The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-01-22
Mayor Plat Favors Big Exhibition by
All Those Who Have Been
Guilty of Traffic in
Votes.
THE CITY ATTORNEY
Rumor That He Had Confessed.
Spread CONSERVATION over the
County Until He
Denied it.

TGate City Leased Wire Service1
DANyIl4LE. H., Jan 21--Mayor
Louis Plat. whose election is under
investigation by the grand Jury that
is trying to break up vote buying and
selling here in Uncle Joe Cannons
baliwick, tonight came out heartily in
favor of an exhibition at which
vote buyers and sellers. worked up
to a fever by reform speeches might
get up and make a clean breast of the
, manner in which the ballot had been
dragged through tho mire of corrup-
! tion in Nermillion county
Platt suggests that all buyers and
sellers of votes should go before the
grand jury and make a clean breast.
I suffer disfranchisenlent for a time.
I and become better citizens in the fu-
i ture
II believe the grand jury is on the
I right tack,. he said, and thorough
cleaning up means purer politics. Al
4 so, he added significantly, 1T means
i less expense to the candidates. There
is no one who likes to spend a lot of
money when it is not necessary, espe-
cially when he knows lie is violating
the law. OF course do not know
where all the money that was con-
j tributed went--but ! have my own
a ideas. Personally, could not say that
a single vote has been bought with it,
! 1t was given to men 10 assist in my
campaign, and by them, and IL it was
, dist ribnted at all Was aistriplted
!. where it did the most good
The days developments in the elec-
tion frauds scandal were OF the hair
J raising. sensational order Early in
: tue day. there was CONSERVATION ov-
er the report that City Attorney
Frank Jones had confessed that he
had bought votes at the recent cleo
ton. The city attorney entered an
} emphatic denial OF the Confession"
! saying he not only had not confessed
but that he had had nothing TO do
with the vote buying. Jones admitted
q that he thought he knew enough TO
make things. migaty unpleasant for
{ Tillion county.
: Jones said he did moi believe II pos
r sible for any candidate ior any office
t high or low, IN Danyiile. OF Nermillion
). county TO be elected without the use
d OF large sums Of MONEY. He thou2h,
a the average cost Of an election to
. office ranged IRON 5000 TO $1,000
II Il have no perEonal kaoE.ledge OF
vote buying and selling tbai would be
d Evidence said Jones 10 United
:. Press reporter tonight but think
IS | can tell the Grand jury s'ifficient 10
bring forth some Interesting develop
ments.
It is common rtnSor in political
n circles here, lie continued that the
price CT votes early on election day
was from one, 10 Two dollars AT noon
i the prices usually jumped TO three
dollars, md late IN the afternoon, II
the election promised 10 be close,
e the price jumped to Eve dollars.
Precinct captains. it is reported
e are sold at So ward captains $50
and presincr lieutenants usually
U bring from s1a TO ,25 each.
: The system used at election. IN
), derstand ic such hat the man who
: handles the money never sees the
> man to whom the money is paid, sc
= that the buyer and seller could not
- - swear that money was passed be
tween them
- The grand jury took the initia
i, steps in the vote scandal while in
:, yestigating the defaicstions OF ev
20 County Treasurer Whitlock, who l,
said to have spent immense sums o
# the county's money in vote buying
Just before each election. The wit
nesses called iii the Whitlock cas-.
We're questioned as to their knowl
no edge OF where the money went, bu
- the real work of Investigating TIL,
IA bribery scandals will not begin unit
~ Monday when the inqrisitorlal bod.
,.s reconvenes.
be Foreman woodward the leader o
a the grand jury David iarum kin
in of banker from the country, with
lis deep insight into human nature an
- of uniInpeachable integrity, says Ii,
he tie, but he intinates that the gran
lly jury intends to probe vote buying (
nd the very bottom of the mess. an
{. that nothing will prevent the return
as ing OF hundreds of indictments If til
eyidence warrants them.
b