The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-07-27
NINE OFFICIALS IN
DETROIT HELD
FOR BRIBERY
Trapped BY Detective Who
Posed as Wabash Official
VOTED TO CLOSE STREET
Alderman Thomas Gilman Has
Confessed That He Took Bride
OF $1,000.

dermen and the secretary OF the com
mon council committee in this city,
were placed under arrest yesterday
on charges of accepting brides and
conspiracy to accept bride for their
votes and influence in the passing OF
a measure affecting city property re-
Gently transferred to the Wabash
railroad. At least six other arrests
of aldermen are expected 1t is al
legged that $1,000 passed in brides, in
sums of from 800 to $1,000. The
bribery was consummated and the
arrests accomplished under the per-
sona supervision Of Detective WIZ
liam J Burns.
The officials already arrested are;
Thomas Gilman, president oil the
council, who is alleged to have re-
ceived $1,000; f. K. Schreiter, Jr.'
secretary of council committee ana
also secretary of the American
league of municipalities, who is
charged with conspiracy to bride and
agreeing to accept $500; Alderman
Joseph l.. Theison, said to have ac'
cepted $500; Alderman Martin j. Us,
trowski. alleged to have received
5000; Alderman Patrick O'Brien, said
to have received 5000; Alderman
Louis Tossy. said to have received
5000; Alderman Frank j Mason, Al
derman Louis Brozo and Alderman
Deimel. the last three being charged
with accepting 800 each.
Alderman Gilman has long been
known in city policies as Honest
Tom. When arrested yesterday, it is
said. he turned over $1,000 and made
a complete confession. Schreiter'
who. it is claimed by the authorities,
engineered the affair, was arrested
in his office. He had not received
any money. but the officers claim that
he went TO the office with the detec-
tives, who were acting under the
guise of Wabash railroad officials, to
Get his money and discovered the Of
ficers who had just arrested GIN
nan. 1t is said he also madesa state
ment TO the officers. The detectives
claim that they have caught their
men, not only with marked money,
but by telephone testimony ana
photographic record.
The investigation which eliminated
in the arrests yesterday has been
going on since February, when ru-
mors of graft in the councilmanic
body began to assume serious pro
portions. Mayor William b Thomp-
son sought the services OF detectives,
and Andrew II. Green, a prominent
manufacturer, agreed to finance the
probe. Soon after the investigation
was begun the Wabash railroad APP
piled for the closing of Detroit
street. on the ground that it wanted
to erect a warehouse and otherwise
increase its shipping facilities. The
application was held up in the coun-
cil for a time Then suddenly the
council granted the application by
vote of several members who had
previously opposed the measure.
Meanwhile the Burns operative,
who represented himself to be a land
agent for the Wabash. had been at
work. He had entered, according to
the charges. into negotiations with
the secretary of the common council
committees. Eventually it was decid-
ed, IL is alleged, that several who
had been opposing the street mea-
sure would withdraw their opposi-
ton for 500 each. Some Of the al
dermen. however. are said to have
held out for more. II was then
agreed that different amounts would,
if necessary, be allowable and Thurs
day the aldermen began to draw their
money. The last person to receive his
share. it is declared, was Gilman.
This is the first exposure of its kind
that has ever been made in the com
mon council of Detroit The arrest
of Tom Gilman, the council leader, Is
most commented upon IL is said
that he has already filed his petitions
for mayor in the fall election.