The Harrison times., 1917-03-03
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
retary of State.
Little Rock.

l1lNllN lAONhs
Circuit Judge Robert ]. 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
noned in court before taking up the
cases fled with them and instructed
by Judge Lea to make thorough in
vestigation of all charges filed with
The jury alleging corruption in the
Legislature.
II has been known for some time
hat two of the best known detectives,
members of the Burns Detective Agen-
~ Of New York, were in Little Rock
quietly investigating certain bills
pending in the Legislature. Senators
Sims and Burgess, were released fror:
custody on $4,000 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. X. Tunnah, A. Brizzolari, c. J. Crit
fifth, V. NJ. Pixley, o. L. Enloe, L. ].
Baer Mark Valentine, Sam Hender-
son, Thomas Steele, Ike Kempner, Jc-
yeph Jung, M. J. Ringlehaupt, Kramer
Oarragh 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 Sc
cure support against bill introduced
n the Senate by Senator Burgess
which would place a tax Of 800 ye
On firms using trading stamps or cou-
pons.
The two Senate bills relating ~
.rading stamps and coupons, which
are declared by the police to be III
yolved in the bribery charge against
Senator Burgess and Senators Siids
ire not in possession of the secretary
IT the Senate, Ira c. Langley.
The secretary, who is required tn
keep all bills in his possession, else
nave receipts showing to whom they
we're given, searched for Senate biN
No. 252 and Senate bill No, 302, borh
W Senator Burgess and both relating
trading stamps. Neither could be
'ound.
There is no record OF what became
If Senate bill No. 252, No receipt IS
possession Of the secretary and the
bill could not be found in his files.
The other bill, declared bv the po-
ice to be the one for which the al
eyed bribery was attempted when the
wO senators were arrested. was CIV
m to Senator Sims few minutes be-
ore 4 o'clock Friday afternoon, ac-
oording to a receipt held by Secre-
ary Langley. of the Senate,
Senator Sims is chairman Of the
0ommittee on Public Service Corro-
"ations, TO which both the trading
lamp bill which referred for recon-
nendation as to whether they should I
PASS.
On February 20. Senator Sims, act
'ng for the Committee on Public Ser
ice Corporations. returned Senate
9ill No. 252, PROHIBITING the use in AT
ansas OF any kind OF coupons or trad
7g stamps with a recommendation
net the bill "do not pass"
On February 23 Friday at $3.50
'clock Senator Sims, acting for the
Committee on Public Service Corpc-
,otions, returned Senate Bill No 302,
With a recommendation that 1t do
'ot pass"
Senator Burgess introduced his
1rst bill, prohibiting use OF trading
tamps, 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 4
troduced Senate Bill No. 302, fixing -
tax Of 800 on every merchant using
trading stamps or coupons. This bill
was read twice and referred the same
day to the Committee on Public Seq
vice Corporations. Senators Sims, az
chairman, returned the committee re-
port Friday afternoon.