The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-03-29
GRAF TIERS UNEASY
PittSbwg Bankers TO 90 Be.
fore Grand Jury.
HOW SANE MAS WORKED
Boodling Councilmen Held Weekly
Meetings and Discussed Price to
be Charged For Passing
Certain Ordinances.

Pittsburg March rs. - Uneasiness
was shown in Pittsburg on all sides
In anticipation OF stodays develop.
ments. when directors OF the big ma
tional banks which bold city deposits
viii be- called before the courts and
asked on their oaths TO tell what they
know about their banks buying the
city deposits for cash from the city
councilman
In the pursuance Of the graft IN
Nestigation IL was uncovered that for
some years grating members OF the
Pittsburg councils. about sixty in num-
Der. met weekly In the parlors Of a big
downtown hOtel. and there behind
closed d,Jrs discussed what had been
offered by certain firms for the pas.
sage OF certain ordinances what
should Dc charged. etc. This weekly
meeting WSs called the caucus" and
was attended by all former members
Of councils who are now in the tolls.
Invited Reporters to Graft Caucus.
Counciln an John Klein was secre-
tary OF the caucus. and President vii
liam Brand. OF common councils. was
chairman So bold were the move.
ments Of this party Of oouncilmen that
invitations were sent TO newspapers
10 have reporters wait on the officers
OF the caucus after adjournment. in
order that news "of interest 10 the
public" might be secured. If>is now
believed that threatened publicity was
frequently held over the heads OF vic.
tins hN the caucus in order that
high priced bargains might be made
for real money consideration
We dare them 10 arrest us. II ar
rested W. viii take a whole trainioad
OF those big fellows TO the peniten-
tiaty With us. was the bold Joint
statement made by Bookkeeper
Charles Ncverbs and Teller Harry
Muehlbronner. of the Workingmen' s
Savings and Trust company. some
months ago. when il had l-pen practi-
csily common knowledge that the bank
with which they had been connected
was Shot about $50 600 through them
That this pair knew something and
did not intend TO 20 o. tho Riverside
penitentiarr without making a hard
night and taking some others along
with them was shown saturday when
they We're called for sentence IN court
They gave the court privately some
reasons why they did no; think they
should be sent 20 the penitentiarv
The court suspended sentences in the
case OF both.
Bank Directors Are 90.
Neverka and Muehlbrunner were ar
rested some time after they had made
the open boast. but the claim is made
that they were not taken into custody
until long after the directorate had
been informed as 10 their shortages
etc. Even then the arrests were not
made AT the instance OF the bank di.
rectorate. but by bonding company
which had guaranteed the two en-
ployes. The quiet statement made by
the two employees was sufficient 10
keep them out OF the penitentiary and
IL Is announced that they will appear
before the grand jury and tell what
they know about the inside workings
OF the Workingmen' Savings and
Trust company in connection with Sc
curing the city deposits. Several mem
bers OF this directorate who have been
told To come before the grand Jury
and the court are reported as very IN.
Graft In Railroad Passes.
That the Pennsylvania railroad was
beaten ont Of $500 900 a wear by Pitts
burg counciimen alone through passes
some years ago started the agitation
which resulted later in laws against
the issuing OF transportation by anv
railroad The Pennsylvania made the
claim that il was losing s. 600 600 a
year throughout its system in the is
suing of passes. and one-tenth OF this
was charged mp 10 Pittsburg. II de-
velops no what some OF the grating
councilmen who are now in trouble
made thousands OF dollars yearly by
the sale of passes. Not content with
few passes at a time. the council
manic grafters insisted on and secured
great books OF passes and sold them
at one-half the regular rate charged
by the railroad.