The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-26

a Most DisagreeabIe System of
Spying
On THE SANTA Fg OFFICIALS
AZ 81 said HAS Been Established By the
Interstate Commerce Commission

AZ 4. said Has Been Established BY the
Hnteratate Commerce Commission.
Considerable ill-feeling has been en-
gendered among the higher officers Of
the santa lie because alleged spoilers
are being employed by the Interstate
commerce commission to secure evidence
in violation Of the rules regarding the
payment Of rebates TO shippers. The
spotter il said to be employed by John
q. Taylor, special agent Of the inter
state commerce commission at Chicago
The spOtter is said to be j. A OwnDey-
The officers say that while they are will
ing to have their affairs Investigated they
protest against the employment Of spot
tiers to try and induce them to violate the
law.
Ownbey has been travelling over the
Santa TIE ON passes which he obtained by
unknown means, and has turned up AT
various points in the west and purported
to be the agent for the receivers Of the
Santa Fe. His mission, he said, was to
look into the feasibility Of an extension
from the Pan Handle 10 II PasO Texas.
lie visited prominent cattle raIsers and
shippers in thai section or the country,
and his evident desire appeared TO he to
secure evidence Of violation Of the inter
state commerce law against Santa Fe
officials and others. From a private
letter received It appears Ownbey is still
travelling ia Texas, pretending TO make
an investigation Of the physical condition
of the road ia that part Of the country for
IDENTITY got onto him, viii be seen by
the following abstract from the letter
just mentioned:
ut is certainly no wonder the great
American people have risen up in arms
and rebuke a government that viii al
low such disreputable practices as indi-
Gated BY BIT Ownbey7s action If the
government proposes to employ agents
to induce railroads TO violate the laws,
think il is time such an administration
was sat down upon. hardly think
any man of RESP ectabiIity would employ
another to work under such disreputable
plans OF course, the commission may
not know that Mr. Taylor Is employing
any such people, but L think it should be
advised Of the fact 1t is most unfOrtu-
nate for Judas Iscariot that Taylor did
mot live la his tine or we would proba-
bly, never have heard Of Judas, except as
p bright and shining light and exem-
plary disciple"
The railroad man of the Chicago Tri-
bune also knows something about Owen
hey, and he says regarding him:
About two weeks ago the Tribune re-
ferred to one J. A OWnbey, who called
upon managers and traffic officials of
western roads ana claimed to some he
was a Texas cattle shipper and to others
a tourist agent lie wanted rebates and
cut rates, saying he had favorable offers
from some Of the roads. The railroads
could readily see the man was not what
he pretended % be and surmised he was
an agent of the interstate commission
who desired tO catch them mapping, and
consequently none Of them fell into the
rap lt subsequently transpired that
while the man was not engaged directly
by the interstate commerce commission
he was employed by Special Agent John
g. Taylor, Of the interstate commission.
who secured the Indictment by the fed
and Traffic Manager Hanley, Of the Santa
Fe, and several prominent shippers Spec /
lal Agent Taylor was formerly general
live stock agent of the Santa Fe and was
discharged by Reinhart and Hanley and
his action. IL is claimed, was had in a
spirit Of revenge. All the alleged Of
lenses for which the Santa Fe officials
were Indicted occurred when Taylor was
IN the employ Or the road and he him
self paid the rebates to shippers. To
create an impression Of fairness, it is /
claimed. Taylor became anxious to work
up some cases Of violation Of the inter
state commerce law that occurred since
the Santa Re went Into the hands of re-
celvers and also against officials Of other
western roads, and in order 10 do that be
hired the man Cwnbey
1t appears this man Ownbev is quite a
character. who few years ago gained
an unenviable and wide reputation by put
ting mp the ~silver pool j0b,' which was
Investigated at the second session Of the
flfty-trst congress- The investigation
showed him to he the champion prevari-
Gator Of the age and his work in this city
and elsewhere during the last four weeks
susEalns his reputation in that respect