Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-22
40 PlTTSBURG
OFFICIALS FACE
BRIBERY CHARGE
MANY C0UNCILMEN SEEK I'M"
MUNITY BATH
CRIMINAL COURT BECOMES A
"THRoNE OF eRAcEv
Grand Jury Probe as Result Of Capt.
John KIein's Confession Has
Sensational Results-$102,00o
Was Divided
Associated Pressl

fAssocated Pressi
PITTSBURG, March 21.-Forty pres
ent and former members of select and
common councils are under indictment
Oh a charge of bribery, and ten more,
with suspended sentences, are held in
$500 bonds upon their own confession
OF sharing in pot of 100000 to in
fluence the votes of the municipal
bodies.
This was the result of the first days
probe of the grand jury following the
sensational confession of Capt. John
Klein, former member of the council.
All day Judge r. S. Fraser sat as a
committing magistrate in the criminal
court room and his desk became "a
throne of grace" to the many council
men under suspicion, who swarmed
before the judge to be washed of
their sins"
on one floor of the court building the
grand jury would hear the conscience
stricken councilmen, who would then
go before Judge Fraser and take the
immunity BATH offered last week by
the district attorney.
While these proceedings were going
on the corridors of the court house
were thronged, and as each council
man put In an appearance there was
clamor of "When are they going to get
the big ones?"
Once during the afternoon north
side councilman rushed into the court
room and wanted to confes, but he was
told to come back tomorrow.
Were too busy" brought a roar of
laughter from the crowd on the
benches.
Ten Have Confessed
Up to adjournment of court at
o'clock ten had confessed. In most in
stances the amount of money they con-
fessed to accepting as a bribe was not
over 500. One man got $500, and an
other 5000, while others got but $S1.10.
As fast as present councimen ap-
peared after they had relieved their
consciences, they were ordered imme-
diately to resign from the city govern
ment, and in every instance the letter
of resignation was written In the dis
trict attorneys office and mailed to
Mayor w. A. Magee before the guilty
one left the building.
The men indicted are from varied
professions. Some are professional
politicians. One is a private detective.
Saloon keepers, physicians. market
men, tailors and real estate men are
on the list. e. G. Schad, a market
man, is also member of the legsla-
ture from Allegheny county.
Among the men to come forward
during the afternoon was DR.. w. II.
Weber, member of the select council.
There was an uproar among the
crowded corridors when he was seen
to come from the court room and the
expression was heard, where will it
end?"
DR.. Weber told Judge Fraser how he
received $4,000 to be distributed among
councilmen for their votes and influ-
ence in the passage Of an ordinance to
yacate certain street. He pleaded no
defense to the charge of conspiracy
Dr. Weber said he gave the money to
about thirty or forty councilmen. He
could not remember all the names, but
recited "a list including some of the
most prominent members of both coun-
ellis.
Charge Against Each Man
To each man, as he stepped up today.
the court stated he held in his hand
an information entered against the de-
fendant by Henry Muth, chief of
county detectives, charging him with
having received a specified amount for
his vote in councils on the ordinance or
resolutions then pending.
What do you wish to do?" asked
the court.
Il will waive a hearing" was the in
variable answer
Defendant valves a hearing and is
held for court in $500 ball." said the
court, and the man In question stepped
aside for another to take his place.
An indictment was returned by the
grand jury and almost Immediately the
defendant entered a plea of nolle con-
tendre.
When court adjourned it was decided
the grand jury should hold a night
session. DR.. Weber therefore was
taken before the body, where it is said
he recited his knowledge of the graft
finnr
fession in every detail.
At $3.50 p. m. it was announced the
jury was ready to make a presentment.
Judge Fraser came into court and half
an hour later indictments were found
against forty present and former smem-
bers of the two branches of the city
councils. There were forty-one names
i'm the presentment, but one of the men
notified the district attorney that he
would be on hand tomorrow and make
a complete confession.
The men indicted tonight will be al
lowed until noon tomorrow voluntarily
to appear, and then the county detec-
tiVes will be sent out with warrants
for their arrest.
While before the grand jury DIR.
Weber was unable to remember all the
men to whom he had paid money but
checked them up by having the list
of councilmen read to him from a city
manual.
The ways in which the money was
delivered to them were many, as
described by the confessine council
men. Some had it thrust into their
hands while standing in public places;
some received it i'm the mail while
others had envelopes adroitly slipped
into their pockets while they admired
adjacent scenery.
Time Limit Extended
District Attorney w. =. Blakeley to-
day extended the time limit by twenty
four hours within which others may
come within his immunity proposition.
After that time warrants will be is
sued for all who have failed to appear,
an these will be vigorously prosecuted
The jury was ordered to report and
continue the investigation tomorrow. In
all the indictments the men are recon-
mended to mercy if they come into
court voluntarily.
While many of the indictments were
made in connection with the passage
of the ordinance naming banks as city
repositories, fully as many more bribes
were in connection with the ordinance
in which the city vacated a southside
street for the use of manufacturing
concern.
District Attorney Blakeley said the
method of bringing the men before a
special court and granting them i'm
munity was deemed for the best in
terests of the public, and threatened
the limit of the law to those who per-
sisted In fighting their cases