Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-24
c. N..EhP[OY[S
CHARGED N||HFRAUD
Serious Accusations Made in In
formations Against Q. s. Ket-
cham and John DonegaD
kErcHAM MELBOURNE AGENT
Donesan Wa. Section Foreman at
Melbourne -. ketcham 10 Charged
With Utterins and Passing Forged
instrument, a Time check-Donesan
Accused Of Falsely Obtaining Money.

| The investigation by the Great Wes-
tern railroad last winter, which re-
suited in the arrest Of John B. Hol-
| lenhors, a division roadrnaster Of this
city, and others in the employe Of the
company, for which Hollenhors is now
serving term in the penitentiary, has
been continued to the end that o. S.
| Ketcham, formerly agent at Melbourne,
| and John Donegan, section foreman
Of Melbourne, are charged with serious
offenses. Ketchann Is accused Of ut
tering and passing forged instrument,
a request for bogus time check. and
Donegan is charged with obtaining
money by false pretenses by padding
| his pay roll.
| The informations containing the
charges were filed by Carl c. Koerner.
a special agent OF the company, with
Justice I. S. Willard, on April 10, but
were not made public until today. Ket-
cham has been i'll Mexico. Mo-, from
where he was summoned by telegraph
and responded in person. When in
formed that the charge had been
lodged against him. Donegan was
summoned from Melbourne. Both APP
! peared late Tuesday afternoon.
Both, Are Arrested.
Both Ketcham and Donegan APP
peared in Justice Millard's court this
| morning and We're placed under. ar
restsby Constable Walter Wilson. Both
gave bonds for their appearance for
1.-The preliminary hearing, which was set
for May %. Donegan's bond was fixed
at $3.50, which he furnished in the form
OF a certified check Bail for Ketcham
was fixed at $500, which he was also
able to furnish, q. 81. Keller and George
ISeely, Of this city, going his surety.
| keteham Charged With Forgery.
| The information against Ketcham
recites that he made a request to have
a check issued on the company for the
time of fictitious persons, who had
never been employed by the railroad.
| On this check Ketcham is alleged to
have secured $31.25. It is claimed the
time check was requested in favor of
one Charles Winslow, and signed John
| Donegan'' by Ketcham, it being Done
| gan's duty to request time checks for
those employed on his section. The
time check was issued in favor of
| Charles Winslow by j. B. Hollenhors,
the division roadmaster, it's number
being 49,39S, dated at Des Moines,
June 30, 1908. The information fur
Their continues that the time check was
endorsed by Ketcham. who got the
| funds, Winslow never having been in
the employ of the company.
Accuse Donegan Of Adding Name.
The information lodged against
lsDonegan is for inserting the name of
one Fred voght In his time book dur
| ing the month OF August, 1905. Voght
was credited with 100 hours labor at
the rate OF 121s cents an hour. amounts
ing to a total Of 1925. Donegan re-
| quested the time check be issued in
the name of Voght, and 1t was issued
| by j. B. Hollenhors, the division road
master. The check was endorsed by
Donegan in yoght's name, and Done
| gan got the money on it, it is alleged.
Was Part Of Extended Fraud.
According to the statement of Koer-
lNner, the company special agent, and
also that of the comanys local attor-
ney, the alleged frauds in which Ketch-
am and Donegan have become involved
are but a part Of the extensive system
I Of robbing the company of money by
ans Of padded pay rolls and forged
eli ,cks on this division, in which John
B. Hollenhors played more or less
prominent part. IT is not charged that
Hollenilors had knowledge Of or figured
in all Of the transactions OF employees
by which the company has lost money,
but 1t Is alleged that he had a part in
many of them.
Paid Money Back, Says Agent. !
Mr.. Koerner this morning made the
statement that the part that Ketcham
and Donegan had in defrauding the
company became known to the Great
Western during the investigation OF
the Hollenhors case Mr.. Koerner said
that at about that time Ketcham and
Donegan were involved to the extent Of
several hundred dollars, and that a
part or all Of this alleged shortage had
been repaid to the company. Just
why, at this late date, several months
after this money is said to have been
returned, criminal charges were lodged
against the men, could not be learned.
ketcham Well Known at Melbourne.
During the several years that Ketch-
am was agent for the company at Mel
bourne, both he and Mrs. Ketcham
were prominent in Melbourne affairs.
The family was very well known and
moved in the best of society. Ketcham
was especially prominent in lodge af-
fairs. His connection with the COM
pany was severed last winter, and
during the most Of the time since then
he has been employed at Mexico, Mo.
BIG CHURCH WEDDING.