Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1887 — THE WESTERN STATES. [ARTICLE]

THE WESTERN STATES.

News comes by telegraph from New Mexico of a terrible accident on the Atlantic and Pacific Road. As a freight train was approaching Franconia Station, tho engine plunged at full speed into an arrova, the bridge over which had burned. Tho freight cars piled up on top of the engine, making a terrible wreck. A fireman named Sparks was instantly killed; J. T. Reilly, engineer, and George Gibson, brakeman, wero fatally injured. Twenty-two cars, with their contents, and one of the finest engines on the road are a total wreck, involving a loss to the company of $90,000. A WKECK on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad near York, Ind., caused by a switch being opened, it is supposed by design, resulted in the loss of several lives. Feed W. Eifpeb, well known as the county meat contractor, is the most important witness yet produced in the omnibus boodle trial, says a Chicago dispatch of Wednesday. According to this witness he— Repeatedly paid money for corrupt purposes to ex-Commissioners Ochs, Van Pelt, 'Leyden, Wasserman, Lynn, Hannigan, Niesen, Leach, Kowiner, Clark, Kheinwald, Ender, Albright, and Patrick McCarthy. He began the business In 1860 and kept it up every year until last December. Of those now constituting the Board he bribed Klehm, Geils, F. A. MacDonald, McClanghry, Leyden and Wren. He paid Leyden $11,200 forhimso.f and six other Commissioners in December, 1885, as compensation for voting the milk contracts to Kolze and Keo & Chapoll, the meat coutraot to himself, and tho bread contrat to Heissler & Junge. The shameless rascal told how he bribed one of the sneakthief Commissioners with S2OO to secure a $1,203 per annum job for a petty offleeoeeker, and how ho bribed another corrupt official with S6OO to retain Dr. Bluthardt as County Physician. The greed of the official vultures was insatiable. Van Pelt insisted on getting SI,OOO one year for his vote, urging that he had been offered $2,000 by a rival contractor and threatening to take it. Patriok McCarthy urged as a reason for getting double the ‘bribe of his fellows during the seoond year of his service that ho got nothing tho first year. The whole story was sickening. Bipper’ seemed to take pleasure In the disgusting recital. The testimony of the grocery contractor, Elisha A. Robinson, was a fitting sequel to that of Bipper. This worthy said he was “brought into” the bribery business by Morris Wasserman, brother of ono of the indicted ex-commission-ers. He kept it up for three years. Abmoub & Co.’s beef-house at tho Chicago Stock Yards was destroyed by fire, with a loss of $300,000. A Chicago telegram of Thursday last says: Diterestiug and racy developments wero made again yesterday in the hoodlers’ trial. A number of persons testified to selling goods to the county and paying commissions to members of the gang. Several of the witnesses admitted that they cheated the county in their bills in order t? make up for the amounts given the -gaug. Henry C. Walker, a carriage manufacturer, swore that a bill presented tho couuty in his name and his . signature on the warrant issued in payment thoreof ■were forgeries. It ,is the universal impression in Chicago that the entire batch of indicted officials will be convicted and sent to the penitentiary. McGarigle is now believtd to have sailed from Chicago on the schooner E. R. Blake, which cleared suddenly from this port Saturday night, ostensibly for Kingston, Ontario. An interest in the schooner is owned by Dr. St. John, the friend of tho fugitive, who had a long conversation with him at the jail Saturday afternoon. A yacht is in pursuit of the E. R. Blake, which has not touched at any port since leaving Chicago.

The boodlers’ trial at Chicago reached a dramatic climax Friday aft?rnoon vhen Mr. Klehm, the Chairman of the present Board of Commissioners of Cook County, who was also Chairman of. last year’s Board, arose and confessed his guilt. Mr. Klehm throws himself on the mercy of the Court, preferring to take his chances on a plea of guilty and a sentence of punishment fixed by the Judge to a plea of not guilty and a jury verdict fixing tne penalty. Says a Chicago dispatch: The testimony for the State was all in. “As far as we Know now, the State rests,” said Mr. GrinnelL “There may be some trifling points we don’t think of now, and wo would therefore reserve our right to put them in before the defense opens. ” “All right, Mr. Grinnell,” said the Court “We shall adjourn until 10 a. m. Monday. ” Whereupon the sensation of the trial occurred. “I desire to change my plea from not guilty to guilty, your. Honor,” said Mr. Klehm. “Are you aware what will be the offect of such a change?” inquired the Judge. “I am, and ask permission to change my plea to that of guJty.” “It is my duty,” said Judgo Jamieson, “to explain it to you. Your indiqgment is based on two sections of the Criminal Cotie: Sea 40 of the general act of 1874, and also Sec. 1 of the act of 1877. Now, if you plead guilty and the State’s Attorney should elect to find under Sec. 46 I may imprison you in tho penitentiary not exceeding three years, or fine you not exceeding SI,OOO. If under the other section, I may impose a lino of not less than SIOO nor more than $5,010, and in addition imprison you either in the penitentiary or County Jail for any period hot exceeding two years. Now, having had the effect of such action expla'ued to you, do you still desire to change your plea?” “I have fully considered tho matter, your Honor, ” replied Mr. Klehm, “and trust to the clemency of the court” “Mr. Furthmann has examined Mr. Klehm’s present bond,” said the State’s Attorney, “and we find it sufficient” “You may go, Mr. Klehm,” said the Judge. A llichmond (IncL) special says that as

Joseph Rich, a farmer, aged 30, his wife, their 18-moaths-old babe, and his wife’s mother, Mrs. Hannah Newcomb, aged 53, were returning home from town their carriage was struck by a Pan-Handle train. Mr. Rich, Mrs. Newcomb, and the babe were instantly killed, all three being horribly mangled. Mrs. Rich escaped with serious injuries, but will recover. * Meageb reports have been received of a disastrous tornado that passed over tho town of David City, Neb. One man was killed and over half the buildings in the town demolisheJ, including the Union Pacific and Burlington and Missouri depots, a large brick schoolhouse, the Methodist and Congregational churches, a foundry, a brick hotel in course of construction, two elevators, several stores, and many dwellings. The damage is estimated at $200,000. Senatob Lei.and Stanfobd owned up to the Pacific Railway Investigating Commission at San Francisco that his individual holdings in the Southern Pacific amounted to #32,000,000. And yet the same Stanford has the infinite gall to demand that he and hie associates shall not be compelled to pay their debts to the Government