The Detroit times., 1910-05-16
GRAFTERs GIVEN
E. STIFF SENTENCES
Blk Are Condemned To Prison and
Fined for Part They Took in
Pittsburg Bride Affair.

banker and five former councilnen In
dlcted for bribery In connection with
the recent graft probe, who had en-
tered nolo contendere pleas were
pentenced today in criminal court,
but the sentencing OF four others was
postponed.
Because OF illness in their families,
&c. II. Jennings, president OF the Co
Elumbia National bank, and F. A. Grit
I'm, formerly cashier OF the same in
stitution, were granted a postpone
ment.
CIV. Friend. president of the
Clinton Iron & Steel Co.. will not be
sentenced for a short time. pending a
further investigation OF his case, and
Councilman M. l.. Swift. Jr. will be
sentenced June l.
N The following sentences were
given:
N A. A. Vilsack. cashier of the Ger
man National bank. eight months In
jail and $4,000 fine.
Former Councilmen w. II. Weber,
six months, $500 fine; Charles Stew
art, eight months. $500 fine; Hugh
ferguson, eight months, $500 fine;
kMorris Einstein, six months, $4,000
81 1ne; P. ID. Kearns. four months, $3.50
,nne.
A great crowd assembled in the
criminal courtroom early and watch
ed the Indicted men appear, pale and
haggard
II An attempt to block further graft
I, prosecutions was made today when
< four informations charging John +.
I Klein. chief witness for the prosecu-
ton with PERJURY were filed In an al
n Germans court In the interest OF For
mer Councilman A. v. Simon, who
s was convicted upon Klein's testimony.
\ It Is said here today that further suits
a charging perjury will be fled against
\ other commonwealth witnesses who
are alleged to have sworn differently
AZ various times.
Klein was today taken back to the
western penitentiary, where he Is
serving sentence for bribery.
II am going home" he declared.
"As I want to be on hand to greet
the boys in case they come down to
join as"
In addition to these men sentenced
today. William Brand, president OF the
common council, Joseph WATSON, presi
4 dent Of the finance committee, former
councilman John F. Klein and William
4 Ramsey, president OF the German Ma
B tional bank, have been convicted OF
\ bribery and are now serving sentences
\ I'm the western penitentiary
s. The present graft probe was precipi-
tated by Johnnie" Klein, whose con-
fession Knocked out the props and
let the sky fall" Klein acted as the
rdistributer" among the councilmen,
and to Detective Robert Wilson and
his associates who were brought here
BY private parties to uncover graft,
the little captain reeled of the names
OF present and former councilmen who
/ had received brides; the amounts they
secured. the location OF places where
the men had been paid and for what
purpose the money was given. He also
detailed many incidents in connection
with the payment of money to them.
Klein implicated the German Ma
tional bank OF Allegheny; German Ma
tional bank of Pittsburg; Working
mems Savings and Trust Co.; Colum-
bia NATIONAL Second National and the
Farmers National banks as having
paid select and common councilmen in
order to be named as city repositories
and he estimated that over SOB, 200
I, bribe money had been paid by the
banks. He also gave the names OF
about sixty present and former coun-
cilmen who had received amounts
ranging from S61.10 to several thou
sand dollars.
According to District Attorney !
Blakeley today there are still about |
40 men indicted either on charges Of |
receiving or giving brides, yet to be |
tried, and among them is Frank ". !
Hoffstot, the New York millionaire, |
and president OF the Pressed Steel Car |
Co, who was indicted on a charge OF !
bribing councilmen, but who Is now |
lighting extradition from New York. !
Three indicted former councilmen, j. |
fP. O'Donnen, Bernard Kenna and |
Harry Lennix are now fugitives from (,
Justice, having left Pittsburg before |
their indictments were announced
Although District Attorney Blakeley |
did not order any OF the councilmen |
who received SS1.10 or 500 and who |
confessed In court, to appear today, |
\ ne says that Judge Fraser will rule on
Their cases later. II is believed how.
ever, that the little fellows" will be |
SLOWED to escape
This has been busy week with Dis.
itrict Attorney Blakeley, who has held
lengthy conferences in the presence OF |
Klein with 50 OF the indicted men, all
who had pleaded nolo contendre.
II Is said that the prosecutor has
obtained many additional facts which |
he will likely use as evidence in the |
trials Of other councilmen and bank.
ers.