The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-25
POLITICAL CROOKS
INDICTED BY JURY
Pittsburg Councilman Said to
Have Accepted $102, 500
in Brides.
TWO GIVEN IMMUNITY
Capt Johnny" Klien and j. c.
WATSON Whitewashed Because
of Confessions.


PITTSBUR0. PA. March 25.--The
grand jury investigating the coun-
cilmanic corruption here recommend
ed to-day that District Attorney
Blakeley prepare for submission to
the grand jury indictments against
Charles Stewart, william Brand and
Hugh Ferguson. charging them with
having received from Ptttsburg banks
sl02.500 fn competition with the pas
sage OF bank depository ordinance;
and conspired to bride other coun-
cilmen.
The names OF John F. Klein and
~. G. WATSON. both former council
men, are omitted because they con-
I fessed before the grand jury.
Although the charges are similar
| to previous indictments against the
/ men, the indictments prepared by the
district attorney VIII be more COM
plete and contain more charges.
! Jacob SoffeI, former councilman
and member of the Big six" who re-
! fused TO accept bribe of $4,000 and
which resuAed In the money being
/ of defense OF any member caught In
any graft probe. would be paid. has
been exonerated by the grand jury.
| The directors OF the six Pittsburg
banks alleged 10 have bribed coun-
( ciimen have been ordered TO report
TO the court Monday after having
made an investigation regarding the
alleged payment of money to city
tcouncllmen.
The six banks named in the report
are:
Farmers Deposit National. Column
bia National. Second National of
Ptttsburg, German National of Pitts
burg, German National of Allegheny
and the Workingmen's Savings and
Trust Company OF Allegheny.
The report alleges that each bank
paid $4,000, except the last. which
paid $4,000.
Were Prime Movers.
Stewart and Brand are named as
prime movers In the plan. At frs,
there was a pool of six banks 10 be
named by James w. Friend. who is
business man, and who was a VIC
tim of Cassie Chadwick when she
was In Pittsburg. and his associates
who were 20 pay lump sum to Stew
art. Later the plan was modified
according TO the report. and Stewart
was made the collector from three
of the banks
The report alleges that, according
. 10 an agreement between Stewart ant
4 Friend and his associates. Stewar-
: was paid $4,000 in a New Yori
hotel by a stranger. who was identi,
fed by Stewart. by means of dupli
: cate card which he carried. Thre,
of the banks are also alleged TO havs
paid Stewart $1,000.
a Brand IL alleged to have received
: $4,000 from the Columbia Nationa
Bank Of Pitts6urg and $4,000 from
the Workingmen's Savings and Trus
Company.
!; The report brands the passage o
, these bank ordinances as corrupt ant
recommends that immediate legal ae
ton to nullify the ordinance naming
the banks as city repositories b.
taken. The bank officials are ais,
called upon to reiinquish the city de
posts which they now hold, TIL
report declares that the grand jur
has positive evidence that money wa
| paid by each of the six banks named
= Graft Detailed.
The s102,500 was distributed sub
stantially as follows according to tn
D grand jury's report.
Eight thousand six hundred an
atty dollars WAS received by each q
the Ave men, Brand. Stewart Kleir
| WATSON and Ferguson,
l. One thousand dollars was given t
. two city clerks.
: one tnousanu seNsU huhureu an
h. fiftv dollars was set apart for news
paper reporters.
Two thousand five hundred dollar
; Was given for the support of the ram
n Wv of william Martin, then serving
Z term OF imprisonment in the peni
Il tnntiary for bribery in councils.
: Norris Einstein received $4,000 70
q his services in soliciting and obtain
, ing the bribe from the Workingman
;, Savings and Trust Company.
Fifteen thousand dollars was give
: 10 John r Klein to distribute anon
:. the common council
q Fifty-six indictments were this al
!. ternoon returned against present an
former members or the comma
q council here in connection with I'll
passage OF the bank depository ord
. nance.