The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-01-26
OANvilLE POLITICIANS EAGER
TO ESCAPE THE NET OF
GRAND JURY.
SELLERSSTANDTHE BRUNT
Sellers Must Stand Brunt Of Probe
Cannon's Son-in-law and Cam
paisn Manager In
Limelight.

DdnNllle, Ill. Inc grand jury
SNOWFALL rolling down the long hill OF
Vermillion county political corruption
with the certainty of smothering $500
voters at the bottom has gained ire
rlendous impetus. A score of tg pol.
iticians, present and former ~ofiicehold-
ers, sent word to Foreman Isaac
woodward hat they were ready to
give details OF wholesale vote selling
If they were subjoenaed. Some Of
the campaign managers even have de-
tailed lists of vote sellers in their
precincts and the amounts paid them.
Two startling developments in the
franchise scandal probe are RESPONSE
BILE for the desire Of the political Of
tenders TO flock to the grand jury con-
fessional.
Judge E. r. f. Kinbrough, who
started the investigation after consult
ing with the keenest lawyers of west
ern Illinois, is ready to declare I'M
constitutional that section of special
election law which stamps vote buy
Ing as a crime. This means no indict-
ments for the big men in politics in
Joe" Cannon's district. 1t leaves
them with no excuse for not telling
what they know.
Memory Fails Bankers.
The second development consists OF
whispers of the rough handling which
several rich Danville bankers received
at the hands of the grand jury. After
they had told of their hard luck as
bondsmen for eX-Treasurer Hardy II.
Whitlock, they were asked about vote
traffic. Their memories suddenly
failed.
You can go for today" Foreman
woodward said to the absent-minded
ones, but we will have you back
again next week. See to it that you
refresh your memories" Then the
grand jury took immediate steps to
fortify themselves by calling the I'M
derllngs of the big politicians. The
command to return with better men,
cries was particularly directed to e.
X. Leseure, son-in-law of Joseph G..
Cannon, his campaign manager and
president of the Danville National
bank. and to c. V. McClenathan, cash
Ter, of the anne bank. BY one of the
strange tangles of Vermillion county
politics, McClenathan, despite his close
Cannon business connections, was
made campaign manager for William
l.. Cundiff, whom the Democrats nomi-
mated to fight at the November eiec-
tons for Cannon's seat in congress.
It is said to have been an expensive
campaign and Cundiff polled 1880
votes to Cannon's 1856.
Light Flashed on Democrats.
Mr.. McClenathan, according to the
wire from the grand jury
room, was asked who handled the Cum
diff money. He could not remember.
He will be recalled after the grand
jury hears from certain lesser man
ayers to whom the funds are said to
have been passed.
A sidelight on this particular politi-
cal tangle lies in a Christmas present
of a fine automobile which McClenath-
an received from Mr.. Leseure, Can
mons son-in-law, last Yuletime. 1t
was given ''for long and faithful SER
vice in the bank" The fact that Nc
Clenathan was the campaign manager
for Joe" Cannon's only rival made
the automobile gift the town joke.
Threat to Jail Politicians.
Judge Kinbrough will send TO Jail
for contempt any politician who refus-
es to testify on the ground that he
might incriminate himself. Thus the
bars are down for good and the polit-
ical managers are ready to take the
low hurdles.
There was Consideration in West.
vile, a mining town of 5000 near Dan.
vile, when it was learned that Pete,
Sanichas, a rich merchant and pol.
tician of Danville, was ready to tel
the grand jury all he knew about vote
selling.