The Monticellonian., 1917-03-01
GRAND JURY TAKES
UP BRIBERY CASES.
JUDGE LEA coNVENes 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
rotary 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 a thorough in
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 $4,000 bonds.
The grand jury conducting the in
vestigaton is composed of C. P Per
RE, vice president of the Union Trust
Company, as foreman; c. J. Lincoln,
j. K Tunnah. A. Brizzolari, C. ]. Crit
fifth. v NJ Pixley, o. L. Enloe, l.. ].
son. Thomas Steele. Ike Kempner, Jo-
seph Jung. NJ. J. Ringlehaupt Kramer
Darragh and John T. Ginnocchio.
Police say they saw the two sena-
tors accept packages containing 1000
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 Sc
cure support against a bill introduced
in the Senate by Senator Burgess
which would place tax of 800 year
on firms using trading stamps or cou-
pons
The two Senate bills relating 20
trading stamps and coupons, which
are declared by the police to be in
volved 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
we're given, searched for Senate bill
| No 252 and Senate bill No. 302. both
| hv 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 ia
in possession of the secretary and the
bill could not be found in his files.
The other bill declared by the po
| VI. 81, ion tl,o OF
eyed bribery was attempted when the
two senators were arrested, was Civ
on to Senator Sims a few minutes be-
'ore 4 o'clock Friday afternoon. ac-
| oGrdiag to a receipt held by Seere-
-ary Langley, of the Senate
Senator Sims is chairman of the
Committee on Public Service CorPo-
eations, TO which both the trading
lamp bill which referred for recon-
nendation as to whether they should
pass.
On February 20, Senator Sims. act
ing for the Committee on Public Ser
vice Corporations, returned Senate
pill No 252, prohibiting the use in Ar
'-ansas of any kind of coupons or trad
ng stamps with a recommendation
hat the bill do not pass"
On February % Friday at $3.50
o'clock Senator Sims. acting for the
Committee on Public Service Corpo-
atoms, returned Senate Bill No 302.
With a recommendation that 1t do
OF pass"
Senator Burgess introduced his
9rst bill, prohibiting use of trading
stamps, and coupons in the state, on
February s. 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 Is Senator Burgess in
troduced Senate Bill No. 800, fixing a
tax of 500 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.