The San Francisco call., 1910-04-07
HIGH UP GRAFT
IS LAID BARE BY
P|TTSBURG JURY
President of Pressed Steel Car
Company Cited for Paying
Councilman S52,5OO
Head of Workingmen's Bank
Confesses That He Gave
Bribe for Vote

PITTSBURG, April 6.-The china
promised in the Pittsburg graft expos
ure came as promised late today wit
the presentment by the grand jury of
lengthy report in which is recon-
mended the indictment of Frank \
Hoffstot, president of the Pressed Stes
car company and one of the most prom
inent businessmen in the country.
simultaneously in open court came
plea of Emil Winter, president of tn
Workingmen's savings and trust com
pany. that he had no defense to max
to the charge that he gave a $4,000
bribe to former Councilman Morri
Einstein.
The following, in abbreviated form
are some of the most startling finding
in the grand jury presentment mad
public tonight:
BRIBE GIVING
First-That Frank H. Hoffstot
president of the Pressed Steel Car
man national bank of Allegheny
and prominently identified with
other banks, paid to Charles Stew
art. former select councilman, the
sum of 1000.
Second-That the money was a
br1be used In influencing the votes
of councilmen to pass an ordinance
naming three banks in which Roff-
stot was interested as official de-
positories of the city's millions
Three-That the arrangement for
the payment of money to Stewart
was made in the spring of 1908 and
the late James W. Friend. at that
time an official of the Pressed Steel
Car company, was an associate in
the transaction.
Four-That the original plan that
Friend had was TO obtain the serv-
ices of William A. Blakely, then a
practicing attorney here, but now
the district attorney in charge of
the graft prosecutions, as stake
holder of the bribe money until the
ordinance had passed.
5-That Attorney Blakely de-
clined TO act In the capacity named
and warned all parties of the Grim
inalfty of the proposition and of
the liability to prosecution if it
went further.
6-That subsequent to Blakely's
refusal Friend and Hoffstot COM
pteted an arrangement with Stew
art, whereby Hoffstot would pay or
cause to be paid to Stewart the
sum named-s52.500.
THAT the transaction was ar
ranged to be made in New York
city and took place there in June,
1908 in order, IL possible. to avoid
criminal liability in Allegheny
county.
s-That Honstot also solicited
and secured from one James n.
Young, cashier of the Second ma
tional bank of Pittsburg. s21,0O
to be paid Stewart to insure the
selection of the Second national as
one of the favored city deposi
tories.
9-That Stewart did demand from
the now deceased Friend who was
acting as agent for the Second ma
tional bank. bribe for Stewards
vote in favor of the bank ordi-
1o-That in accordance with the
findings, IL be recommended that
indictments charging conspiracy
and bribery be returned.
BANKS ON BRIDE LIST
The banks named as ultimate prin
cipals to profit by the bribes alleged I
have been paid by Hoffstot to StewaI
are:
The Farmers deposit national banl
the Second national bank of Pittsbur
and the German national bank of ALLIE
gheny. In addition to these three, th
Columbia national bank of Pfttsburt
the German national bank of Pittsbur
and the Workingmen's savings an
trust company of Allegheny wer
as city repositories in the OF
dinance passed July 9, 1908, over tn
mayors veto.
When Winter appeared in cour
Judge r. S. Fraser, who is presidin
in the graft cases, asked to be excuse
from hearing the plea.
Judge Frazer explained that on &C
count of his long and intimate friend
ship with Winter he wished to fav
nothing to do with the case. Winte
was then taken before Judges Thoma
d. Carnivan and J. NJ. Swearingen, an
entered the formal plea. Sentence wa
postponed.
IN RECENT STRIKE
Frank M. Hoffstot, as president {
the Pressed steel car company, one c
the largest industries of its kind
the country, recently figured promi
nently in the public eye while a strik
was on at his plant in McKees Rock
During the long months suspensio
there were many riots, many person
were killed and the state troops wer
called out.
The court ordered indictments draw
against Hoffstot, in accordance wit
the grand jury's presentment.
The presentment reads that Hoffstc
shall be ordered to appear as a wit
ness. and in case he does not do so irr
mediateIy the district attorney of Al
legheny county shall proceed forth
with to extradite him.
AFTER MORE 'sHIGHER UPS.
The presentment concludes with a
order that the investigation contiun
along the lines already pursued. whic
is taken to mean more men higher 7,
are yet TO be named.
lust before President Winters ar
pearance in Judge Fraser's court lame
Anderson. the general book keeper :
the Workingman' savings bank an
trust company of Allegheny. had ais
pleaded nolle contendre to charge :
falsifying the books of the bank
with the payment of $40 90
to Einstein.
Anderson, who for 20 years has bee
private secretary to President Winte
was charged with having cut from th
banks ledger several pages on whic
were special accounts" of Emil Wir
ter and Mrs. Winter. The district AZ
torney said the missing pages wer
later found by State Bank EXAMINER
Shafer and McBurnie, who were nres
ent before the grand jury as witnesse
last week.
Winter is a man of so years. wh
has worked himself up from a Iocs
barber shop.
The foundation of the Hoffstot fo,
time was laid when the lather indus
trv was one of the chief trades /
Pittsburg. District Attorney Blakel
was once his personal counsel.
There was much interest today /
Continued ON Page 2. Column