Municipal Bribery in New York.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 208, 25 June 1887, Page 8

Municipal Bribery in New York.

Ap.out one yeir ago a number of political ere unearthed in Kew York, which bade fail to equal the exploits of the Tweed gang, which reigned supreme in Kew York for many years, and was finally destioyed through the ofioits of the late Governor Tilden in 1572. The scandal of a year a^o invoh ed many members of the Board °of Aldermen, who Avere shown to have received bribes repeatedly from persons Avho desired to pass certain swindling 1 measures through the board. PiincipaT among this class of legislaton were a scries of franchise bills, giving to certain street railroad, telegraph, and other companies the exclusive piivilege devoting the public streets to the pm poses of their vai iou-s business. These franchisee, as a matter of course, were of great -aluo and much sought after. Among the members of one company which was striving to obtain j a number of franchises, was an unscrupulous old man named Jacob Sharp, who had amassed a largo fortune as a lobbyist and political trickster, vho induced the members of the Board of Aldermen toghe these fianchi°es to his company. Sharp offered them very large sums, which wcie accepted. This was a patent broach of trust, as there were companies which would have gladly paid tho City of New York millions of dollars for the prhilegcs which the board gratuitously granted to Sharp and hin associates, and it was evident that the aldermen, had they been hone-t, would have offered the franchises to the highest bidders. W hile this was very evident/ and proved, to a moral certainty, that the alderi men had been bribed, it was of but little or no importance as legal evidence, and hence the conviction of the aldermen and Sharp and his confederates in a court I of justico was a matter of extreme difficulty. Indeed, it is probable that they could not have been punished at all, had not one of the guilty aldermen confessed his guilt, and given damaging testimony against his fellows, which resulted in the conviction of several of their number. But the demands of justice will not bo fully satisfied until the arch-criminal Sharp shares the fate of the aldermen whom he corrupted. District Attorney Wartino, of New York, proposes to soon bung him to trial on thirty - one separate charges of bribery, that being the number of aldermen whom he is charged with having improperly influenced. The same evidence which induced the juries to render verdicts of guilty against the men charged with having received bribes from Sharp ought, it is evident, to suffice to convict him of having given bribes. Tho conviction of Sharp would be a most salutary example to the rich and bold knaves in all lai-ge American cities who grow rich on similar practices, but have so much wealth and influer.ee that they can afford to tea the law at defiance.