Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-22
CRAFT IN COUNTY
Grand Jury Expected to Dig Up
Some reSh Sensations
at Peoria.
SAID $4,000 WAS TAKEN
Padded Pay Rolls and Jail Registers
and Other Queer Things Re-
ported to Exist.

Peoria, ILL.,, Jan. 22.-Charges OF
graft by d. E. Potter, former sheriff
and members of the board of supervis
ors, which, it is predicted, will rival
the Dougherty expose Is months ago
are being investigated by grand jury
which was impaneled a week ago. 1t
is declared that revelations will be
made of dishonesty and theft that will
involve many county officials.
Fifty thousand dollars is the lowest
estimate of the reported loss to the
county. Those in a position to know
declare it will go much higher This
much, it is reported has been devel-
oped by the grand jury's investigation.
Ten days more, it is announced, will
be required to get to the bottom of the
affair.
Fictitious Prisoners Carried.
Thus far it has been developed, it is
said, that the pay rolls have been pad
ded systematically and that the names
of fictitious prisoners have been car
ried on the books of the county for
years The bills have been allowed by
the supervisors. The chairmen of sew
eral committees, supposed to have au-
dited the bills, are under suspicion.
They have been summoned to appear
before the grand jury
According to the books of the sheriff
for the last four years just twice the
number of names have appeared on his
books as there have been actual pris-
oners. The. money allowed on these
bills by the supervisors has amounted
to So 900 a year. This is only one item
which has been Investigated.
Buys Fancy Articles.
An investigation of the books shows
that the county has been paying for
fancy soaps by the case, herpicides by
the gallon, razors by the dozen. ard
many other articles, which were charg-
ed up to the use of the Jail prisoners,
but which, the grand jury believes
were hardly necessary for prison use.
Charles Engler, chairman of the build
ing committee, who o. KID these bills,
is the proprietor of a barber shop. He
has been asked TO explain why the
prisoners needed so many toilet helps.
That several deputies under former
Sheriff Potter were in cOnnivance with
the prisoners is also charged. A war
rant was issued for the arrest of Philip
Ellis. who was arrested in 1904 on a
charge of wife abandonment. He was
sentenced to three months in Jail by
Judge SlemmOns. He appeared before
another court a few days later and
swore that he had served his full time.
He is charged with perjury and will
be recommitted to the Jail. At the
time of his arrest Edward Peters was
deputy in charge of the Jail
Try to Call OF states Attorney.
Desperate efforts were made to sup
press the investigation. States Attor-
ney Scholes was invited to confer
ence last week and asked whether if
The money were made good the prose
cution would be stopped. He refused
% have anything to do with the offer
and said he would push the case to
he limit
Charles E. Johnson, former sheriff.
started the investigation. When he
made public the charges he was ridi-
,uled So strong was the pressure
against him that he was charged with
insanity He was taken before County
Judge Slemmons and tried, but was
found sane and freed.
Since then other efforts have been
made to stop the investigation Scores
If witnesses have been subpoenaed