The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-04-18
I'LL. CENT.
| CRAFT WAS
ENORMOUS
TOTAL ALLEGED STEAL
ING MAY REACH FIVE
MILLIONS
---------~-
0. KID BILLS AND VOUCHERS
BEING INVESTIGATED
Run1or That High official Of
Road Has Confessed Is
Not Denied

Chicago, H., April IS. bills and
vouchers bearing the 20. X. or
Joseph e. Buker, former superintend-
ent of the car department OF the llll-
nols Central railroad, and aggregat.
Ing S6O0O00 monthly have been sub
jected TO searching examination
since Mr. Buker left the company's
service six months ago. Auditors
and private detectives as we'll have
been employed TO make the investi-
cation.
The bills for Illinois Centrals car
repairing, other than the repairing
done in the company's own car shops,
were passed on by Superintendent
Buker and he was the final authority
as to their correctness.
Not only did he 90 X the bills,
but also the vouchers for their pay
ment were made out in his Office.
Women Enter Grafs Scandal
Bills from other railroads for Ili-
nois Central car. repaired while in
transit on their lines, average $500,-
600 month. The cos Of car repair.
Ing done for the Illinois Central by
various car works runs at least $l00,.
900 additional. Bills for all ol this
work were passed on by Superlntend-
ent l,nker and ordinarily he approy-
ed prices paid for the new rolling
stock.
Women for the first time today en-
tered into the Illinois Central graft
scandal President Harahan learned
that one Of the men suspected OF
grating, although married, had spent
money layishly on other women. II
was reported to him that one of these
two men claimed to have been un-
der suspicion
Since Buker's resignation the me.
chanical department of the Illinois
Central, oil which the car department
Is a part, has been reorganized.
s5,0oO,000 Graft ls Suspected.
Morgan X. Barnum, formerly with
the Chicago, Burlington aud Quincy,
has been put at the head OF The de.
partment with the title Of superin.
tendent Of motive power and Il. N
Bell, formerly in charge OF motive
power, Is now Mr.. Barnum's subordi-
nate
Unpaid bills from several car re.
pair concerns have been held up by
the Illinois Central, by orders OF
President .Harahan, pending the In.
Yestigalion into suspected graft,
which is declared to reach the amaz
ing total OF S5.000,000.
THE reason given by Mr.. Buker
when he left the Illinois Central was
that he had been offered a more re
muneratiye position with the Chicago
Car Heating company" said Pres
dent HarahaD. 81 understand he is
now vice president OF that company
| have nothing to say regarding the
investigation being made by the Ill
nois Central"
Buker Has Been Out OF CHICAGO
SINCE leaving the Illinois .Centra
Buker has been away from Chicago
much OF the time and Is now in Sar
Francisco.
Inquiry Is being made by the I'LL
nois Central officials into the dealings
between Buker and the Ostermal
Manufacturing company of West Pull
man, OF which II. G. Osterman wa
president until last October. In al
Interview Mr.. Osterman denied an,
/ lmputations Of graft. The Ostei
man company formerly did $4,000
worth OF business year with tn
! Illinois Central.
President Harahan expressed SUI
prise over report that the Blue d
land Rolling Mill and Car compan
had filed a suit for a bill of $35, 90
Tor car repairs
The investigation which is beip
/ conducted under the direction OF ID
tective William j. Burns Is extenl
INK into every department of tn
road Ia which the system might pc
nit OF graft on the part OF the respo
sible officials.
Confession story is Not Refuted
Neither Mr.. Harahan nor Mr.. Burr
will confirm the report that an ofiicia
Of the road implicated in the allege
steals had made a full confession ,
his thefts IN the hope OF securin
immunity from criminal prosecution
The story, however. was not deniet
4 According to Mr. Harahan, N
findings OF the graft investigation
arc TO be made public in few day
In the shape of a formal statemen
II the disclosures warrant the ev
dence viii be turned over 10 State
4 Attorney Wayman with the recon
rendation that II be submitted
ihe grand jury.
J. w. Hooker was here today fro