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Show Joseph Ralph Burton, senior United States Senator from Kansas nnd a political leader of wldo Influenco throughout tho West, wns convicted by a Jury ln the United States District Dis-trict Court at St. Louis March 20 of accepting compensation to protect the Interests of tho RIalto Oraln &. Securities Secur-ities Company, a so-called "get-rlch-quick concern," before the Postofflce Department at Washington. The Senator was found guilty on six of tho seven counts ln tho Indictment. Indict-ment. On the other count, tho third one, a verdict of not guilty waa returned. re-turned. This third count Is similar In chargo to that of counts ono and two, and for this reason tho government govern-ment nnnounccd nt the beginning of tho trial that lt did not desire nny conviction. con-viction. The court ruled that tho Senator's bond of $5,000 bo continued, and that tho defendant report from tlmo to tlmo pending arguments on tho motion for nrrest of Judgment and other legal le-gal stops takon prior to the appenl to the United States Court of Appeals. I Tho caso establishes tho precedent of a prosecution under section 1782 of tho revised statutes of tho United I States, which prohibits members of Congress from accoptlng compensa tion for tholr services ln any case which Involves tho Interest of the federal fed-eral government. Senator Burton's recourse Is an appeal ap-peal to tho United States Circuit Court of Appeals, which body Is tho final ar-bltor ar-bltor of his caso. Pending the final action of that tribunal ho may give bond and obtain temporary freedom. In tho course of the trial It developed develop-ed that during his term of office Senator Sen-ator Burton had a total Income from-hla from-hla law practice at Washington amounting to nearly 25,000 a year. The evidence adduced agalnBt Senator Sena-tor Burton may be summarized as follows: First In November. 1902, he accepted accept-ed a proposition to become general counsel of tho Rla'.to Grain & Securities Securi-ties Company, a concern whoso operations opera-tions at the time woro under tho scrutiny scrut-iny of postofflco officials. Second Burton demanded 2,500 for his services, but he was satisfied to be paid In monthly Installments of $500 each. Third Soon after his employment It developed that tho federal grand Jury wns Investigating tho Brooks Broker-ago Broker-ago Company, wlih which Major Hugh C. Dennis, rresldcnt of tho RIalto Compary, has been associated. Fourth In December, 1902, Dennis was Indicted; appealed to Burton for help. Fifth Numerous letters written by Burton showed that tho Senator was using his lnlluenco to provenf tho In-sunnco In-sunnco of n fraud order against thu RIalto Grain & Securities Company. Sixth Burton submitted regular ro-poits ro-poits to tho RIalto people telling thorn how matters wero progressing nt Washington, advising them of roiiorts filed at tho Postolllco Dopartmont and closlrg with tho nssuranco that "If you look after things nt your end of the lino I will attond to matters here." Senator Burton wns Indicted In January Jan-uary last. Although, as a member of Congress ho could not bo arrestod until un-til after that body adjourned, ho vol- untnrlly surrendered himself to the prosecuting authorities. Ho was elected to tho Senate January Janu-ary 4, 1901, so that he still has two years to serve. |