The Nevada County picayune., 1917-03-08
MEADOR ACCUSED
 OF BRIBE OFFER
PULASKI COUNTY GRAND JURY INDicTS REPRESENTATIVE
 OF CLARK COUNTY.
TWO OTHERS ARE ACCUSED
Senator Burgess and Walker Powell of Little Rock Involved in Charge of Common Cons piracy
 Powell Makes Statement
Little Rock

Little Rock
 The Pulaski County grand jury, n it's final report submitted to Judge Lea. returned three indictments, one against Representative stephen Mead- or of Clark County, one against Sena- tor l. C. Burgess of Russllyille and one against Walker V Powell of this city The indictment against Mir Powell charges misdemeanor, Eaca of the indicted men was released on s1000 bond.
 Burgess and Powell are jointly charged with common conspiracy Q hold up" persons interested in tho sale of soft drinks through introdue- ton of a bill providing for heavy tax on the beverages. Common conspir- acy is a common law offense, punish able by s10O fine or Imprisonment i1 the county jail or both.
 Mcador who represents Clark Couns ty in the Legislature, IS charged With proposing 10 Claude Ringo Little Rock baseball enthusiast. that his sup port for the Sunday baseball bill nigHt be secured by lifting s100 nots which was about to fall due. Meador's defenan, fl was said, will be that the statement was made jocularly In reply 10 Mr Rngo's question, and that he had no intention of seeking moneY for his vote
 Powell and Burgess are charged with preparing bill to tax temper ance drinks and conspiring 10 secure bribes from local houses interested ih ther sale Henry Leiser of the Karchcr Gandv Company, alderman from the Second Ward. is said 10 have been inc principal witness in inc two cases agaiaat Powell and Burgess.
 Walker V Powell made the follow ing statement.
 'f am charged with conspiracy in connection with two Senate bills. the object of which was 10 levy tax on certain soft drinks. am charged with preparing these bills and giving them 10 Senator Burgess to introduce, 1nd thoH seeking to obtain employment "a defeat them.
 neither prepared nor had prepaf ed. nor eyer saH these bills. either be lore or after they were introduced neither befa3e nor after t.eir introduc- ton did n any shape or form dis "uss the bills with senator Burgess, except as I shall state later
 T did not know such b.lls were entered. except that read in the paper tha they had been introduced. was standing lH the lobby of the Ho tel Marion one afternoon when two parties. both strangers 10 mo. had me paead and. after finding ne stated heir business. saving thes Were about 10 be destroyed providing this heavy tax was levied on them. told them
 know nothing of thc bill in question, hut while We were talking Senator Bareeez walked out of the elevator and crossed the corridor, and hailed him and asked him about the bill, and he-aid fhat t was introduced for the purpose of providing retenue for the State of Arkansas and had been eu5- mitted to Governor Brough and ap proved hy Um after making n few mi nor changes l told the tive gentle mon that would make aa iavestiEa ton of the mater and see what tho chances were 10 kill tho bill. and they agreed to meet mo in the Hotel Ma rtou corridor af 7:3o o'clock that evening In tAe evening met them, according 10 appointment. and sus gestcd to them that tho bill might pos. sib}y be killed hy wearing fl out, as the sossi on of the Legislature WAS so far advanced. and suggested that the hrst thing to do would bo to have tho bill rtferred 10 a conmittcc i7 ordcr that theY might he heard They asked if would name the fee that I i would charge ta handle the bill for them. which l did These gentlemen ! said thorc were others interested in thts hul associates of theirs. and auc i gostcd that they meet mo at my of fee in tho S.ate Bank Building tAe i following morning, which they did
 The noXt morning they met mo in ! my office and ttold them that il would i. rot b" necessary for them 10 employ ! me ae Burg had b0cn arrested ar1 i. that Wou1 p,rhapr end the whole fhies
 This ts Fl tAa co0nee on | had [ with fho natter and weae hef3rr tHn E grand turF and explained il To 'hom I iH G,ta.I"
 Nov Rala Is III Aqar.