Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1902 — BRIBERY FOULS ST. LOUIS. [ARTICLE]

BRIBERY FOULS ST. LOUIS.

Grand Jury Brand* City Connell with Charge of Infamy. < Charges that startled St Louis were made by the February grand jury, which haa been investigating bribery and official corruption in the Municipal Assembly, in its final report to Judge O’Neill Ryan. In this report a system of bribery and corruption, the extent of astounds St. Lopis, is laid bare. Members of the House of Delegates are charged with being of the lowest order of intelligence, some without moral sense or ordinary reasoning power, some combining a perverted sense of morality with the lowest form of cunning, groveling instincts, and sordid desires. The report cites instance after instance Of huge bribes given and offered almost without effort at concealment by the agenda of corporations, especially street car companies, for the purpose of securing franchises. Men high in corporation circles <of the city, directors of street railroad companies, men who are financial leaders, the jury says, have freely put up money knowing It was to be used to purchase franchises, and while some of these men are beyond the reach of the law because the evidence is insufficient to convict in a trial court, yet they are “morally convicted and damned.” The report declares but a small proportion of those who deserve to wear felon’s stripes have been Indicted.

Three indictments already made public were returned. They were: Bribery, Robert M. Snyder; attempted bribery, Edward Butler; perjury, George J. Kobusch. More indictments were found, but they have not yet been made public, and many high street railway men, politicians and members of the House of Delegates are shivering with apprehension. The report declares the people of St. Louis have but a vague conception of the extent to which corruption and veniallty have existed among the sworn officers and public servants for the last Yen years. It says the conditions existing* now are almost too appalling for belief. It says the evidence given showed that one city official openly boasted that he made $25,000 a year out of an office with a S3OO salary attached. Another officer agreed to do an official act for $75,000 and afterwards, when approached by a rival corporation, he accepted SIOO,OOO to do the opposite of that which he agreed to do for $75,000. One legislator received $50,000 for his vote in favor of a franchise, then returned the money, hoping to force /the company to give him more, and was finally-towed to accept $5,000 as his share of the corruption fund. As a remedy for the present conditions tn the Municipal Assembly the grand jury suggests that the members be chosen by the city at laffee. The payment of liberal salaries is advocated in order that honest men can afford to serve the city in the Assembly.