The San Francisco call., 1910-03-24
BRIBE GIvERS
OF PITTSBURG
NOW IN PERIL
District Attorney Ready to Pro-
ceed Against Men Who
Bought COuncilmen
Nine More Grafters Take Inn
munity Bath Just Before
Opportunity Passes

PITTSBURG. March 23.-Nine more
men. conscience stricken over taking
money FOR their votes. appeared before
Judge r. 5. Fraser today and, after
telling all they knew of the council
manic graft conspiracy, had sentence
postponed.
Besides these nine, William Brand,
former president Of the common coun-
ell. one Of the ringIeaders. according
to those who confessed, has also made
a statement, which is in the hands Of
the district attorney. J. C. Wasson,
who IS IN the penitentiary, made his
confession to the grand jury today. He
wept like 2 child during his recital,
while John F. Klein. the arch confes-
sor. tried 10 soOthe him.
AFTER BRIBE GIVERS
With complete statements from
Brand. Wasson and Klein, the princi-
pals in the conspiracy. according TO
their own statements, it is said the
district attorney is ready to proceed
against the bribe givers, and while no
names are given out. Wasson's state
ment is said to implicate prominent
men.
The opportunity TO confess volunt-
arily and receive postponed sentences
or immunity has passed Tor those
who have not come. forward. Those
indicted viii be brought to trial The
first trial VIII begin Monday
Already an anti jury fixing crusade
has been started by the district attor-
ueT. Today five men were literally
yanked from the courtroom by county
detectives. 1t is said that they were
busy with bribe money for jurors about
the courthouse corridors. Each man
was put through q severe examination
and arrests of a number Of others are
predicted.
INDICTMENTS IN PROSPECT
No Indictments were handed down
by the grand jury today, although they
have sufficient evidence for true bills
against more than half a hundred
These viii come along. according TO
the assistant district attorney, before
the end of the week.
The installments Of the graft story
have been so spasmodic that a synopsis
is here presented for those who missed
the first chapters;
Kleins display of $4,000 in bills on
The street June %, 1908. aroused the
suspicion Of Ernest Frey, a harness
dealer. He reported the discovery TO
the city auditor the latter told Mayor
Guthrie and he passed it on to the
Voters league. TO whom the citizens
of Pittsburg are indebted for the prose-
cution that was set in motion. A de-
tective's bribery of councilmen in con-
nection with a fictitious wood paving
plan started the ball rolling. This led
into the bank depository conspiracy and
other forms Of graft The law IS still
grinding with the following net result
TO date:
N PENITENTIARY:
". ". Ramsey, former president Of the Ger
man national bank.
william Brand, former president of the COM
Joseph c. WATSON, former councilman.
Z. I. Bolger.
UNDER SENTENCE TO PENITENTIARY:
John T. Klein. former councilman.
AWAITING DISPOSITION OF THEIR CASES:
E. II. Jennings, president Of Columbia national
F. A. Griffin, cashier, who pleaded nolle con
fendre.
UNDER INDICTMENT;
Forty-one oounoilnen.
CONFESsORs OF BRBE SHARING:
Twenty-nine cOuncilmen former and present,
CoNFESSORS AWAITING TURN
One former councilman
BRIBES:
From $1,000 down to the bargain rate of
36l. 10.
The fact that about so councilmen of
the past and present administrations
are involved in the scandals thus far
exposed, however, indicates dishonesty
OF less than so per cent At the time
most Of the grating was in progress
the Pittsburg councils were temporarily
sbnorrnslly large. There were a wards
in Pittsburg and Is in Allegheny, with
altogether 152 select and common coun-
cilmen, a most unwieldy body.