The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-29

tell but few of the details of the trans
action. He denied that hs had any prev
ious understanding regarding the distri-
button OF money at the close of the ses-
1 sion. He says that a Month after he
was paid the $500 he received letter
from Broderick asking him to come to
Chicago which he did, meeting Brod-
erick again at the saloon. He was then
handed $500, Broderick remarking casual
". This is coming to yol." Holtslaw
said that he asked no questions and soon
afterward left for his home
Furniture Contract
Holtslaw denied having had conversa-
tons with agents of various desk con-
Germs On the night of January Il, 1910,
the day before the contract was let to the
Ford & Johnson company ofiChicago, at
a figure of $40 higher than the next high
est bidder per piece, Holtslaw said he
then visited Otto FREEZER, sales agent for
the Ford & johnson company. at the
ST. Nicholas hotel and told FREEZER 1t
would be worth $500 to him to use his
influence in securing the contract for the
| Ford & Johnson company.
| He declared that FREEZER told him that
| this sum was out of the question; that
his company could not afford to pay so
much
| At this time, said Holtslaw A. B. john
son of the firm of Johnson-Hatcher of
this city entered the room. Holtslaw said
that FREEZER told him that he would have
| to talk to Johnson. and that anything
| that Johnson did was all right with the
firm of Johnson & Butcher. Hotslaw said
| he told Johnson that he wanted $500 for
| his vote in favor of the furniture con-
| tract. and that Johnson declared that he
| could not pay that much, that the $1,000
| he offered Holtslaw was $500 more than
any other member of the committee was
| getting. The sum of $500 was then
| agreed upon, Holtslaw said, and the
| agreement was made that the money was
to be paid when the furniture was deliv-
cred and the company had received its
money from the state
Confession of FREEZER
FIeier who was in the city several
times while the legislative committee was
carrying on negotiations for the new
furniture was taken before the grand
jury late in the afternoon. He was first
! told by States Attorney Burke that
oltslaw had confessed and that the
states attorney was going to give him
/ the opportunity to tell all he knew about
the transactions FREEZER was also told
that If he desired he would be allowed to
seea the advice of an attorney FREEZER
waived this right and after telling the
states attorney what he knew about the
deal, he was taken before the grand jury,
where he repeated the story.
FREEZER corroborated in every detail
| the story told by Holtslaw regarding
| the meeting in Freier's room at the
| St. Nicholas when the subject of
| money was discussed. He said he act
| ed throughout the negotiations more
| as a furniture expert and demonstra-
| tor. He says that on the night Holts-
law visited him at his room at the
| ST Nicholas Holtslaw told him he
i IA 10 nd
| & johnson were awarded the contract.
| FREEZER says he told Holtslaw that this
| was out of all reason: that he was
| sure his company could not afford to
| pay SO much.
FREEZER said johnson then came into
the room and he left Johnson and
Holtslaw together first stating to Hollis
law that anything that Johnson saw
fit to do would be all right FREEZER de-
clared he heard Johnson say to Hollis
law that the $500 agreed upon was
$500 more than any other member of
the committee was to receive.
FREEZER Not In Deal
So far as the evidence presented
shows there is nothing to show that
FREEZER had anything to do directly with
the agreement to pay members of the
committee for their votes In favor of
to the grand jury the formal petit
ton asking for immunity was filed with
his company.
AS soon as he had told his story
Judge Creighton and upon the recon-
mendation of States Attorney Burke
the order granting Holtslaw immunity
was entered upon the records of the
court. Holtslaw then left the court
room stating that he was going to his
home in Iuka.
Shortly after o'clock the grand
jury took recess to s o'clock. When
the story OF FREEZER had been told thu
grand jury corroborating in detail that
previously told by Senator Holtslaw it
did not take the jury long to vote
jury returned into open court and made
their report to Judge Creighton.
The bill charging conspiracy to per-
form the felony of bribery contained
three counts directed at Senator Stan
ton c. Pemberton of Oakland and d.
w. Holtslaw of Iuka and Representa-
tive Joseph c. Clarke of Vandalia. Ca
phases were Immediately ordered to is
sue and bail fixed at $4,000 each. AS
soon as the Indictment against Hollis
law had been placed on the records Of
the court States Attorney Burke
moved that it be subscribed to and
this was done. Bribery against John
Frederick of Chicago was the last to
be read by the court. The capias was
also issued for Frederick and his bail
fixed at the same figure as that of
Pemberton and Clark.
Avenues of Investigation
| States Attorney Burke believes the
confession of Senator Holtslaw and the
| other evidenced before the grand jury
| today opens several new avenues for
| investigation. which will probably in
volve several members of both the
| house and senate, and he would not
be surprised, he said, to have num-
Der of applications for immunity bath
tickets Three big gates to the field
| Of corruption are thrown open, 1T Is
said; first, the Jackpot; second, the
| furniture deal. and third, payment of
money in the United States senatorial
| contest.
States Attorney Burke said he was
| satisfied the qualifications of corrup-
ton in all these various lines will
| make Springfield the Mecca of legis-
lators for some time to come.
Il would not be surprised pretty
soon to witness a roundup here that
will compare favorably with legis-