Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-22
But the Buyer Is Exempted Un-
der the Illinois Law.
DISCLOSURES IN DANVILLE
Charges Before the Grand Jury I'm
plicate $500 Residents.
POLITICIANS AS WITNESSES
Rigid Inquiry to Be Made-Cam-
paign Managers Said to- Be
Anxious to Testify.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DANVILLE, Ill. January 21.-The
grand jury SNOWFALL. rolling down the
long hill of vermillion county political
corruption, with the certainty of smother
ing $500 voters at the bottom, gained
tremendous impetus today. a score of
big politicians, present and former office
holders. sent word to Foreman Isaac
woodward that they We're ready to give
details of wholesale vote selling If they
were subpoenaed. Some of the campaign
managers even have detailed lists Of vote
sellers in their precincts and the amounts
paid them.
Two startling developments In the
franchise-scandal probe are responsible
for the desire of the political Offenders
10 flock TO the grand jury confessional.
Vote Buyers Exempted.
Judge L. r. Kimbrough. who started
the investigation after consulting the
keenest lawyers OF eastern Illinois, Is
ready TO declare unconstitutional that sec
tion Of the special election law which
stamps vote buying as crime This
means no indictments for the big men in
politics iii this district. 1t leaves them
with no excuse for not telling what they
know.
The second spur consists of whispers of
a rough handling which several rich men
received Friday at the hands of the grand
jury. After they had told of their hard
luck as bondsmen for eX-Treasurer Hardy
ii. Whitiock they We're asked about the
vote trafflc. Their memories 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
Politicians Summoned Next.
Then the grand jury took immediate
steps to fortify itself by calling the big
politicians.
The fact that Judge kimbrough is
ready to declare the vote-buying law un-
constitutional was learned today from one
OF the attorneys whom the court called
into secret confereAce The principle
raised Is neat one and of interest to the
entire state. The state election law and
the state primary law make vote selling
q crime. but say nothing about vote buy
ing. The Springfield wise men passed
what is known as the special election act
for towns and villages. which provides
for election commissions and makes vote
buying crime against the state of I'LL
nois. This act has been adopted for the
City of Danville by ordinance.
Judge Kimbrough pointed out that it was
unconstitutional for the legislature to de-
clare an act a crime against the state in
one part of the state when it was not q
crime in another part.
Judge Ready to Instruct.
Judge Kimbrough is said to be ready to
instruct the grand jury to disregard vote
buying indictments. He will send to Jail
for contempt any politician who refuses
to testify on the ground that he might in
criminate himself Thus the bars are
down and the political managers are
ready to take the low hurdle
The first rumor of the day was that
City Attorney Frank w. Jones, one of
the campaign managers of Sheriff John
7. Shepard, had confessed. Mr.. Jones
modified this rumor somewhat by say
ing:
II have not confessed; don't like
that word. but l am ready to tell what
i know IL the grand jury sees fit to
subpoena me. i have list of the men
who did the campaign work in my
part of Danville. and l will show 1t to
the grand jury if that body desires.
Some of these men will tell which
voters sold out.
No Trouble to Get Evidence.
"If the grand jury wants to get at
the bottom of this vote selling 1t
shouldg have no trouble in getting the
evidence. There are seven wards in
Danville and about twenty-elght pre-
cincts There are five or six men in
each precinct who should be called.
1.-The grand jury can have these names
for a little judicious asking"
SUIT AGAINST ]. P MORGAN.