The Detroit times., 1910-08-23
JOSEPH c. s|BLEY
IS ARRESTED ON
BRIBERY CHARGE
Former Congressman Is Accused Of
Trying to Buy Nomination to
0fice-Warrant Alleges At.
tempt to Debauch Voters.
His Connection With Standard Oil
Interests Was Exploited in |
IL 1908 Campaign.

FRANKLIN, Pa, Aug. 23.-Follow-
Ing on the heels of his statement that
he had withdrawn as the Republican
congressional candidate from the 2Sth
district. Joseph c. Sibley. was arrest
ed here last night on a charge OF con-
spiracy to debauch voters and was re-
leased on his own recognizance &C
cording to information made public
today Sibley's arrest resulted from
the probing of charges that he expend-
ed $4,000 during the recent primary
fight in order to obtain the nomina-
ton.
Sibley will appear before Justice
OF the Peace II. +. Perry. at Warren.
Pa, Friday.
The information against Sibley was
made by Constable Walter Paige, OF
Warren, Pa. Paige secured the war
rant and served 1t on Sibley last
night at Sibley's home here. In the
information Frank II. Taylor, secre-
tary to Sibley, Is named as co-deiena-
ant. Taylor was also arrested.
The investigation OF Sibleys prim.
airy expense account was insugateu
by his Democratic opponent, william
j. Breene. The account Is scheduled
to come up for audit on Monday next
and Sibleys enemies charge that his
withdrawal was made in the nope
that the probe of his enormous ex-
penditures would be discontinued.
Sibley is sixty years old and has
had a turbulent political career, His
first political Office was that OF
mayor of Franklin to which he was
elected as a Democrat. Later he turn
ed Republican. Still later he was
elected to congress on the Democratic
ticket. He was free silverite and
took a prominent part in the cam
paign in Bryan's behalf in 1896. His
political activities have been some
what obscure since his connection
with the Standard Oil interests was
exploited during the 1908 campaign.
The information against Sibley and
four co-defendants charges that they
did "conspire to debauch, bribe and
corrupt the voters OF Warren county.
No details Of the methods used In the
alleged debauching, bribing or cor
ruption are cited In the information.
The information states that the al
legged conspirators used the following
sums of money, paid over by Sibley
and his secretary, Taylor, to enect
their purpose: To Charles Crandall,
$4,000: to George B. Mann, $500;
to d. M. Howard, $4,000; to ID. F.
Wheeler, $4,000; to William McCray,
$3.50: to C. j. Gibson, 1925; to r. j.
Schumacher, 1925; to Albert Erick-
son, $3.50; to John A. Swanson, ST.
600. These amounts total S29,12O.
Mr.. Sibley said today: Il do not
see how a man lying on his back sick
in Franklin county could commit
crime in Warren county where this
conspiracy is alleged to have occur
red
In reviewing the sums OF money al
legged to have been used Mr.. Sibley
= explains that when he filed his ex-
pense account showing an expemi-
ture of $4,000 in Warren county
there was also supplementary state.
ment filed by c. d. Crandall to whom
he admits he gave $13,SOO, to be used
in the campaign He also in his state
ment told of giving Howard $4,000.
He says that the supplementary state
ments of Crandall and Howard show
that they gave the money to the 9TH
er men as recipients of his campaig n
fund. The prosecutor, says Mr.. Sib-
lev misunderstood the campaign &C
counts and doubled up the figures,
crediting the expenditures OF Crandall
and Howard twice.