Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1911-09-08
D|EGLE FINALLY TALKS
MAKES STATEMENT TO PROSE.
cuToR's REPRESENTATIVE.
Convicted Ohio Man Uncovers Trails
of crookedness and Supplies
Many Missing Leads.

Cleveland, O.-Rodney j. Diegle has
broken his long silence. The con-
victed sergeant alarms of the Ohio
senate has told his story, sickening in
many of its details, of trail of bri'
berry and graft which leads to the
doors of many members of the Ohio
general assembly. 1t is a story eX'
tending from the offices and places OF
business of the successful lawyer,
manufacturer and merchant, to the
low dives and brothels of Columbus.
The story, however, has not satisfied
the prosecutors Of the bribery investi
cation. Prosecuting Attorney Turner
| and Attorney General Hogan insist
| Diegle knows more than he has re
vealed. Diegle told his story in the
hope of securing immunity from the
penitentiary sentence now hanging
over his head. Immunity will not be
granted on the story so far recounted
Diegle took five days in which to de.
velop his statement and come to the
final conclusion that he had told
| everything he knew and everything
he would ever tell about the corrup
ton in the general assembly.
From theh outset the senate officer in
| sisted he would not tell anything that
had transpired between him and the
senators Jointly indicted on the Whit
temore insurance bill. Before doing
| this he said he would pull his tongue
out by the roots or go to the peni
tentiary to remain the rest of his life.
| The story that Diegle did tell, how
ever is shocking. There is available
for the use of the prosecutors the
inside and intimate details of how
certain lobbyists and a coterie Of
members of both branches of the as.
sembly determined the course to be
followed on important legislative mat
ters during wild debaunches, the most
of which ended in houses of such a
character that to be seen there meant
a tarnished reputation.
1t is story of professional men OF
standing in Ohio, representatives OF
| business interests, and politicians at
tempting to arouse the spirit of ven,
ality in the breasts of legislators. Fail,
ing in efforts which Diegle says were
| W Duy lucllUClo VI lnc
bly,, the lobbyists in question sought
to exert influence or some of the leg.
islators through women of easy vir.
tue, aided by an unlimited supply OF
| liquor. In his recital of the depravity
reached by some members during the
session the senate officer gives names
both of members and lobbyists and
particularizes on incidents. The leg
islation on account of which these
methods were employed is given in
the Diegle story. The unfolding OF
the story before the approaching ses.
sion of the Franklin county grand
| jury and later in the courts will wreck
regulations and bring sorrow to many
homes, even should the lobbyists and
members in question, by hook OF
crook escape long sentences in states
prison. Part of the sordid tale as re-
vealed by Diegle was told at Sandusky
and the rest at Detroit, Mt. Clemens
Mich, and Cleveland. For nearly two
days of the time Diegle was volun
tary prisoner in a room on the top
floor of The Hollenden here. His story
was told in the presence of news
paper acquaintance and of a repre-
sentative of the state. The result OF
the recital was laid before the state
prosecutors September 8 at Columbus
The prosecutors refused to deal with
Diegle or to see him unless he agreed
to go into more detail concerning at
tempted corruption in five or six OF
the biggest bills before the assembly
Representatives of an indicted mem
ber of Ohio legislature are attempting
negotiations with the state prosecutors
looking forward toward a complete
and detailed statement of the bribery
and corruption during the recent as
sembly session. This important de
velopment became known following
the statement of Rodney j. Diegle
convicted sergeant-at-arms of the sen
ate, in which is detailed his story o.
the bribery transactions. The mem
ber seeking to escape states prison
offers to furnish confession which
will implicate, as the proposition has
been presented, at least Is people.