Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-25
WILLING To TALK
Peoria Deputy Sheriff Asks
Grand Jury immunity From
ProSecL ion.
KNOWS OF sHERIFF'S GRAFT
Officer Paid IS Cents a Day to Feed
Prisoner-Actual Cost IS
Cents.

Peoria, Ill, Jan 25.-Alarmed at the
charges of graft against former Sheriff
d. E. Potter and deputies and mem
| bers OF the board of supervisors, Rob
| ert Conkey, former deputy sheriff. has
offered to turn states evidence if of
| feTed immunity from prosecution. He
declared he would be able TO give
startling evidence of misconduct in the
sheriff's office during the last four
years.
The grand jury has been in session
10 days, and promises to keep at the
investigation of graft charges two
weeks That the shortage will reach
$4,000 now is said to be certain, and
the indications are that it will go above
this figure. Yesterday witnesses were
subpOenaed to prove the charges which
had been made against the admins
tratiOn of the poor farm. 1t is charged
that this institution has been run on
as loose a system as the county Jail
and that Superintendent Frank Watson
will have to do some explaining to the
grand jurors.
story Told in Figures.
IF the prisoners in the house of
correction can be fed for an average of
Is cents a day, why should the county
pay 45 cents a day for feeding pris-
oners?"
This is the question the members of
the grand jury wrestled with in fer
reting out the charges of graft against
former Sheriff Potter's administration
To assist them in their work they
summoned Joe Brodman, for 10 years
superintendent of the workhouse. He
was with them several hours and is
supposed to have given valuable infor-
nation concerning the actual cost of
feeding prisoners. Former County
Clerk Lucas Butts also was before the !
jury with the books of the county to
show how many prisoners were suppos- !
ed to be in Jail at different periods and !
when money was paid TO the sheriff |
The sum of 10 cents a day is allowed |
by the supervisors, but -Lle- grand jur |
Oct ieve.- it, has been too large an !
When it also has been
known that prisoners were carried on
the books in order to swell this fund /
the jurors feel that some explanation /
Is due
Profits from feeding prisoners. ac-
cording to the figures. are conserva-l
lively estimated at SO day. few
extra names to the list for men who
never were in Jail would bring the
yearly profits around $4,000. 1t is said
federal prisoners were charged up by
he county official and their board paid
'OT by the supervisors.
Raum Indicted for Forgery.
Dan r. Raum. the attorney, was in
iicted by the grand jury on II counts
charging forgery. Raum confessed to
a number of his personal
riends out of $4,000. 1t is expected
lie will plead guilty to Judge Greene
II a few days and ask the mercy of
he court for as light a sentence as
possible.
Raum obtained money by giving
mortgages on farm lands, which were
to be located in Knox coun- I
Y. 1t proved that he had forged the
documents, including the county seal
# Circuit Clerk Stuckey of Knox
ounty. Frank Cunningham. Frank I
Whiting, the Illinois National and
Iome Savings bank were caught by
is duplicity. Raum says he took the {
money in order to maintain his social
osition. {
Beside the $4,000 which he gained
v forgery he squandered $4,000 be- {
Dnging to his wife Relatives of his '
Iife offered to make good his short {
ge, but were unable to stop the pros '
cution.