The Green Forest tribune., 1917-03-02
GRAND JURY TAXES
 UP BRIBERY CASES
JUDGE LEA CONFINES SPECIAL SESSION AT LITTLE ROCK TO
 INVESTIGATE CHARGES.
SENATE BILLS ARE MISSING
Measures Relating To Trading Stamps and Coupons, Basis of Charges, Are Not in Possession of the Sec
 retary of State.
Little Rock

Little Rock
 Circuit Judge Robert J. Lea conven- ed the Pulaski County grand jury in special session to Investigate charges of bribery lodged against Senators Burgess and Sims. The jury was sum- moned in court before taking up the cases filed with them and instructed by Judge Lea to make thorough ln- vestigation of all charges filed with the jury alleging corruption in the Legislature.
 It has been known for some time that two of the best known detectives, members of the Burns Detective Agen- cy of New York, were in Little Rock quietly Investigating certain bills pending in the Legislature. Senators Sims and Burgess, were released from custody on S10,000 bonds.
 The grand jury conducting the in- vestigation is composed of c. P. Per rie, vice president of the Union Trust Company, as foreman; c. J. Lincoln, J. K. Tunnah, A. Brizzolari c. J, Grif- filth, V. M. Pixley, o. L. Enloe, L. J. Baer, Mark Valentine, Sam Tender son, Thomas Steele, Ike Kempner, Jo- seph Jung, M. J. Ringlehaupt, Kramer Darragh and John T. Ginnocchio.
 Police say they saw the two sena- tors accept packages containing $1,000 each when the arrest was made in dark alley in the downtown business district of Little Rock. The money was given, the police charge, to se- cure support against bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Burgess which would place tax of $100 year on firms using trading stamps or cou- pons
 The two Senate bills relating to trading stamps and coupons, which are declared by the police to be h. vo1ved in the bribery charge against Senator Burgess and Senators Sims are not in possession of the secretary of the Senate, Ira c. Langley.
 The secretary, who is required to keep all bills in his possession, else have receipts showing to whom they were given, searched for Senate bill No. 252 and Senate bill No. 302, both by Senator Burgess and both relating to trading stamps. Neither could be found
 There is no record of what became of Senate bill No. 252. No receipt is in possession of the secretary and the bill could not be found in his files.
 1,Irf ho lice to be the one for which the al leged bribery was attempted when the TWO senators were arrested was giv- nn to Senator Sims a few minutes be- fore o'clock Friday afternoon, ac- oording to a receipt held by Secre- ary Langley, of the Senate.
 Senator Sims is chairman of the Committee on Public Service Corpo- .ations, to which both the trading ;tamp bill which referred for recom- mendation as to whether they should pass.
 On February 20, Senator Sims, act ing for the Committee on Public Ser vice Corporations. returned Senate Bill No. 252, prohibiting the use in Ar lsansas of any kind of coupons or trad ng stamps with a recommendation hat the bill "do not pass"
 On February. 23 Friday at 3:30 aclock Senator Sims, acting for the Committee on Public Service Corpo- rations, returned Senate Bill No. BOP, with recommendation that it do =ot pass"
 Senator Burgess introduced his frst bill, prohibiting use of trading stamps, and coupons in the state, on February 8. The bill was read twice and referred to the Public Service Corporation Committee. On February 20 the committee returned an unfav- orable report.
 On February 16 Senator Burgess in- troduced Senate Bill No. BOP, fixing a tax of S100 on every merchant using trading stamps or coupons. This bill was read twice and referred the same day to the Committee on Public Ser vice Corporations. Senators Sims, as chairman, returned the committee re- port Friday afternoon.