The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-04-07
PROMINENT BUSINESS
LIGHTS ARE CHARGED
Alleged 10 Have Paid Out Large
Sums to BTibe Members
Of Council
LElEELA -

Pittsburg April THE climax
promised in the Pittshurg graft ex-
posures came, as promised, with the
presentment by the grand jury OIL
a lengthy report in which is recon-
mended the Indictment OF Frank n.
Hoffstol, president Of the Pressed
Steel Car company and one OF the
most prominent business men IN the
country,
simultaneously in opeL court came
d plea OF Emil Winter. president OF
the Workingmen's Savings and Trust
company. that he had no defense 10
make to the charge that he gave
$4,000 bribe to former Councilman
Morris Einstein
The following in abbreviated form
are some of the most startling find
ings in the grand jury's presentment
made public:
First-That Frank \. Hoffstol
president of the Pressed Steel Car
company, and president of the Ger.
man National hank of Allegheny, ana
prominently identified with Other
banks, paid to Charles Stewart, q
former select councilman, the sum OF
}52,5oO.
Second--That the money was a
bribe used in influencing the votes
OF councilmen to pass an ordinance
naming three banks in which Hoft-
st0l was Interested as official depos-
itoYies OF the city's millions.
Third-That the arrangement for
the payment OF the money to Stew
u, In. he al
and that the iase James w. Friend
at that time an official Of the Pressed
Steel Car company, was an associate
In the transaction.
Fourth--That the original plan
which Friend had was to obtain tho
services OF William A. Blakeley, VIM
was then a practicing attorney here,
but who is now the district attorney
IN charge OF the graft prosecutions,
as a stakeholder OF the brihe money
until the ordinance had passed
Fifth--That Attorney Blakeley de
c1ined to act In the capacity named
and warned all parties of the Grimm
ality OF the proposition and Of the
liability to prosecution il il went
further.
Sixth-That subsequent TO Mr..
Blakeley's refusal, Nessrs Friend
and Hoffstol completed an arrange.
ment with Stewart whereby Hoffstol
would pay or cause TO be paid TO
Stewart the sum named-s52.5O0.
Seventh-That the transaction was
arranged to be made in New York
City and took place there in June.
1908, In order. II possible. TO avoid
criminal 'iability in Allegheny coun.
ty.
Eighth--Tkat Eoffstol did also so
hcit and secure from one James Y.
Young, cashier OF the Second Nation.
al bank. OF Pittsburg, the sum OF s2l.
900 TO be paid Stewart 70 insure the
selection Of the Second National. as
one OF the favored city repositories
Ninth-That Stewart did demand
nom the now deceased Friend, who
was acting as agent for the Second
National bank. a bribe for Stewards
vote In favor OF the bank ordinances
Tenth-That In accordance with the
findings, 1t be recommended that IN.
dictments charging conspiracy and
bribery be returned.
The banks. named as ultimate prIn.
cipals 10 profit by the bribes alleged
70 have been paid by Hoffstol ia
Stewart are:
The Farmers Deposit National
bank: The Second National hank OF
PttsDurg,. and the German National
bank Of Allegheny. In addition ID
these three the Columbia National
bank OF Pittshurg. the German Ma
fIonal bank Of PIttsburg and fhg
Workingman's Savings and Trust
company of Allegheny, were named
as city repositories in the ordinance
passed July ?. 1908. over thr may.
or's yeto.
The plea of noile contendre made
BY President Emil Winter, of the
Workingman's Savings AID Trust
company today. was no less a sensa
tion than the report of the grand inr3
He was charged with the payment Of
q $4,000 bribe 10 Morris Eisnstein. a
former select councilman When Win
ter appeared In court Judge s. K. Fra
zer. who is presiding in the graf
cases, asked to be excused from hear
Ing the plea.
Judge Frazer explained that on ac
count OF his long and intimate friend
ship with Winter he wished to have
~N'hsur to do With the case. Winter
WIS then taken before Judge Thomas
p. Caravan and ]. " Seearingen
and entered the formal plea. sent
ence was postponed
Frank ~ Hoffsiol as president OF
the Pressed Steel company. one OF
The largest Of SIS kind in the coun
Try, reeerfiy figured prominently IN
the public EYE while strike was on
n his plant in Mekees Rocks. Dur
ing the long months suspension there
ware many riots and many persons
Killed and the state troops were eall
n eas'