The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-25
BRIBED TO BETRAY SECRETS
A Confession duplicating John E. Sui
Ivan in a Dishonorable Scheme.
Disclosures of An Affidavit Regarding the
Boosted Business Success" of the DEM
ocratic Candidate for County Clerk.

has among Its records and files matters of great
personal interest to himself Within his bust
ness career he has been the defendant in several
suits, but none of them exhibit his peculiar
methods of getting on in the world more clearly
than the complaint, ana the evidence attending
1t, Arthur Jordan brought against HMM Deem
Der, 1882. The papers in the case are numbered
3O230
Mr.. Jordan had in his employ Taylor Coons. For
some time he was convinced that somebody told
Sullivan what was going in the establishment.
He had Coons Under surveillance as the retailer
of information concerning his business, and one
evening in the late summer or fall of 1892 when
bids had been asked on supplies to the Insane,
Deaf and Dumb. and Blind Asylums, Jordan and
detective tracked the enterprising employe TO
Sullivan's place of business Enough was learned
then and afterwards from Coons, who manifested
a willingness to confess to warrant suit for
damages against Sullivan. The complaint was
fled Dec. Ii, 1892 1t set out that Taylor Coons,
fully trusted with all the details of Mr.. Jordan's
business, and with whom the employer often ad-
vised. who slept in the store and had free access
TO all books and papers, had been bribed by Sui
Iivan to betray his trust and the secrets of the
compliments business. The information Coons
gold related to Jordan's business meth
DDS, agreements, sources Of supplies, mar
kets bids made in sealed proposals
to furnish public institutions. and every detail
connected with his affairs It is alleged that
Coons did better than this. He carried to Sui
Iivan lists of Jordans customers, and delivered
from day to day information as to quantity of
goods sold, where they were shipped and the
prices obtained.
special paragraph is given to Coons telling
Sullivan what Jordan's bids were in the asylum
supplies 1t AYERS that Sullivan would pre-
pare his bids a shade under the mark
and secure the contracts. Jordan had a
large trade in White Rose cheese,
and kept the source of his supply secret Sulli-
van learned through Coons where the cheese was
obtained, COS the manufacturers to deal with
him exclusively, and after selling for short
time the genuine article procured White Rose
brand and put it on inferior articles. This de-
stroyed the demand for White Rose. Sullivan
wrote anonymously to Jordan's manager of a
creamery butter factory the complainant had IL
Wabash that Jordan would cheat him, and IF
you have any OF his money You had better hold
on to it." Damages for 900 were wanted on
these grounds.
After Sullivan's attorneys failed to break the
suit by having certain parts of the complaint
stricken out, and using other dilatory methods,
they concluded to file an answer of general
denial While the parties were waiting for trial,
Jordan thought best to secure the principal wit
ness, Coons. lest he should mysteriously disap-
pear, and he had him make his deposition. Sui
Ivan and his attorneys were present, but neither
asked the witness question They tried to
laugh the case out of court, and were remarkably
Socose during the examination.
shorthand report of Taylor Coonss de-
@Nno In Gr1I
liyan first made proposition to me
along in the spring to furnish
him information in reference to Arthur Jordans
business. 1t came about in This way: He and
Hill had some talk about it. and spoke about
the lawsuit 1.-THE oleomargarine CASEY against
him, and Sullivan made the statement that ne
would give a good deal to get on the inside of
that case. He sent word by Hill tina. he wanted
to see me at Chaplin & Cores l met him there.
the first time, in the evening after supper. He
asked me if / would not like to make
money, and asked him in what way. He said:
of course you know about this oleomargarine
TO get the best of me- something
Of that sort, and he said I would
like to find out all the particulars your side;
that Arthur Jordan is assisting the Board of
Health in the prosecution of the case.' He said:
Il will give you $40 if you will tell me all you
know about It, and, after hesitating long while,
the agreement was made that he would give me
e75 and would tell him all l knew that came
He gave me $75 and then again he gave me
$23 more, and he said. i want you to do some
thing else for me- He wanted me to get the
names of Arthur Jordan's country consignors
me to give him after the eleomargarine bust
ness. gave him only partial list. l would say
dozen names. The information about the con-
signors was not given that night at Chaplin &
Cores. think he told me to meet him in the
Military Park with list of them on paper. and
] gave them to him list these. Mr.. Sullivan
and | came directly together after that We
met together by appointment. Each time we
named another time to meet.
1.-THE third time met him was about bidding
time for the Insane Asylum contract. and then
he asked me if I could not furnish him
with Arthur's bid-his tgures--and if could
he would pay we'll for it. l think he
gave me SIS. The next time I must have
met him at Ben Kersting's, opposite the State
house, on Tennessee street told him would
give him the bid. and day or two afterwards
did so. It was close on bidding time. Every
slime that ever did give him bid was right out
near the postoffce. at Weilachers saloon
Arthur talked to me about what he was going
TO bid, and advised with me in reference to
what he should bid~ After that had a meeting
with Sullivan on Bidding day. / will state it
this way; Always on bidding morning we would
al get there in the ofice-Arthur, Charlie Lee
and myself-and would talk over what we
should BID and there would always be a differ
ence in all four of us. We never agreed,
and we would all have our say about it, Arthur
would always decide finally, and, of course it
would be known to all of us. Then, of course,
the bids would be sealed up and carried down to
the Board of Trade Rooms, to be there at 10
o'clock. Sullivan would be waiting in Wei
lacher's saloon from o'clock, on bidding morn
ing, and as soon as it was over / would go around
there and tell him what Arthur had bid. l
would just go into Weilachers saloon and tell
him c. emery so much, dairy so much, country
SO much and eggs so much. 1t was just only to
the Insane Asylum. The bids eener-
ally were about the same average
I would mot have any conversation
ut these times at all. l would generally GO in
the front way, and he would be sitting there
yeading. He would get up and would just go
up and tell him. have frequently handed him
papSf with the bids on ana sometimes / would
tell him. Ii was both ways. l gave him the