Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-14
Great Western Road Will Not
Prosecute Employees Who Stole
Coal at Fort Dodge
MANY OLD AND TRUSTED MEN
culprits Had Been in company's En-
ploy Many Years-comp.ny Refuses
to Make Names PubIic-Extent Of
Thefts Not Definitely known-EIev-
en- Have Been Discharged.
Special to rimes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Fort Dodge, Dec. 1.-THE Great
Western railroad company will not
prosecute the officials and employees OF
this city who have been found to have
carried on systematic thieveries from
coal cars for several years. Superin-
tendent Jones says the only incorrect
statement relative to the matter Is In
eleven men have been dismissed in
stead of sixteen.
Regarding the men implicated and
discharged, some of them are old and
trusted employees said Mr.. Jones. ~
have known them for long time and
am friendly with them. all Fort Dodge
knows them likewise. 1t would be en-
tirely unnecessary to make their
names public. Rumor has carried to
the public the names and it is just
about known who they are. I have
no wish to prosecute them and no ar
rest will be mad, in connection with
the affair"
Regarding the size Of the thefts Mr..
Jones said it would be impossible to
tell how much the railroad had lost.
Several thousand dollars worth Of coal
may have been taken and the amount
might fall far below this. The larg-
est amount that we know of one man
having secured, continued Mr.. Jones.
us four and one-haf tons. No proof
As at hand of larger amounts than
this.
81 The men were together In the deal.
AT least some Of them were. They
would have the switchnen set car
OFF in an out Of the way place then
they would skim eff the top of 1t, TAX
ing few tons and that would not
be noticed. 1t is hard to tell how
long It has been going on, probably
not very long time"
"A. railroad usually does not like to
give out its manner Of detecting
things of this kind. Their detectives
are paid high salaries and their meth
DDS are their own. The exact man
ner in which the thefts In Fort Dodge
were detected is not known. tbs re-
ported that investigation has been
iuuUtT way IOT VEGAS, Incl SAASleo W.
suspected some time ago and proof
was finally obtained by having an off
Ger watch the cars and follow the
sdrayrnen who hauled away the coal
and thus get the names OF the men
whose cellars were filled at the ex-
pense Of the Illinois Central.
Mr. Jones states til most OF the
places of the discharged men have
been filled. A few men were brought
in from other places but some Of the
positions were flied by men right here
In town.
When asked II these discharged
men would be blacklisted SO that it
would be impossible for them to get
jobs with others roads, Mr.. Jones said:
There is no such thing as black
list any more. Its day has gone by.
When road hires man he has to
I'LL in an application blank which
practically gives history Of his
whole life. They also get his record
from the last road he was employed
with. If there is anything against
his character, Of course 1t is harder
for him to secure place, but the men
who hire, always use their own judg-
ment and if they think man n all
right tho his record lis not true he is
sometimes taken on.