Gallagher testified before the Grand Jury that he had paid Rea nothing, because he had no confidence in Rea’s judgment and self-control. “I told Mr. Ruef,” Gallagher testified, “I did not care to, that I wouldn’t take the responsibility of dealing with Mr. Rea. I believe he was talking and had talked about matters dealing with me and did not care to have any dealings with him. He (Ruef) said, ‘Very well, I’ll attend to him,’ or ‘I will see to that myself,’ or some such expression as that.”
The original plan was to have this road on Twentieth Avenue. But to grade Twentieth Avenue would take time, and cost upwards of $100,000. On the other hand, Nineteenth Avenue had been graded, macadamized, and accepted as a boulevard. The Parkside people asked a change in the purchased franchise, to give them the boulevard. But the Charter prohibited grants of franchises over declared boulevards. Ruef concluded this provision could be overcome by ordinance. He feared criticism, but finally yielded to the Parkside people’s request. Then went word to the Supervisors of increase in compensation in this particular transaction.
Gallagher’s testimony before the Grand Jury regarding the promised bribes in the Parkside franchise undertaking was as follows:
“Q. Now, then, the Parkside trolley, was there an understanding in regard to money being paid on that? A. The Parkside realty company’s franchise for street railway on Twentieth Avenue, that is what you refer to—on Nineteenth Avenue, that is correct; it was originally intended for Twentieth, afterward changed to Nineteenth; that is right there was nothing paid to any member of the Board upon that that I know of. There were some rumors about it and Mr. Ruef spoke to me about it and said there ought to be a payment of $750 to each member on it and afterward said that if the thing was changed from Twentieth Avenue to the Nineteenth Avenue, that there ought to be $1,000 each paid.
“Q. About when did he say it ought or he would be able to pay them? A. He said that he expected to, yes, sir. He did not say he was ready to do so, on the contrary, has always denied that he had the money to pay it with.
“Q. He never said he had the money before on the other matters? A. No.
“Q. He would just say there will be this much coming? A. Yes, sir.