorporated towns and VIII
lagos might vote themselves wet wicnour
| the township voting"
1.-The statement that the Anti-Saloop
league used money" said Mr.. Scroggin.
| ito influence legislation an outrageous
lie. Not a cent was spent to Influence
| the vote of a legislator The statement
| that the league spent $4,000 in securing
| or defeating legislation is ridiculous. In
| the 12 years of its existence the league
has never had s5o0,o0o at its command all
| told
The Rev. DR.. Shields said he had no
positive evidence of graft
| Sensational Turn in Case
| Chicago. May 25--A sensational turn
| was given the Lee O'Neill-Brown alleged
bribery trial here late today when 1t be-
| came known that an attempt was made
| during the noon recess TO burglarize
| Judge McSureley's courtroom in the GRIM
| inal court building. A lock on the main
| door had been jammed so badly that II
WAS necessary to remove II before the
| door could be opened. Whoever attempt
| ed to secure access to important papers
| by breaking into the~room, 1t is stated,
had apparently been frightened away by
| attaches of the building.
| All the officers of the court were at
| lunch when the attempt was made. When
| he was informed of the matter States
Attorney Wyman said he did not take the
| alleged confessions made by Representa-
| tives r. j. c. Beckmeyer and Michael s.
| Link the contents of which have been
| kept close secret to court with him.
| Against the objection of Mr.. Wyman.
| Attorney Forest, for the defense. this
afternoon secured a continuance of the
bearing until . O'Clock tomorrow after
| noon Attorney Forest said he desired
| to time himself in looking up the election
of United States senators and congress-
| men.
| Attorney Forest spent the entire day II
presenting his contentious that the Grim
nal courts of Cook county have no juris-
| diction to try the bribery cases, as he
alleged the election of federal senators
is controlled by federal law. In this con-
nection Attorney Forest spoke in part as
| follows
The legislators of the state of Illinois
| meet In the general assembly as federal
officers to elect a United States senator,
This is so because along about 1856
Congress passed numerous laws regulat-
| ing elections to the federal House of Rep
resentatives All those laws made stute
officers OF election federal officers for
that purpose
|