Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-02-01
CITY IS
FREED FROM RULE
OF KUEHNLE
Romantic Career of Boss and
Philanthropist Terminated
With Sentence of One Year
in Prison.


Atlantic City, n. J.. Fob when
Louis Kuehnle, undispnted ruler OF
this city and county for 20 years--po-
litical despot, dictator 81 legislatures.
manner OF governors. friend of dive
keepers and business men. property
owner and banker, l,hilnnthrOplst, the
type OF the unsuitable and ruthless
boss. was sentenced to one year al
hard labor In The state prison and
to pay q Emo OF 81 coo. besides the
cost Of the prosecution every stratum
.Of society IN Atlantic CITY and New
Jersey gasped. The impossible had
happened. This blow a, graft was
made possible By combination OF
circumstances, the election OF Wood
row Wilson as governor the persist
ent efforts OF the Atlan.ic City Re
view and the activity of a few de-
cent citizens
The charge against Kuehnle was
that as presient OF the city water
board he so manipulated the city con.
tract for a wood stave water main, to
cost S3l5,000. as 10 turn The profits
into his own pockets Along with
Kuehnle Eve others were sentenced.
Ia order to reach Kuehnle and his
men, so all embracing was his power.
the attorney general had To be sent
Into Atlantic county 10 conduct the
prosecutions. the regular prosecutor
being set aside. The sheriff was set
aside and finally a supreme Justice.
Justice Samuel Kallsch Of Newark
was appointed to the county to insure
a fair trial.
Pressure OF all kinds was brought
TO bear IN behalf OF Kuehnle. The
petition for clemency presented 10
Justice Kalisch was signed hv every
banker ia the city except two. BUST
ness men, realty owners. three Cath
ollie priests. Protestant ministers.
state senators. assembivmen and the
state commissioner OF labor. Where
man hesltated TO sign this petition
he was forced 20 do SO by banks by
covert threats against his credit.
II Is true that many signers were
moved by the acts OF Kindness of an
impersonal ana purely unselhsh ma
.tnre. whtca characterized the career
LOT the Atlantic Cts boss. He had
been known TO nay all the expenses o.
some poor invalid for months Tickets
home have been bought for thousands
OF stranded tourists BY the man who
had Just been branded as hoodler
kuehnle never paraded these little
acts an mercy, many OF which could
not be turned 10 his advantage polit-
lCaily .-.
Kuehnle came 10 Atlantic City
more than 80 years ego. He started "a
work as waiter IN one Of the hotels
The future boss was frugal aud put
his money in small investments lie
made good profits on these as the
struggling town Of Atlantic CRY grew
into the fashionable summer resort
In time he bought the hotel whore hc
FIRST worked as a waiter
This hotel became the headquarters
.of the politicians. Kuenule vas hos
pita5le and a good mlyer lie Eoor
made q large circle OF friends aIlone
the politicians and gradually Became
10 politician himself Once ~ politics
he turned II 10 business account lie
.organized a gas company, bought
stock in banks and other business
enterprises. As a boss Kuehnle was
known az an easy" boss. lie Ia said
TO have endorsed more paper than any
man In Atlantic City His friends
say that he has not as much money
now as when he started In politics.