The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-05
THE ROCKFORD RAILROAD COMPANY TO
BE INVESTIGATED,

BE INVESTIGATED.
tits said that no question is so serious but |
it has comic side, and by an item of news
we find in the New York Herald, we have
an illustration in point. The Herald says
''On Feb. Is, large number of the
bond and stockholders, of the Rockford,
Rock Island & St. Louis r. r. Co. met
at the office of the Union Trust Company,
to consider the condition of affairs of that
road and suggest plan for its re-organiza-
ton"
This may have an important sound to the
ear of the general public, and strangers
to all facts in the case will feel that they are
justified in entering in their note books
another case of villainous management, of
corruption and fraud But here, at home,
where the facts are all known, and where
the present management are entitled not
only to confidence and respect, but COM
miseration for their courage in undertak-
ing to manage road brought into disre-
pute by the investigators themselves, the
whole matter assumes a comic aspect.
1t seems that that meeting under
took to be an & excited " one
in the persons of one or two of
its members, and that they were disposed
to have the world understand that some
thing was to be done whereof the nations
would be glad But being unable te hit
upon a plan, one James Z. Abbott, well
known in these ''diggins, J brought in the
ordinary smoothing iron for all meetings of
a wrinkled character,-a series of resolu-
tons which proposed Investigation, y
Jim" thinks an investigation would be a
good thing, when concerning other people S
business, but as to his own--how about
that Jim p
The Rockford road was built on the pro-
ceeds of SO, 100000 of bonds, all but about
$500, 900 of which are owned in Germany.
The capital stock of the road was issued to
the contractors, who built it out of the pro-
ceeds of the bonds, as profit The meet
ing, above alluded to, was called by o. d.
| Ashley, formerly broker and who was a
director of the road when III. II. Boodyw
the Treasurer and really the manager This
man Body is the same person who re-
Gently gave bail to answer the charge
of embezzlement, brought by the
railroad company, in the sum Of
about $4,000. Lowell Holbrook was
chairman of the meeting, and he is Body
man enough to be on his embezzlement
bond Henry P. Wills, the secretary oil
meeting, is a young lawyer in the office Of
Mr.. Boody's embezzlement counsel, Mr.
Virgins. Mr.. Cowles Mr.. Boody's attor
ney in the embezzlement case) was one o.
the chief fuglemen. His Honor, Judge
Green, wearing his usual smile, which is 81
childlike and bland, was so busy with
his Cedar Rapids sick chicken" that ht
had to delegate the Investigator Merritt tt
vote his enjoined stock. This is the rim!
which is so active for Reorganization" o
the Rockford, Rock Island & St Louis Rail
road Company, which means change o
management, if they can get control of it
That might work very we'll for Body
and he might thus escape the consequence
of a decision from the courts withou
jumping his bond But Abbott's smooth
ing on-resolutions called for a committe
of five, and the committee was appointed
and curious compound it is Mr.. Hess
Ter and Mr.. Cutting represented bonds
and were probably good selections, and tn
same is likely true of the President of tn
!, Union Trust Company. But the Jim All
bot and the Bill Merritt part of it is un
questionably good joke on Investigation
especially if the past Of the road, as vel
as the present is to be overhauleC
Both of the two last named were men
bers of the directory while the road wa
being built, and both were connected wit
| the construction company that built it, an
both of them, we are told. have recent
2 been very active, with Mr.. Body, to Gus
/ the present management of the road.
f Now, if the past cuts figure in the in
vestigation, we predict that Abbott an
Merritt will not get on the Illinois side c
2 the Mississippi river when they start o
their pilgrimage of investigation And W
also beg leave to suggest that if Merri
$ and "Jeemes' will only commence thei
, investigation with William Irwin & Co.
transactions, and follow it up with their oil
G partners under the Body Management,
O I'VE think that is what it is called the
4 will be able to bring out some very int
q esting literature in the shape of a repo
for honest and curious people toread Pc
h haps they will ignore our suggestion ar
leave that part Of the investigation"
y the courts, into whose hands it has alreaC
been committed by the present manag
ment
In closing we are tempted to say tn
Investigating Jeemes' will be anoth
sobriquet by which our boys will hereaft
o. speak Of our old townsman, 'Trans-Co
! tinental Jim"
- NOTES HERE AND THERE.
II The Davenport Gazette wants II