Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-02-16
INDICTMENTS ARE KEPT SECRET
Gross Comes Voluntarily. to Court
and Furnishes Bond.
TRIAL AT THIS TERM OF COURT
Two Counts Contained in Charge
Preferred in the Case.
RESULT OF KEMMERLING AFFAIR
Four Indictments In All Returned,
One of which Lies Against
barber, who IL Accused of
Wife Abandonment.

Arthur w Gross. former claim agent
and assistant attorney for the street rail-
day company. was indicted for juror brib-
cry by the. Douglas county grand jury al
noon yesterday. The Indictment Is the re-
suit OF exposures Of alleged bribery Of
John A. Kemmerling, a contracting
mason, In October. 1870 when Kemmer-
ling was serving on a petit jury In the
personal damage suit OF Mrs. F. NJ West
against the street railway company.
The indictment against Gross and three
other indictments were presented to Judge
Abraham L. Sutton OF the district court
at noon. All Information regarding all the
indictments was withheld from the press
by Judge sutton. Clerk of the District
SQUIRT Robert Smith, members Of the
grand Jury and Deputy County Attorney
Magney and Special Assisting Attorney
Charles A. Goss
Though he entertained no fear that
Gross might flee upon learning that he
had been indicted. Judge Sutton thought
IT would be as well to follow the custom
OF keeping secret all indictments until ar
rests OF the indicted persons.
Warrants Prepared.
Warrants for arrests Of the persons
named in the indictments we're prepared
in the office Of the clerk OF the district
court and delivered TO the sherifrs office.
At o'clock Chief Deputy Sheriff w. A.
Foster teiephoned to Gross at the street
railway company's general offices, notI.
fled him of his indictment and asked him
TO come before Judge Sutton Immediately.
Gross appeared before Judge Sutton at
40 He was accompanied by Attorney W.
+. Guriey. whom he had employed to
represent and defend him. Frank HamIl-
ton. vice president OF the street railway
company. and W. A. Smith. second vice
president and general manager. z
Gross waived service Of warrant for
arrest and was admitted to bah IN the
sum OF tgeoo, furnished by Hamilton and
Smith.
Gross VIII DO tried sans time dvrihx
the present term OF eodfE probably within
six weeks. IN
The Indictment against Gross contains
two accounts, the first charging offering
of a bribe to Juror Kemmerling and the
second, paying him bribe OF 8. For
each Of these crimes the penalty is one
to five years in the ipenltentiary. but
when a-defendsnt is Convicted on both
counts II Is customary for the sentences
to be made TO run concurren4ly.
The Kemrnerling bribery exposure was
the result Of an erroneous telephone call
After the jury In the West case had dis
agreed someone telephoned to Attorney
Charles A. Goss and told him Juror KEN
merling wanted the rest Of his money
so he could get out OF town. What the
man said was enough to arouse Goss
suspicious and he continued the conver-
sation long enough to learn that Kem--
merling expected so. He said he would
take him the money. Goss then telephoned
II. c. Bronze, counsel for Mrs. West,
Bronze furnished Goss so and Goss de-
livered the money to Kemmerling. taking
his receipt for the amount
The matter was laid before Judge w. A.
Redick. before whom the West case had
been tried. He issued capias for Kem-
merling. Kemmerling was spirited to
Council Bluffs and hid there for ten days.
He says this was done by employees of
the street railway company. He came into
court. gave himself up and was tried and
convicted for contempt of court He was
sent to the county Jail for three months
and fined. Gross was tried for contempt
Of court by Judge Redek and the charge
dismissed by the court.
Kemmerling's Confession.
Subsequently Kemmerling made a con
fession duplicating Gross. He said his
friend meant to telephone to Gross. but
misread the telephone directory and got
Charles A. Goss on the wire
The Omaha Bar association appointed a
to investigate the matters con-
tained in Kemsneriings confession and
other matters In connection with alleged
bribery OF Jurors by the street railway
company. The committee was instructed
to start proceedings to oust the company
from the state II IT should think such ac-
ton advisable. The COMMITTEES eompro-
missed with the company. The company
Gross and the committee rec
commended that no further action be
taken unless the company should fail to
keep promise TO see that there should
be no juror bribery in the future The bar
concurred in the committees
report.
This . an outrage. but am not wor-
ried." said Mr.. Gross. Il will be entirely
yindlested as soon as am given a trial
and will ask that | have hearing at
the earliest time that a t1aI can be ar
ranged. l have nothing to fear. This Is
the result OF activities OF certain lawyers
who seek to make trouble for me and my
employers. when there are no facts To
warrant such action. Before jury 1 will
be yindicated, because | viii have an
opportunity TO defend myself. which op-
portunity ! have not had before the
grand jury"
PRICE OF ARTIFICIAL