The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-21
EVIDENCE OF MURDER IS
NOT REALLY CONVINCING
Relatives of Dead Railroad Official
Refuse to Aid Detectives In Sc
curing Clues to the Supposed
Murderer of Mr.. Rawn.
Clue to Murderer.

Chicago, July 2O.-F. M. Brink y
y ley, a son-in-law Of Mr.. Rawn. y
= declared late tonight that private y
= detectives had secured a clue to the y
= identity of the alleged murderer of =
= Mr.. Rawn and said an arrest y
= would be made tomorrow morning. =
Chicago, July 20.-Ira G. Rawn, presi-
dent of the Chicago Indianapolis and
louisville railroad CThe Monon Route),
died of bullet wound at his summer res
ldence in Winnetka, is miles north of Chi
cago, early today. Members of Mr.
Rawns family say he was killed by d
burglar. The police are working on a
theory that Mr.. Rawn killed himself
police advance the following reasons
They point to the fact that Mr. Rawp
was operating vice president of the Illi-
nois Central railroad at the time fraudu-
lent car repair contracts were put
through, and that recently he has been
drawn into the Illinois Central graft in
yestigation as a chief witness
They say that the action of Mr. Rawn's
relatives in refusing the aid of the Chica-
go detective department to search for the
alleged murderer is suspicious.
They declare that there exists lack
of convincing evidence that an intruder
had actually been In the Rawn residence.
Mrs Rawn, wife of the dead man, r.
G. Coburn, his son-in-law. Mrs. Coburn
and two children and three maids were in
the house when the tragedy occurred.
Aroused From sleep.
Mrs. ,Rawn says that her husband was
aroused from sleep at 80 o'clock in the
morning by noise on the first floor of
the residence She says Mr.. Rawn
picked up a revolver in his room on the
second floor, started downstairs and was
shot on landing 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 residence,
however, show but one bullet, that fired
from Rawn's revolver, and which appar-
emily had passed through Rawns body
Just below the heart.
Coroner Peter Hoffman took personal
charge of the investigation into the death.
He refused tonight to say whether he
thought the case was one of murder O. OF
suicide. He stated, however, that powier
marks had been found on Ravn's night
gown, indicating that the bullet which
killed him was fired at close range.
Friends and business associates of tie
dead man say that he. has been looking
badly for several weeks. Some attributed
his worried expression to the investiga-
tion of the conspiracy by which the 1lli-
nois Central claims it was mulcted out
of hundreds of thousands of dollars. This
is now going on in court.
Begged For Postponement.
On two successive days last week Mr..
Rawn begged for and secured post
of n Inn foU a wi =
ness on the plea that his wife was
Ill. His examination was scheduled
to be taken up again next Tuesday
Mr. Rawn left the Illinois Central
railroad in November, 1909. and became
president of the Monon. EARLY this
spring the Illinois Central fraud came
to light Though the investigation Is
not in such shape that any criminal
responsibility for the frauds is fixed
1t Is declared that the regulations OF
some persons involved would be ruined
and their futures practically blotted
out.
At the first hearing before Master in
Chancery Thomas Taylor, Jr., Mr.. Rawn
testified that the car repair contracts
all came under his supervision lie
admitted that he was responsible for
farming out the cars to the various
repair companies.
Said one of the men who has been
from Rawn at the witness table the
thought came to me that I was watch
ing a man slowly slipping into his
grave. Every day for weeks he has
looked like walking death.
when the news struck the North
Shore suburbs this morning those who
knew Mr. Rawn and saw him daily
were not surprised. The only surprise
expressed was at the story of the bur-
glary." u ~ -.l.s-.s..
Mr.. Rawn's sons-in-law, r.. G. Coturn
and r. G.. Brink1ey, assumed command
of the Investigation from the start A
number Of detectives from a private
agency were, summoned hurriedly to
Winnetka early today.
A number OF these men were sta
toned at various points in the house
7 and grounds. They were ordered TO
| give no information to newspaper men
| or any other persons making inquiries.
This situation was further compli-
Gated tonight when q squad OF en-
ployes of a second private detective
agency arrived in Winnetka. The men
stated they had been ordered to make
full Inquiry into the causes OF death.
The detectives visited the villag po-
r1ice authorities. talked with num-
ber of residents of Winnetka and for
time 1t was believed they were max
ated.
Causes Grief in Birmingham.
The tragic death of Ira G. Rawn. pres
ident of the Monon route, was received
with deep regret in Birmingham. He was
known here very widely and news of
his untimeiy death spread over the city
as quickly as would that of local
prominent citizen
Mr.. Rawn who went to the Monon