£300,000 BRIBERY SCANDAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3334, 16 August 1926, Page 7

£300,000 BRIBERY SCANDAL.

LINING UP FOB PAY.”

Evidence of shocking corruption in Pennsylvania, rivalling the worst

“graft” days of Now York, is being revealed by the Senate investigating committee which is conducting an inquiry into the recent primary election in Pennsylvania to select the Republican nominee for the United States Senate next November.

A. three-cornered fight developed at the election, and the evidence shows that £BOO,OOO was expended by the contestants.

More than £200.000 was spent on behalf of Senator Pepper, who lost his fight for renomination, nearly £-40,000 was spent on behalf of Governor Pinchut, who also lost, and nearly £40,000 on behalf of .Mr W. S. Vare, who won thereby becoming the political “boss” of Pennsylvania and outrivalling the forces of ‘Mr Mellon, the Secretary of flic Treasury, whose influence in Pennsylvanian politics has hitherto been paramount. Professor E. A. Beutcl. of the University of Pittsburgh, and a supporter of Governor Pinchofc, testified' yesterday that 50,000 “workers” wore employed during the primary election fight by the interests supporting Mr Vare and Mr Vare’s chief rival, Senator Pepper. „ . Professor Hcutol described how the “workers” lined up for their pay, which they obtained in five and ten-dollar notes. “It looked like a run on a hank.” says Professor Beutel, when explaining the. scene at Pittsburgh political headquarters. “The balance of political power,” he added, “can always he bought in Pittsburgh.” The money was taken from hags of specie obtained unopened from the banks. The professor said that the hanks put tear bombs in the moneybags, which explode if they are not opened in the right manner, for the purpose of frustrating “hold-ups.” One of the hags at Mr Vare’s headquarters was opened improperly, and a tear bomb exploded, driving everybody into the street?, where the paying oil ‘continued uninterruptedly. It is reported that in consequence of the disclosures if Mr Vare is elected senator in November the Senate may unseat him on the ground of corruption in securing his nomination.