Omaha daily bee., 1910-06-04
JACK POT SCHEME ALLEGED
Conspiracy Aimed at Corruption,
Says Governor Deneen.
FoREsEEs FURTHER SENSATIONS
Executive Says faint of Guilt VIII
10 Traced to Those who Gave
and Those who Re-
p ceIved.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, June S.-That grand
jury questioning regarding the fish bill
which failed to pass the forty-sixth gem
eral assembly will be productive OF more
results than have developed since the leg
islative inquiry began is the expectation
of States Attorney Burke OF Sangamon
county.
Information given the prosecutor today,
he said, has supplemented fragments
known by him and has completed chain
of evidence from men who paid sums OF
money to defeat the bill, to the man who
collected the amounts and up to the leg
islator who is charged with having, held
OUT the sum given him instead of having
passed 1t along to the slack pot" State s
Attorney Burke said he has the name of
a certain fish dealer who is alleged to
have said in the presence of witnesses
that he gave $500 to the fund to kill the
bill. naming the man to whom he paid 1t.
That man Is to be subpoenaed.
After comforting with Governor Deneen
in the executive office, States Attorney
Burke announced that the governor would
not be subpoenaed to appear before the
grand jury nor would he be asked to go
before the jurors informally.
Governor Deneen's Statement.
Governor Deneen tonight relative to State s
Attorney Burke's visit:
states Attorney Burke called on Governor
Deneen at o'clock this afternoon. Mr..
4. Burke discussed with tile governor the
cases OF legislative corruption which are be-
ing Investigated by the Sangamon county
grand jury. The governor informed him
that the various commissions and depart
ments connected with the executive branch
of the state government would cheerfully
furnish him any information in their power
which could be OF service to him in the in
vestigation.
After the interview Governor Deneen said
1T is manifest from the information which
has been published that legislative corrup
tion has not been confined to the members
who have so far confessed their connection
with 1t. The very existence of the so-callet
Jackpot presupposes an organization suf
flcently strong numerically to control III,
course of legislation and to collect and dis
tribute a common corruption fund to con
troll II,
There are 1853 members in the house ant
fifty-one in the senate, and 1t Is apparen
that a very extensive organization woul,
be necessary successfully to carry out sucl
conspiracy against the public interest
as has been shown to exist by the comics
sions already made. The character OF thi
organization and Of its leadership is indi
Gated by the fact that those who confesse,
were not sure as to the specific bills 70
which they received brides. The investiga
ton therefore must go back of these men I
the men who trafficked in legislation an
knew the particular measures for whic
the brides were furnished and the source
from which the bride money was derived.
Tracing the Guilty.
The faint OF guilt should be traced fror
the members who received the bribes TO tn
persons or corporations who gave then
The whole nefarious plot should be expose
and all connected with II prosecuted and a
who are innocent relieved OF the burden c
unjust suspicion. The crime OF briber
is one OF the most insidious and dangerou
OF crimes against the state. II makes
farce OF party contests and elections. on
general assembly should not become
place where political highwaymen exa'
tribute from defenseless citizens or a maj
ket place where laws are huekstered I
venal bidders.
Every citizen who has any knowledge {
the commission of crimes in our gener'
assembly should furnish II to the author
ties who are engaged in their investigate
and prosecution"
Representative Becksmeyer Is reports