The Irish standard., 1910-05-21
CAPITOL DEAL IS UP.
sPRIN oFIELD PROSECUTOR
PROBES PURCHASE OF $4,000
WORTH OF DESKS.
HIGH BIDDER GETS CONTRACT
Furniture Men and Legislators
Quizzed at sprIngfleld-shephard
Denies Sharing In slack Pot"-
No knowledge of Bribery.

Chicago, May 19-New leads in the
legislative bribery scandal turned at
tention to the investigation States
Attorney Burke of Sangamon county
has started relative to the expendi-
ture Of approximately $4,000 for new
desks and chairs for the senate and
house chambers at Springfield. James
w.. Knox. representing the Derby
Desk company Of Chicago will appear
before the grand jury in Sangamon
county. Knox's house was a low bid
der and the public prosecutor of San
canon has been told that he may be
able to throw some light upon the
desk purchase.
i Successful Bidder. Quizzed.
=. Tbs new furnishings were supplied
by the johnson Hatcher Furniture
company of Springfield, concern
that has been getting considerable
business during. the last three ses-
sions Of the legislature. A. B. John
ston, Of that firm, was before the
grand jury and asked to explain how
it was his company got the contract
when It was the highest bidder. The
contract was let by special com.
mittee, of which Secretary of State
James A. Rose was member. Rose
objected to the bid and to the roll
top desks purchased.
The special committee that let the
desk contract was made up of Secre-
tary Of State Rose, Senator S. G.
Pemberton Of Oakland, Senator D. w.
'Holstlaw Of 1uka. Representative ]. S.
Clark Of Vandalia and Representative
l.. J. Pierson of Wilmette.
johnson, Denies Any Bribery.
Mr.. Johnson denied that he had
used any undue influence in getting
the contract. He admitted that he
purchased some cigars and drinks by
way Of good fellowship. He was
asked relative to a new automobile
Senator Pemberton purchased recent
ly and told grand Juror that there
was no connection between the let
ting of the contract and the new ma
chine.
f1CeCAApLp VOL . A4OuO uul ing Il1O lC1SL
three sessions to provide an appro-
priation for new desks. Three years
ago Governor Deneen vetoed the
proposition. Last session there was
practically no opposition. Members
complained that they could not lock
their desks and that they were not
sufficiently large to accommodate a
copy Of the revised statutes.
Representative Sheppard Witness.
Representative Henry A. Sheppard
OF Jerseyville was before the Sanga-
mon county inquisition. He was men
toned as one of the legislators in the
"jack pot" bathroom episode in St.
Louis, as related by Representative
Charles A. White in his confession in
a Chicago paper. Representative Shep-
hard told the grand Jurors that he had
received no money for his vote for
Senator Lorimer and that he got moth
ing from the alleged Jack pot" divi-
dend. He said that he did go in the
bathroom in the Southern hotel in
St. Louis with Representative Robert
E. Wilson. Wilson it was whom White
charged paid him 5000 from the 'jack
pot"
did you go into the bathroom"
Sheppard was asked.
Went Into Bathroom; Got No Money.
"Yes," he answered. Wilson asked
asked me about woman he had seen
me with in Springfield"
Did he give you any money!" was
another question.
Absolutely none," was the reply.
II never heard of legislative Jack
pot until l saw mention of it in the
newspapers, and 1 never got a cent
out of one. did not receive any
money or other reward for voting for
Senator Lorimer."