Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-07-21
MYSTERIOUS Death Of Ira
nC. -Rswn Of Chicago
Family Says Shot by Burglar
Suicide Is Suspected.
The illinois Central Car Repairing
Scandal Is Recalled.

ident of the Chicago, Indianapolis
Louisville Railroad the MonOn rOute),
died of bullet wound at his summer
residence in Winnetka, Is miles north
of Chicago, early today
Members of Mr.. Rawns family say
he was killed by a burglar. The police
are working on theory that Mr..
Rawn killed himself. AS a basis for
their suicide theory, the police advance
the following reasons:
they point to the fact that Mr..
Rawn was operating vice president of
the Illinois Central Railroad at the
time fraudulent car repair contracts
were pat through, and that recently
he had been drawn into the Illinois
Central graft investigation as chief
witness. ~
they say that the action of Mr..
Rawn's relatives in refusing the aid
of the Chicago detective department tc
search for the alleged murderer is
suspicious. They declare that there ex-
lists lack of convincing evidence that
an intruder had actually been in the
Rawn residence.
Mrs. Rawn, widow of the dead man.
r. G. Coburn his son-in-law, Mrs. Co.
were in the house when the tragedy
occurred. Mrs. Rawn says that her hus-
band was aroused from sleep at 100
O'Clock in the morning by a noise on
the first floor of the residence. She
says Mr.. Rawn picked up revolver in
his room on the second floor. started
down stairs and was shot on 3 land
ing half way down. Both Mrs. RaWn
and Coburn say that two shots were
fired. A minute search of the front
hall and adjoining rooms of the resi-
dence. however. shows but one bullet
that fired from Mr.. Rawn's revolver
and which apparently had passed
through Mr.. Rawns body just below
the heart.
Coroner Peter Hoffman took per-
sonal charge of the investigation into
the death. He refused to say whether
he thought the case was one of murder
or Of suicide. He stated, however, that
powder marks had been found on Mr..
Rawn's night gown. indicating that the
bullet which killed him was fired at
close range.
Friends and business associates of
the dead man. say he has been look
ing badly for several weeks. Some at
tributed Mr.. Rawn's worried express
sion to the investigation Of the con-
spiracy by which the Illinois Central
Railroad claims it was mulcted out of
hundreds of thousands of dollars. This
is now going on in court. On two sue
cessive days last week Mr.. Rawn Sc
cured postponement of his examina-
ton as a witness on the plea that his
wife was i'll. His examination was
scheduled to be resumed next Tuesday.
Mr.. Rawn left the Illinois Central
Railroad in November, 1909 and be-
came president of the Monon. Early
this spring the Illinois Central fraud
came to the light. Though the inveS-
tigation Is not In such shape that any
criminal responsibility for the frauds
Is fixed, it is declared that the rail-
road regulations of some persons in
volved would be ruined and their flu
lures practically blotted out e"
At the first hearing before Master I'm
Chancery Thomas Taylor. Jr., Mr..
Rawn testified that the car repair
contracts all came under his super
vision. He admitted that he was re-
spoons ible for farming out the cars to
the various repair companies
The story of the shooting of Mr..
Rawn was told by Ralph G. Coburn,
his son-in-law. Mr.. Rawn was d yak
ened by sounds on the first floor Of the
house." he said "He insisted on go
ing to ascertain the cause. although
Mrs. Rawn tried to persuade him not
to 10 so. He descended the stairs and
had barely reached the landing when
everyone sin the house was awakened
by two shots IN quick succession.
I'VE all rushed out and found Mr..
Rawn lying in his night clothes. Blood
was trickling from his heart. He
struggled to speak and could not. We
sent In hurried calls for doctor. Mr..
Rawp died within five or six moments
after the shot had been fired.
The Winnetka police found the jim
my marks on the door which showed
the crime had been committed by a
burglar. We have no clew
1.-THE house was occupied by Mr.. and
Mrs. Rawn, their daughter. Mrs. Bige-
low. and my wife and myself and our
two children. There were also three
servants in the house. the cook. Mrs.
Rawn's maid and Mrs. Rigelow's maid.
None of the rest of us heard the bur-
glar."
One bullet only took effect. the other
went wild.
Half an hour after the murder detec-
tives. hired by relatives Of the dead
man were at work.
1--WE will offer a reward. said Mr.
Coburn. and spare no expense To cap
ture the assassin
Last April the Rawns moved from
their residence in Chicago to Winnetka
Mr. Rayvr has three daughters. all
married They are Mrs. Robert {.
Brinkley, Mrs. Ralph G. Coburn, and
Mrs. G.. n. Bigelow. Mr.. Rawn was 30
wears old, having been born Aug. ~
1854. at Delaware. Ohio. He entered
the railway service in 1850, begihhne
as a telegraph operator for the Big
-Four After rising TO the trainmas'er
with that road. he went to the Ken
lucky Central in 1887 as master o.