Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1904 — FIXING THE PRICE OF A BILL [ARTICLE]

FIXING THE PRICE OF A BILL

Member* of the Combine Had Things on a Business Basis. Referring to the way it was decided how much to charge for any particular bill Gutke says: “The bribe prices were fixed iu meetings of the combine, tbe procedure being for some member to get up and move that a certain price be fixed on a certain bill. Other members would give their opinions and a vote would be taken nd the price receiving the highest number of votes would be adopted. “Then we would select an agent of the combine by ballot to negotiate for and receive tbe money. This agent would distribute the money amongst us. From my intimate knowledge of dealings with this combine, and from Information secured on wbat has been going on here for the last quarter of a century, I make the positive statement up for bribe money or bought official the city of St. Louis of $250,000 capital and over that has not either been held up ofr bribe money or bought oofflcial action from the combine In the house of delegates. “I acted as the agent of the combine in a number of these deals. In the suburban deal I went with Ivratz to Stock’s house and was present when the agreement wac made regarding the bribe of $60,000 for Ivratz. which is now in a lock box in the Mississippi Valley Trust company.” Gutke says that the boodle gang here is more powerful than the people of St Louis dream of, and has already planned to capture the circuit attorney’s offlee at the next election.