The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-26
Bribery and Graft Cases
Are Developing AppaN-
ing Conditions
BANKS ARE ASKED TO
GIVE UP C|TY's MONEY
CounciImen Are Indicted nnd the
Courts VIII Probe Deeply Into
the Charges Brought

Pittsburg. March 25-Laying bare the
appalling details of Pittsburgs civie
unrighteousness. ordering indictments
against 81 present and past councilmen
and making demand upon the dIrec-
tors OF the city repositories TO investigate
| their own boards and ascertain the bribe-
| givers in connection with the ordinances
| designating their institutions as city de-
postorles. formed the most of two pre-
sentiments made by the grand jury today.
| The presentments made a sensational
story of the inside history of corruption
In the municipal bodies in 1908, and the
demand made upon the banks named in
dicates that even more sensational deveI-
| opments than have been exposed are ex-
pected on Monday when the bank drec-
tors. complying with the demand Of the
grand jury, make their report in court.
A further result of the presentments of
the jury was the order of City Control
| Ter Morrow late today for the withdrawal
| of all city funds from the six banks, and
| the pracic notification of the ordinances
| designating them as custodians of city
| funds. There is about SO. 800 city money
| In these banks now. and this would be
| increased many millions during next
|
cording to the controller, the withdrawal
| OF funds will be gradual, however, so
| that the institutions may not be en-
| barrassed or any undue alarm caused de-
positors. The extract from the present.
ments calling upon the bank directors
| reads:
Call Upon the Banks
I'VE cali upon directors of the six
banks named as city repositories TO inves-
| tigate who paid for each OF said banks
| the bribes herein set forth, and report
the same to this grand jury. not later
than Monday, March Is, 1910. And we
further demand that said report be in
/ writing and certified to by directors OF
said banks individually. We strongly rec
| oinmend and insist that the proper Off
| cials OF the city of Pittsburg take I'M
| mediate legal action to nullfy the ord-
| nance naming the Farmers Deposit Ma
i tional bank the Second National of Pitts
| burg the German National bank of Pitts
| burg, the German National bank Of AL
legheny. the Columbia National bank OF
Pittsburg and the Worldngmen's Savings
and Trust company of Allegheny as city
repositories. in order that the bribe Civ
| ers may not benefit by reason of their
| own wrong-doing and criminal conduct.
| The presentments give the full details
/ of the plot on the part of the council
men to obtain bribes from the six banks.
| the means adopted for paying the bribes
are related, and the story of the transfer
| of 5000 by an unnamed man TO former
| Cuncilman Charles Stewart in the Hotel
| Imperial New York, is told.
| 1t is related that Max G. Leslie, for
mer chairman of the republican county
committee. received $4,000 by arrange
ment with E. II. Jennings and i. A.
| Griffin of the Columbia National bank,
| and that Leslie gave William Brand, who
| was then president of the common coun-
ell. directly or indirectly, 1880 to OBJ
1 Gov frlt in
National bank. An unnamed man is said
| to be Interested and concerned In the
| payment OF the money by Leslie to Brand
either intermediary or principal.
| Who Paid the Money!
| /, is declared that Morris Einstein re-
| ceived $4,000 from the Workngman's
| Savings and Trust company to have that
bank named as a city depository, but
| the name of the bank officials who paid
| him the money is unknown
| II is further declared in the present.
ments that the members of the grand
| jury are of the opinion that the books
| of the Workingman's bank have been
| mutiated, three pages referring to this
| deal having been cut from the ledger.
| Eipstein, it Is also declared, kept $1,000
| for his services in arranging the deal.
Further declarations in the present.
| ments are that two city clerks We're
given $1,000 each and that si75o was set
| apart for newspaper men and that Hem
| ~ M. Bolger the saloon-keeper already
| convicted of bribery was given $500 for
| his services in bringing about the meet
| ing between the officials of the German
National bank of Pittsburg and the coun-
| cilmen.
| The public is urged not to pass hasty
| Judgment on any officials of the banks
| mentioned and stress Is laid on the SOW
| epcy of the institutions.
II is recited that John r. Klein and
Joseph c. Wasson, by reason OF their
confessions and statements making pos
| sible the exposure of the facts, are en-
| titled to great consideration and re-
duction of Kleln's sentence is urged.
Leuiency Ii Urged
| |. is also recommended that no further
| indictments be found against Klein or
| Wasson for any OF the crimes to which
| they have confessed. The grand Jury de-
clares 1t is convinced that Charles Stew
art and William Brand can unravel the
entire network of crooked work and are
In position to disclose the names of all
guilty parties. 1t is recommended that
the court be as lenient possible in
passing sentence on those who confess
their guilt.
Indictments are recommended against
Charles Stewart, William Brand and
Hugh Ferguson for conspiracy; against
Stewart for soliciting bribes from the six
banks against Stewart for distributing
portions of money to several councilmen;
against Brand for soliciting bribe from the
Columbia National bank and for having
received bribe money directly or indirectly
from Max G. Leslie, and also receiving
bribe money from other banks. and
against Brand charging him with distrib-
uting bribe money in various sums to va-
rious other members Of councils; against
Hugh Ferguson for soliciting. demanding
and receiving money from banks, to be
used to obtain votes to get the city de-
posits for these institutions. and with dis-~-
tributing bribe money to other CON-
men.
A paragraph of the presentmeh that
was added at the last moment declared
that former Councilman Jacob SofYal re-