Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-01
Twenty Members of Legis-
Iature Charged With
Bribery.
DETECTIVES ACCUSE.
Claim to Have Handled Money
and Recorded Evidence by
Electricity.

Columbus. Ohio, May Members OF
the legislature arrived today earlier
than usual on Mondays. because Of the
charges made by detectives who have
been here for weeks secretly investi-
eating legislative bribery that they
have unearthed the worst scandal in
the history of the Ohio general assem-
bly,.
DETECTIVES BOUND OVER
F. S. Harrison Of New York, A. C.
Bailey and David Berry of Chicago, de
! tectives charged with bribery by mem
bers of the assembly, were arraigned
in police court today. Bailey and Har
rison were bound to the grand jury in
bonds Of $1,000 each, and Berry was
bound in the sum of $2.50O. Harrison
names four state senators with whom
he had dealings and to whom he paid
money
HAVE CAUGHT 20 MEMBERS.
Harrison said today: I'VE have 20
members of the Legislature caught in
| this scandal We have stenographic
copies of every word that passed be
tween US and the men involved. The
evidence was secured by means Of a
dictaphone. The dictaphone consisted
of a number of sensitive discs so con-
structed that sounds spoken in the
room could be carried so feet by means
of wires connected with an electric bat.
terry"
GRAND JURY TO ACT.
There will be no legislative investi-
/ CATION of the bribery charges, at least
! for the present. The investigation will
! be made by the Franklin county grand
jury This was decided today at a
I The reason is stated to be that this
method will prevent members under
suspicion from escaping through an
imm Gnity bath
DETECTIVES ARRESTED.
Columbus, Ohio, May Following
the arrest OF three detectives just
| after midnight Sunday morning on
charges of bribing DR.. George B. Nye.
representative from Pipe county, il
| is predicted that nearly 30 legislators
will be arrested on charges Of bribery
The evidence OF these charges will he
furnished. it is said, by the detectives.
Chicago and F. S. Harrison of New
York city, the three detectives arrest
ed early Sunday morning, we're re-
leased on $4,000 bonds each at
o'clock Sunday morning They were
each confined in separate cells at the
city prison until that hour, but none
of them would give any information,
except that the members of the legis-
lature, who had been arrested, had
acted too late. That the detectives
were all employed by the National
Manufacturers" association, working
under the direction of the William j.
Burns agency, is acknowledged, and
| their bond was furnished by G. J.
Pretzman, president OF the Columbus
chamber of commerce. local attorney
for that association.
ARRESTS FAKES.
Two hours after the arrests were
made it developed that the seizures
were fakes and that the men were
Burns detectives employed TO trap
bribe taking or bribe soliciting legisia-
tors
Sensational developments are prom
ised in quick succession within the
present week. The end of the affair.
il is predicted, will not be seen until
nearly a score OF legislators have been
arrested on charges Of bribery Pro
secutor Turner will get quick action
with the grand jury. II is expected
the countys inquiring body will be
called into session Monday.
TRAPPED BY DICTOPHONEs.
Dictophone records will be brought
into play by the three detectives. Ad-
vance plans called for the suppression
of this fact for several days. Derec-
tive Landacre, while in Harrison
room at the Chittenden, noticed some
telephone wires that did not seem to
be in place He followed the lead to
a dictophone covered up under a
couch
II further developed that Prosecutor
Turner had an official stenographer
seated at the end OF the line and a
mass Of evidence as a result is await
ing the action OF the Franklin county
grand jury.
That the bribery deals had many
ramihcations. including holding bills
in committee. against which Speaker
Vining and Lieutenant Governor Mich
OILS had protested strenuously time
after time. and recommitting bills
when on the calendar ready for pas
sage. Is charged. The motions 20 re
commit were made by legislators be-
lieved 10 have clean skirts and ere
ated not a little mystery in the minds
of close observers Of the proceedings.