The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-28
Indignation Over Graft Dis
closures viii Result in
Drastic Action
PUNISHMENT WILL BE
GIVEN THE GRAFTERS
Most of the Members of the City's Leg-
isIntive Council Arc Expected to
Hand In Resignntions at Next
Regular Meeting

Pittsburg, March 21-The Lenten sea-
son which ended today has been too
short season of penitence of Pittsburg
and it will be continued with promise OF
even more startling confessions and dis
closures of graft this week. In several
hundred churches today an unusual fea-
ture of the Easter services was the read
ing of a circular letter issued by civic
committee yesterday, urging the members
of every congregation to attend huge
Indignation mass meeting to be held some
day this week Sermons. too. were de-
signed to arouse public condemnation OF
such practices as have been revealed.
and on such a text as Truth Crucifed,
VIII Rise Transhgured." Lessons in civic
cleanliness were drawn by many pastors.
1t having been pretty thoroughly es-
tablished according to District Attor-
ney William A. Blakeleys claim, how at
least s102,5oo was used in influencing leg
islation. the source of the money and the
dispensers of it are to be the focus OF
the grand jurys attention when that
busy body resumed tomorrow morning
after two day recess. A consider
charged to certain banks which sought
to get the city deposits. They succeeded,
but it is the desire of the grand jury,
as pronounced In its report of Friday
last, that the bank deposits in these
banks be reseinded, and these banks, if
found guilty, be deprived of the use OF
city money. 1t is known that some rep
representatives of the banks are to be
called tomorrow 10 testify.
The six banks which have been named
by the grand jury as involved in the
scandal are the Columbia Nationel, tive
German National OF pittsburs,. the Farm
ers' National Deposit bank. the Second
| National bank, the German National
bank of Allegheny and the Working
mans Savings and Trust company The
| directorate of the Farmers National has
announced that 1t will comply with the
district attorneys call for information.
and the Second National has prepared a
certified statement which is to be pre-
sented to the grand jury tomorrow. Tho
other banks have taken no action.
1t was still unlearned tonight whether
Cherries Stewart yesterday in his talk
with District Attorney Blakely told all
that he is believed to know about the
men higher up. Stewart is former
select councilman. who was declared by
the gran0 jury IN llS picSchthSiih tooNei-
day to have been the man to whom s4oooo
of bribe-tainted money was given at tho
Hotel Imperial in New York.
The city's legislative councils meet to-
morrow night Twenty of the present
members of the councils are under In
dictment in connection with the graft
cases. 1t is expected that some will pro-
test their innocence but the majority are
expected TO hand in designations quite
as meekly as they confessed last week.
While the big show continues there 10
IL lively side feature In the crusade
against all varieties of graft and wrong
doing in Pittsburg. Disorderly houses
are being closed up and every night late-
ly has seen roundup of women in the
tenderloih district.
At a meeting of citizens in the Fors
PITT hotel Yesterday. at which commit-
toe was formed to further the mass meet.
ing plan 1t was openly charged that tho
craft collected in the red-light districts
of the city amounted TO a million dollars
year.
John F. Klein. whose confession and exs
nos1re of others has netted such scan.
dal has been mu2zled and is now kepe
in a room at the Fort Pitt hotel, pend.
ing DISPOSITION of his case He IL undee
sentence of three and a half years. but
he came out yesterday in an emotional
postcard appeal for clemency and aid roe
his family The authorities have forbid~
den him to give out further publications.