Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-03
ILLINOIS FISH BILL
NOW UNDER PROBE
Money Contributed by Dealers
Failed to Reach Spring.
field Jack Pot
SENATORIAL INQUIRY RESTS
Dealer Reports to Have Admitted
He Paid $500 to Prevent
License of $500
ASSOCIATED Pressl

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, June THAT
grand jury questionings concerning the
fish and game bill which failed to pass
the Forty-siXth general assembly Will
be productive of more important results
than have developed since the legisla-
tive inquiry began is the expectation of
States Attorney Burke of Sangamon
county.
Information given the posecuto to-
day, he said, has completed a chain of
evidence from men who paid sums OF
money to defeat the bill, to the man
who collected the amounts. and up to
a legislator who is charged with having
held out the sum given him, instead OF
having passed it along to the Jackpot"
Prosecutor Burke said he had the
name of fish dealer who was alleged
to have said, in the presence of wit
nesses, that he gave $500 to the fund
to kill the bill. naming the man to
whom he paid it. That man is to be
summoned
SHARE WAS $500
Other information in the hands OF
Mr.. Burke is that a man interested sent
a telegram to another interested per-
son. then out of the state, that his
share needed to insure the defeat of the
bill would be $500.
The bill provided for licensing fish
ermen, the amount of license depending
upon the number and character of the
net used. Mr.. Burke has been informed
that one man figured that under the
licensing bill he would be obliged to
pay 5000 to continue in business, and
accordingly contributed $500 to avoid
the payment of the larger sum.
The states attorney said he had been
given the name of a legislator who was
given between $4,000 and $500, collected
to defeat the bill and who failed to
turn the money over to the Jackpot,
which was its designed resting place.
The witnesses examined today by Mr.
Burke were Fish Commissioner Cohen
Fish Warden Caldwell and Representa-
tive NJ NJ. Foote, chairman of the fish
and game committee.
Twelve or fifteen witnesses are to be
subpoenaed in connection with the fish
bill inquiry. Most of the additional
facts that came to the states attorney
today were furnished by Fish Com
missioner Cohen and Fish Warden
Caldwell
Additional testimony that fitted into
parts of the fish inquiry came from
Representative Beckemyer. If the fish
witnesses reach Springfield tomorrow
they will be taken before the grand jury
and more indictments may follow.
The investigation of the fish scandal
is in line with the announced intention
of MI Burke to go after the ''jackjot
and of legislative accusations, and ig-
more for the present the senatorial brib-
cry phase, which is holding the atten-
ton of the Cook county prosecutor at
Chicago.
The fishing license bill under fire was
senate bill 113, substituted for a similar
house bill. The senate bill was repeat
edly before the Foster committee, and
finally was reported out to the house
with a favorable recommendation, and
passed to third reading, being tabled in
the final furry of the legislature with
out being voted upon directly.
In addition to the expected develop
ments in the fish bill investigation the
program now includes the appearance
Of Representative Beckemyer before the
grand jury.
The net result of the visit of Mr.
Burke to Governor Dcneen was an un-
derstanding that the prosecutor would
have the hearty cooperation of the
governor in any mater where the CHIEF
executive could be of service, particu-
larly giving Mr.. Burke access to the
office record of complaints concerning
Hesitation in the last general assem-
bly,.
Governor Deneen will not be sum-
moned before the grand jury