The St. Louis Republic. [volume], June 01, 1902, PART I, Image 1

About The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO

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f TO-DAY'S REPUBLIC
3 Ii Printed in Six Parts:
f Four News Sections, Comfa
Section and Magazine.
WORLD'S
1904
-b1 -A. X -to.
ST. LOUIS. MO., SUNDAY. TONE 1. 1902.
PEIOE FIVE CENTS. )
NINETY-FQUi&TH yeak.
rZIEGENHEIN TO BE SUED FOR MISAPPROPRIATED FUNDS.
TTS '-- i (rl.frSfsss-rt mB '
7 part.. I THE ST
1 I 1-4 PAGES. I - -f---f N- --
LOUIS R&ptnBLIC.
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AGAINST
Legal Proceedings Will Be Begun by Circnit Attorney Within Thirty
Days to Recover Interest on Public Funds Diverted to
the Hire of Clerks in Former Collector's Office.
ACCUSED MAKES A STATEMENT DEFENDING HIS COURSE.
1 i
I
.TTIlSSsssbi iHKb,'' HglssBssssBBBSBEBBBlRssta
UUE&QGriEfnMjjES&ES! ' rffflHfnyrry r'VrffiwifflrffiiMHKlllJMsfflMIOssssHsssssssB
FORMER MAYOR HENRY ZIEGENHEIN.
Accused by the Grand Jury of having appropriated Interest n publlo moneys to h!3
private account.
Circuit Attorney Folk -will Institute pro
ceedings In the civil court within thirty
days tinder the foregoing statute to recover
,,-vtheJntfrert on publlo moneys drawn by
xienryvrueEeriuein irom xne iusj cite xu&
i weiioi net ttbs toiiector or. oc uoiii-.. mo
?V amount drawn by Ziegenhein, as detailed la
thb.Grand Jury report, wu something- moro
than J1J,OO0, bat with Interest to dato would
be. bx the neighborhood of $3,000.
The Xaf&yotte Bank, whch paid the
Interest to Zleeenheln. -will bo involved la
-itt Mm Tti. -i. - tytat nn thA
t cs ..?i' ... , - ii.t. - vi..i.Hii.i.
'aifl tfiW HW "" tH US 11UU1V Ud .lftCAJCiJ.
r-V' . ,ilfenheln -was Collector from 1S3S to 1S38,
-when ho iras elected Mayor.
c la its report the Grand Jury states that
a srosscntion would have been brought
"asatest'Zlesrenheln, but It was barred by th
statute of limitations, which specifies that
.i. i ,..-i, ..i,.. vM-ht
slts Z. jss TwrthVcrini;
TS Dtatt ft death penally or life Imprison-
.1 vi.n)i n. In mu tttA Tirnn fn Ya nrosMruted
"V flee from the State.
,Jt the money Is recovered it wiil. in du J
' coun of law, bo turned over to the State. ,
v tTJi Ia does not specify to what purpos.
'It afcall bs put, but probably It would b
g devoted to educational purposes. It would
-' be disponed of in exactly the same manner
W WV iWI OTMJbU a 1U4WW1 MW
teapts in the Suburban bribery cases.
Ii?ieea not matter, Mr. Folk says, to
wha't'pttrpose the interest on the city's
moneys" waa put, the Collector bad no right
to draw it end. spend It. If he devoted It to
lbs employment of mere collectors, or if
bt spent It playing the races, the offense
unto' tha law Is tho same, and would en
tall tho same punishment.
STATEH2ST OF EX-MAYOR
HEXRTT ZIEGESUE15.
Es-Maycr Ziegenheln, speaking of the
charge against him In the Grand Jury re
vert, safcl:
"lunatics from the April Grand Jury re
'jKirt, published to-day, that it charges of
ficial misconduct against me while City
t .Collector. I cannot understand why these
gentlemen did not have the courage to
.etate'&iy name In full In their report. If
the facts they allege are true, there cer
tainly could have been no objection to
Tt&tisgT my name, instead of trymg to
evado responsibility by stating 'that a for
mer Collector of the city of St. Louts, who
was. afterwards Mayor.' I do not think,
however, that they have shielded them
Jielves from liability, and I believe that
jJiey fcavo laid themselves liable to a suit
tot UbcL and If they havr I wlU proceed
against them.
p Tho statement In the report, as a
whole, undertakes to charge that I re
ceived, something over $13,000 for my own
private account. This Is absolutely false,
and the Grand Jury knew exactly what I
received this money for, end how I re
&5rad It. and that It was paid out for the
bite service, and that I personally never
one cent either directly or lndi-
ecUy-Ircm It.
T ii .1 ,.lm4 M.a aui... .. . .
ii wkfle an officer of this city that I was not
n y law and morals entlUed to, and I do
not propose to remain under even an ln
rinuatioii that I did so, and the impression
- intended to be conveyed by this report is
absolutely false, and If the statements
tktsSiag made are of a positive enough
sharavter to attach legal liability, I will
cosalt with my attorney and bring such
ectiofi.as will give these gentlemen, an op
portunity to prove that I ever received
o cent oi me cuy-g money uniawiuny.
Uf will not be necessary for anyone to
ithMt ssir against me to establish that I
j tVfc receired any moneys, because- if this
- ?sort is opn to a suit for libel, I will
-'; Tfmtf theTNSult myself and they can have
oP.TXirniiy io eszaoiisn ine xacts in
-Tesjami
,IS'lCKIiSX TO
-tZiCIXZiK lanE.
-'f&Wa7 interview to the newspapers, I
ls facts about then trans.ifft!o?iH.
r h IK.-. kJ.-i. .. M-k-
IssrCrtJector, wblcli I believe was In
allowed
pcr-
r rssr TOm i- num, bus ui coaoie me to prop-
hM ' r Swer the duties of the office, I
",pB iresfswav who was Ihea Comptroller of the
li lt,-Ba se Eussesiea tnat II I could got
s -Use hanii to allow me interest neon deposhs
"t&ihmf srcwsalcV b proper and rteht for me
HfSLo wf W Interest to pay additional clerk
3 irSpuTl&SPDtfcS. ICtC OffiCQ.
itp&rt tai U It would be proper and le-
FORMER MAYOR
n44a
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
"No person shall be tried, prose
cuted or punched for any felony,
other than as' specified In the next
preceding section, unless an indict
ment for such offense be found with
in three years after the commission
of the offenst." Missouri Statutes,
Section 2419.
The precedlig section referred to'
&
I
specifies that offenses punishable by
f death and life lmnHMnmmt urn al-
o wavit nrMn tn r,..Kw.,t,nT,
- "- ,... w..i..uwu
a o . o
H
gal for me to do this, and he as Comptroller
advised me that) It was perfectly proper,
and that It wasjmy duty to do it on ac
count of the limited force I then had. I
then consulted with the bank officials and
. "- v-uuicrung iDgcuier upon wis maer
zL'rv? '??-- -,
as fast as It acctmuUted to pay for this
nddlllnnnl fnrfM fr. Ik PntiutA. n A nn
J ve the receipts from the deputies so
employed to tho amount cf H3.S72, which Is
fJf1"" ?Ur uJSl'JS
j tbo jepuue,, -x compelled toTay the
I balance out of my own personal money. So
j instead of profiting by thl3 transaction I
lost about 12)0.
"At that tlmo there.was.no License Com
missioner and no Excise" Commissioner, and
all of tho duties of theso two offices de
volved upon the Collector, In addition to
tho work and duties now performedby the
Collector. The number of deputies then al
lowed by law In the Collector's office wa
nine less than the present Collector, re
lieved of all of these other duties, now has.
It costs tho city in addition to these nine
deputies in tho Collector's office at present
for running the office force of the Excise
Commissioner and the License Commiss'on
er about JTO.000. It will be seen that In ad
dition to the nine deputies and .the office
force of the Excise Commissioner and the
office force of the Llccnso Commissioner
that these two offices havo the entire Metro
politan poUce force to assist them in doing
the canvassing for dramshops; petitions, li
censes of ail characters, they be'ng paid by
the Police Department In addition to the
foregoing.
"It Is apparent from the foregoing state
ment of. the number of men and the cost
to the city that Is required to perform the
duties that the Collector's office, then .per
formed that It was absolutely necessary to
make sdme provisions for additional depu
ties, and Mr. Stevenson, who was then
Comptroller, advised me to take this course
and I did so.
HETAIKED OILY BIS
LEGAL COMMISSIONS.
"It will be understood that all moneys re
ceived by the Collector were taken to the
bank by me at the end of the day. which
was ofwn as late a S or 9 o'clock, and
there deposited. Between 19 and 12 o'clock
the following day that money was deposited
in the City Treasury, less the commission
allowed by law to the Collector. The State
and the school tax was required to be de
posited Into the proper depositary for the
State and'School Fund, and this money was
so deposited, less the commission aUowed
the City Collector by law. These commis
sions were allowed the City Collector to de
fray the expenses of his office, and an
nually he makes a settlement with the
State. City and School funds, paying over
to them whatever sum remains of these
commissions after defraying the expenses
of tne office.
"There is no provision of law requiring
a Collector to do anything with these com
missions, simply to account for them in the
manner stated, and so far as the law Is
concerned I could have used this money
for any purpose I desired, just so I made
the proper accounting at the proper time.
Instead of having the money lying idle and
doing the city no good, and there Is no pro
vision by law that this money shall be
utilized In any way. Mr. Stevenson and I
arranged to have It draw interest, that the
city might get the benefit from it. I do
not know, personally, that any other Col
lector has eer made any effort In this di
rection to make this monry serv the pub
lic, or has turned over any money earned
in this way. If any such has been earned,
either by any one who held the office before
me or since. It would hae been very easy
for the Grand Jury to have obtained all
of these facts, which are all matters of
record, and I cannot understand why they
should maliciously attack m in this way.
and take the time to go back fourteen
3-ears and dig up a matter of this kind,
which is a plain and simple business trans
action, and undertake to place it before the
public in an Insinuating way, so as to re
flect upon me, and that without even hav
ing the courage to give my name, unless
It be that In their anxiety to say some
thing against me they were fcrccd to the
necessity of coloring this matter up In
this way. I want to irtve these gentlemen
warning now that if there Is any way -un
3fr the law to -punish them for this libel
ous attack upon me I propose to see that
they are punished.'
a r-v mvnn urtiDv -7icrcMuciM ncccwnc UIO PnilDCC -
A EA-IYlHIUn ntlini clbUL.lllll.IIi Uki miuu iiiu wwuiimu.
"I have never received one cent of money while an officer of this city tint I
was not by law and morals entitled to, and I do not proposo to remain under even
an insinuation tbat I did so.
"Comptroller Stevenson advised me that It would be proper and legal for me, It
I could get the bank to allow me interest upon public deposits, to use this Interest
to hire additional clerks to do the work of the office, as my force at that time was
4 insufficient.
"This interest was used solely to pay for this additional force of clerks, and I
have receipts to show that I paid out of my own pocket J3 more than this Interest
amounted to, so that I am a loser on the transaction. &
& "I want to warn the gentlemen of the Grand Jury that if there is any way un- -
der the law to punish them fcr this libelous attack upon me, I propose to see that
they are punished."
RESULT OF THE GRAND JURY'S
St. Louis, May-31, 1901 Honorable 'Walter
B. Douglas, Judge Circuit Court, Division
No. 8: The April Grand Jury, 1S02; beg
leave to submit the following report:
We have examined many witnesses on
the subject of municipal corruption. The
flagrant bribery in the Municipal Assembly
that has flourished without hindrance so
long, has been made conspicuous by the re
port of our predecessors and In court pro
ceedings. It would seem Impossible to paint
the picture In darker colors, and yet the
facts brought out before us have deepened
the tones and present an even more In
famous blackness. In the course of our
inquiry wo have heard from the lips of
witnesses the astounding story of corrup
tion. The villainous venality among the
sworn officers and publlo servants of our
city should awaken every good citizen to
the urgent necessity of stamping It out by
giving more attention to public affairs. Our
purpose in this report shall be to state the
facts candidly in order tbat the publlo
conscience may be thoroughly aroused to
the awful plight Into which the city has
been plunged, with the hope that united
and heroic effort may bring about a remedy
and change in these conditions. Jt would
not seem possible that men of low, base,
sordid, callous natures, criminal Instincts,
prurient desires and corrupt motives could
be elected to honorable and responsible of
fices affecting tho Interests and largely the
destinies of a great municipality, yet such
have long infested our city in the capacity
of legislators.
FHACIIISES SECURED
THROUGH BRIBERY.
Rumors have been current for years as
to bribery In the Municipal Assembly In
connection with the passage of ordinances.
Grand Juries have investigated In times gone
by, without result, until many had come to
bel'eve the reports untrue- The Inquiries
of a, late Grand Jury, however, brought to
light one of the most gigantic bribery
schemes ever uncovered. A street-railway
company in an effort to secure a franchise
from the Municipal Assembly had been com
pelled to put up J7JJooo for tho House of
Delegates, wnicn money was uriu"u ."
a. safe-deposit box of a trust company, one
key being held by the agent of the railway
and the other key by a member of the
-Bouse of Delegates, representing the com
bine In that body, which amount was to be
paid tp the 'members of the combine upon
the" passage of the ordinance. There waa
bIso placed In a safe-deposit box in another
trust company the sum of $60,000, to go to
the City Council upon. the passage of tho
proposed measure, there being likewise two
keys to this box, one held by the represent
ative of the railroad -und the other by the
agent of the combine in the City Council.
By prompt and energetic action this cor
Tuptlon fund of $135,000 was caught be
tween the lines and is now held subject to
the orders of court, as evidence. A num
ber of Indictments grew out of this at
tempted purchase of a franchise. Two of
the defendants have become fugitives from
justice, forfeiting large bonds, and are now
exiled In a foreign land. Two others have
been brought to trial, each case resulting
In a convection, one being given three years
in tho Penitentiary -and the other two years.
Another of the defendants Is still at large
In an alien country, where, from present
Indications, he will abide for awhile.
In the trials the bribe money was pro
duced in court, leaving no floubt as to the
shocking and startling official debauchery
that has been going on.
Jt has been developed further that on an
other occasion a franchise was procured
from the MunlripalAssembly by bribery
so scandalous as to be without a parallel.
There was placed in escrow in a financial
Institution of this city $145,000 to be paid
to the members of the Municipal Assembly
up"oh the granting of the franchise. The or
dinance giving this failed, and a second or
dinance was passed under promise of $23J.
000 to the members of. the Assembly, which
was afterwards distributed among the com
bine members. "
LEGISLATORS BRAZENLY
ADMIT DISHONESTY.
Members of the Municipal Aanembly
have come before our body and
braxenly admitted that iliey sought
Seats In the Assembly for the money
they could make by selling their
votes, and It Is apparent that this
spirit has joTtrnecl for years, and no
bill of conseqnence bas passed, nnlesa
money Las been paid to secure favour
able action.
We have carried the Investigation on. and,
although we were prepared to some extent,
by what has transpired, to hear of official
misdoings," we have been amazed at the?
vastness of corruption that has been co;
mon among members of the Assembly and)
other omciais or our city, it seems to have
been the highest aim of some officials .to
rob the city whenever opportunity offered.
They have regarded the holding of office
merely as 3 means of making a livelihood
easier then they could In private life and
have administered the trust reposed In them
for private gain and not for public good.
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST
A FORMER MAYOR.
It is in evidence before ns that a
former Collector of the city of St.
Lonls, who was afterwards Mayor, re
ceived interest on public lands for
his own private account. The mm no
received was something over i:t,OOU,
which, with interest to date, would
amonnt to about 820,000. Any possi
ble criminal charge arising oat of
this condact has been barred by the
statute of limitations, which, unfor
tunately, is three years. A civil ac
tion to recover the money, however,
can still he brought and, we under
stand, will be instituted.
The secretary of the late Ma)pr made a
practice of selling permits and of extorting
money for remittances of fines in criminal
eases. A permit to change the front of a
building, which. If proper to be granted at
all, one Is entitled to is a matter of right,
could, as a rule, not be obtained through
this official except upon the payment to
him. of from $25 to $75 as a gratuity or re
ward. A cumber of Instances of such ex
actions were shown us. the money going,
not Into the coffers of the city, but into
the bulging pockets of the Mayor's secre
tary or his accessories. A permit to place
a switch could only be had upon the pay
ment of $3 to a notorious grafter, a city
employe and frequenter of the office of. the
Mayor's secretary.
FORMEB CITY REGISTER'S
TEN PER CENT TtAKE-OFF.
Witnesses have tcstlfledlTSefore its
that tbt former City BcsjUter, who,
3
Bvon
THE APRIL GRAND JURY.
AUGUST W BENEDICT, second Tics
president of the Cupples Wooden Ware
Company, Hotel Beers, foreman.
GEORGE ANDE. retired. No. 315 Acco
xn&c street.
WILLIAM A. BAKKR, secretary
Hanan-Baker Shoe. Company, No. IZZ2
Pino street. f
ALFRED B. CHAItN. treasurer
Standard School Book Company. No. &3
Washlnston avenue.
GLORGn T COXHEAD. general sere
tary Y M C A . No Ell" Vernon av enue.
AUGUST KLASINO. grocer. No. 13H
Adelaide street.
HARRISON H. MERRICK, No. 817
Csbgtnne everoe.
ROBERT W MORRISON, president R.
o
W. Morrison Construction Company,
No.
&5S3 Maple avenue.
O ARTHUR P PVRTRinGE, rallicay
supplies, Xo. filSS Cabanno aienue.
EBEN a ROBI.NfcON-. president E. C
Robinson Lumber Company. No. 4H7
V t Belle place.
o
JOHN J TAUSSIG, finirclal stent. J.
J Taussls. No 3301 Lafayette avenue.
JOHN M. 'WULFINC, Olldebaus, Wulf-
Ins i. Co . No. 3H8 LorBtcIlow boul-vaxd.
S0064H
under the law, gave ont contracts for
city printing, received, by arrange
ment, from the repreNentative of the
-parties to whom he gave city print
ing, n raLe-off of 10 prr cent on bills.
The 10 per cent would be added to the
price charged for the printing, and,
of coarse, paid for by the city. This
rebate of the Register on account of
the printing, we believe, amounted to
thousands of dollars daring his term.
The Charter cf the city provides that no
member of the Assembly, or city official,
shall be Interested directly or indirectly In
city contracts, or In furnishing supplies to
the city. The purpose of this provision is
manifest, and is intended to prevent the
corruption that would necessarily ensue If
city officials were allowed to be personally
Interested in city contracts. This beneficent
law Is. we find, most grossly violated.
Among the notable Instances that have
come to our attention Is tre case of a
grocer, a member of the City Council at
present, who, shortly prior to his election,
organized a corporation with his son as
president, a daughter as secretary and
another daughter as treasurer. These held
all the stock, but the member of the Coun
cil furnished the money for th undertak
ing and took charge of the receipts of the
concern. Through this flimsy sham he fur
nishes supplies for city Institutions In large
amounts. Tho whole affair is manifestly
merely a clumsy attempt to evade the law,
and the effort to do this m3ks the tur
pose of It all the more apparent.
OFFICIALS RECEIVE FAT
CONTRACTS FROM CITY.
Another Instance might be cited: A
member of the Ilonsc f Delegates, n.
printer, on account of hi ofUclal po
sition procured contracts for print- i
lng from the cit, uing the namei oC
other Indlvlilacln nml imnglnary cor
porations, the printing l-eing done
in the member's onice and the bills,
made out in the assumed names.
Tlins In direct violation of the organic
law of the city, and by connivance of
city officials, he, although n member
of the Assembly, sold supplier to tho
city by snbterfuges. This snme mem
ber, as Speaker of the House of Dele
gates, approved the vouchers for sup
plies fnrnlihcd by himself under
these assumed names.
Another member of the House of
Delegates, an undertaker and livery
tnble keeper, made a practice of pro
viding a remarLabltr number of car
riages for the liouoe of Delegates,
making the bills out In the name of
a relative, who knew nothing of the
transaction, the vouchers being is
sued and collected by the member
nailer the name of his' relative.
These are a few Instances of how the
city has Deen plundered. The disposillun of I
many officials has been to loot the -city
whenever they got a, chance, and they did
so wlthout.mercy for the taxpayer. If the
affairs pf St. Louis harljeen prcpeMy ad
ministered for tie lastj fifteen Scars,' ard if
alfi officials) had been firmest, -there would
,o-day be'enough money.fn the Treasury'to
put public .buildings lnfTepa!r7,.javc streets
that are now unpaved, makesjSwers that
are now' unmade, and rAfiid jTe buildings
so much needed. The high jjixrate, the
deplorable condition of public Institutions,
the depicted state of the City Treasury are
an heritage left by officials who have
proveniraltors to the Interests of the peo-
iie, auuiuvc irmi;i-Keu in lueir votes, in
fluenced find official actions to the city's
Sitrlmcnt.
TTKtrAYERS HAVE IJEEN
OUTRAGED FOR 1EARS.
Thee disclosures make pUin that the
taxpayers of St. Louis have reen merci
lessly and pitilessly outraged for tears;
tbat )he money they have paid in taxes
has been squandered; instead of being used
for the public welfare, it ha? been feloni
ously dissipated end benefited chiefly cor
rupt officials, who have grown opulent os
small alaria What Is needed In our
city are official", not of genius or unusual
brlllancy, but honest and upright, who will
adhere to th law of public and private
morality officials who will discharge tho
duties of their offices in accordance with
their oaths, who will hold office for the
public good, as a sacred trust and not for
selfish enrichment.
We hav e some honorable, fearless and In
corruptible officials, and if all were like
these a new condition of affairs would soon
be brought about.
It Is to some extent humiliating to know
that any of our officials have been so faith
Icy, but It is better that the facts be
known, no matter how deplorable. In order
that a change be had, rather then endure
in silence the faults that hive existed. The
people of St- Lonls are long suffering and i
valient. jiue mere may uiive. vevn air
ruptlcn In other cities as great as we have
had h-re, yet In no place in the world and
In no time known to hUtory has so much
official corruption been uncovered and the
evidence shown so tbat all could see and
understand. These revelations have been so
Contlnn&d on Page Two.
Hamilton. Brown Shoe Company's
Shipments.
Shipments for May, 19H. JZX23i.&
Shipments for May, 193L -S&S.SU.65
Gain . .......$19S..62
Shipments forT302 to June 1 $.037,C3i 59
Shipments for IS to June 1 3,0i5.Kl S)
Gala ... i
H
FORMER CITY REGISTER BESCH IS
INDICTED AND HAS LEFT THE CITY,
9
Said to Be in Chicago, but Officials Believe He Is in Mexico Ex
Mayor Ziegenhein Charged With 'Misappropriating In
terest on Public Moneys Ove Indictments
Against His Son Fred for. Bribery and
Obtaining Money Under False
Pretenses.
TRUE BILLS AGAINST COUNCILMAN SCHNELL Af,D DELEGATES KELLY AND, GERAGHTY;
The Grand Jury returned Its final report yesterday to Judge Walter L-. Dous
ing. The report, while reviewing In a general way the many phases of municipal
corruption It investigated, deals particularly wltn the dishonest practices
prevalent under the Ziegenhein administration.
Gross irregularities in the conduct of the office of City Register under
Henry Besch are shown. Besch Is Indicted on charges growing out of these
Irregularities, but the Indictment was not returned Into court. Officers are
now searching for him. He is believed to be in Mexico.
The Grand Jury severely scores the ei-Mayor and department officials un
der him, without mentioning names directly, but Indicating the parties so clear
ly that no doubt remains as to their Identity.
It accuses the ex-Mayor of having appropriated the Interest on public
moneys to his private account, while In office. The offense is barred from
prosecution by the statute of limitation, but an effort vt ill be made to recover the
money thus diverted.
Fred Ziegenhein, wiio was his father's private secretary, is accused of dis
honest traffic In permit and remit privileges, and is indicted on four charges of
bribery and'one of obtaining money under false pretenses.
Councilman Schnel', ex-Speaker Kelly and Delegate Geraghty are Indicted
for malfeasance in office in having entered Into contracts with -and furnished
supplies to the city, under assumed names. In violation of their oaths.
t-i'?i li'k"? -i "''- V ,sslssssssrMsBsssBfe.V5issst-:itfW"5
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-vvJ-QSEPte W. FOLK,
Circuit Attorney, whose work In unearthing municipal corruption has been officially com
- mended by three successive Grand Juries.
,
OFFICER IS NOT PERMITTED TO LEfM PUBLIC FUNDS.' t
- ' "Officer Loaning Public Mcno---Nc such officer, agent or servant shall loan 4
out. with or without interest, any money or valuable security received by him, or
vhlch may be in his possession, orMceeping, or over which he may have supervision,
O' care or control by virtue of "his, office, agency or service, or under color of pretense
thereof-, and such officer, agent or servant thereof so loaning such money or valua-
tie security, on conviction thereof shall be punished by Imprisonment in the Peniten-
tlary tor not Ies3 than two years, or by a fine nbt less than five hundred dollars."
Missouri Statutes, Section 1319.-S. . . ,-
The April Grand. Jury made Its-, final re
port in Judge Douglas's court yesterday.
The report Is a startling exposure of mu
nicipal corruption, and a svere arraign
ment in particular of the methods obtain
ing under the Zeigenheln administration.
Henry Besch, City Register under Mayor
Ziegenhein, is under Indictment. The bill
was not returned Into court because Besch
Is out of the city and cannot be located, and
the Indictment Is withheld until he can be
brought within the Jurisdiction, cf the
court. Tiie indictment is based on
charges growing out of the groaa
irregularities in the conduct of his
office. It Is charged that he ac
cepted bribes from contractors, who fur
nished the city printing, his "rake off"
being 10 per cent on the amount of each
nin. Besch Is not In the city, and the
criminal authorities have reason to believe
he Is In Mexico.
Ex-Mayor Ziegenhein, the report de
clares, appropriated the interest on public
rnonejs to his private account when be
was City Collector. The State Is barred, by
the statute of limitations, from proceedlns
against him criminally for this offenso, but
Circuit Attorney Folk says proceedings
will bi instituted to recover the amount of
money thus diverted amounting, with in
terest, to nearly $2T.0OX
The condjet of Fred Ziegenhein, private J
secretary for his father, -In trafficking in
permits and remlis, and using his office
as a m-ans of enriching himself at the ex
pense of the public Is -severely denounced,
and the result of the investigation is the
indictment of the private recretary on four
coasts sdlslng- bribery and one charging:
obtainirg money under false pretenses.
Indictments against Councilman Louis
Scfcnc.L ex-Speaker Charles KsIIey. and
Delegate Charles L. Geraghty, charging
malfeasance In office, were returned.
The charge of misconduct In office Is a
-misdemeanor, punishable by six months' Im
prisonment in the" city Jail or by a fine not
exceeding $1,000. but conviction forever dis
qualifies a person from holding public of
fice. These cases will be certified over to
the Court of Criminal Corretion for trial.
All the Indictments against Ziegenhein are
felony charges, conviction on any of which
would mean a Penitentiary sentence.
Schnell, Kelly, Geraghty and Ziegenhein
are out on bond, having been brought in on
bench warrants several days ago.
There were four indictments which were
withheld because the defendants" are not in
custody, bet It Is said that nona of them,
charge any offense in connection with the
bribery Investigation.
It lacked three minutes of 1 o'clock when
the Grand Jury filed, Into tho courtroom.
They had been ready to report sine 11-ZO
o'clock, but Jcdgs Douglas took a recess
about tbat time (o meet -the Circuit Judges
In general session. It was some time be
fore he coujd be reached, "WJiea he learned
that the Grand Jury was waiting on him he
hastened back to the Four Coons.
August 1Y. Benedict, the foreman, arose
whto Judge Douglas entered) the court
room and handed In the report with tv
indictments. Judge Douglas thanked the
Jurors for their service and expressed ap
preciation fcr the thorough manner In
which they carried on their work, following
out the Instructions of t!e court; He then
discharged the Jurors, who filed out of the
courtroom, after shaking bands with Cir
cuit Attorney Folk.
XEXT'-CRASD JURY "WTL1.
COSTETCE ESVESTIOATIOX.
The bribery investigation Is not completed
but will be continued fc? th axt Grand
e
y
i
ISDICTJIETS RETURNED DY
THREE GIUXD JURIES.
DECEMBER GRAND JURY.
Charles Kratz, bribery.
John K. Murrell, bribery.
Emil A. Mcysenburg. bribery.
ElUs lValnwiight, bribery.
Henry NIcolans. bribery.
FEBRUARY GRAND JURT.
George J. Kobusch,- perjury.
Robert M. Snyder, bribery. 0.
John H. Becker, attempted bribery.
Edward Butler. Sr., attempted 0 ,
bribery: two counts.
APRUTj GRAND JURY. .
Fred Ziegenhein, bribery (four
counts) and obtaining money under
false pretenses.
r '.Charles F. -Kelly, malfeasance In
office.-
v Charles L. Geraghty, malfeasance
In office.
Louis Schnell, malfeasance in of-
fice. 0
a
Jury, which is to be impanneled In Judgs
Ryan's court to-morrowl
Jn Its report the Grand Jury reviews the
whole bribery Investigation. While no
names are mentioned, the -dealings of cer
tain municipal officials, and others; are de
scribed in such minute manner as to
leave no doubt as to their Identity. It men
tions the conviction of Zmll Meysenburs'
and Julius Lehmann: the flight of Krciz
arA -TirrT1 . A tha ,ivilm,,u1 ohm ...m m L-i
Ellis TVainwright, who was. indicted by " Hi
tho December Grand Jary. in connection
with the Suburban bribery. Mr. Waln
wrtght Is traveling abroad. Kratz is la
Mexico, and Murrell has- never been' lo
cated. -
The report reviews the entire mass oS
munlcplal corruption upturned by tho
April Grand Jury and Its two predecessors,
and goes into details of the methods by
which many dishonest transactions were,
negotiated. It is evident from the report
that the, administration cf Mayor Ziegen
hein was as thoroughly inquired into as
time would permit, and the flndmss of the
Grand Jurors In relation to methods ob
taining under the Ziegenhein regime, are
set forth with distinctness and clearness In
a manner- which reflects odium upon the
officials referred to.
CHARGES G 1I5TST
FRED ZIEGCXHEIX.
Five Indictments Were found a?a.n .. "Ved
Ziegenhein, who was, secretary to bis
father. Mayor Henry Ziegenhein, while he
was in office. Four of tfiem charge bribery
and one charges false pretenses.
One of the indictments charges that
Ziegenhein accepted a bribe of $5 on Feb
ruary li, 1301, to Issue a Mayor's permit to
Anthony Kohn. granting him the privilege)
to extend a show-window over the side
walk in front, of Koca's store at No. 33
North Broadway. Ths witnesses cited on
the back of the Indictment are Anthony
Kohn and William Hull of the Misfit
Clothing Company "of No. SOS Olive street.
Another indictment sets forth that on
March 15 1301. Fred Ziegenhein accepted a
briba of $75 to grant a -permit to excavate
undT the sidewalk at the side of Deck's
saloon at Sixth and Pine streets. Fred It.
Deck Is the only witness Indorsed on the
back of tha indletmsnt. -J
In this tame connection a third-Indict-
ment charges Ziegenhein with accepting
money -under false pretenses. It Is alleged
that he Issued a permit to Mr." Deck to ex
cavate, declaring the regular costs were
$73, when as tr matter of fact he had' no
right nor authority to Issne'sny such per
mit. A fourth Indictment alleges that Ztegen
heln accepted a bribe "of JS on March If.
190L to Issue a permit for Julius Weil tot
extend the' show window of his store twelve
Inches over the sidewalk at No. 11 North '
Broadway. i
Ths fifth tndlctfament sets forth that ho r
accepted a bribe of $3 to issue a permit to '
William T. Newman." a tailor "at No. 807
Fine street, io extend a show window over '
the sidewalk. Tho witnesses are Charles D.
Blehle-. Newman's partner, and Nat Be- j
bastlan. a saloonkeeper at Eighth and Plna
streets. "
CHARGES AGAEfST SCItSELL, ' i J '
GERAGHTY AXO KELLY. . , j
Louis Schnell Is charged in an indictment '
with misdemeanor in office. The Grand.
Jury's information states that Schnell on
or -about the Nth day of March, 1301. did
enter into a contract with the city of St.
Louis, under the assumed name of ths
South Side Supply Company, a corporation
whereof he was sole owner and manager.
to furnish the city with groceries and pro-vi-lons
for the City Hospital and House
of Refuge. '
The indictment further charges that at
the time be entered Into the contract Schnell
was a member of the City Council, as such
was a public officer of tha city, and guilty
then and there ot willful misconduct and
misdemeanor In office" in that it -was provid
ed ty law tnat no city otaciai should ce di
rectly of Indirectly "taterestod in any con
tract with the dry or any department or
institution thereof.-
The' lndictment'TaIso charges- that Schnell
collected from the city more than $1,080 ort
said contract. "
The witnesses named in the Indictment
arer Bernard Dierfces, City Auditor, and
Doctor Nletert, superintendent of the City
Hospital. X
The Indictment against Charles F. Kelly- .
which also chargesj-nisdenieanor',in office,-
siates xaar, on cr'-iaout. trnary 3, K85r? Sr
Kellr. under-the assumed nufke At John TT l?7?
.--, -., . - . - ' rTT2 55?
aianer. cua enter Bo a. contract to TUTmaB.-35S. ,-i,
tie city with nrlntins-. 35? , '
The Indictment further charges that at1-
the time the contract was entered into tSe
sain -ii.tuy was a -v.,7 r the Heaae-i;.4
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