Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-04
HOW FISH DEALERS
CAUGHT SUCKERS"
Not a Session OF Illinois LegisIa-
tuer When interests Affected
Did Not Put UP Money.
HENRY LEMM WILL TELL ALL
He VIII Go Before the Grand Jury
And Tell How Corruption
Was Worked.

Peoria. H. June "Details OF how
legislation affecting the fishing interests
OF the state was fought In the state leg
islature were given to states Atty.
Burke OF Sangamon county tonight by
Henry Lernm. a Ash dealer OF Pekiu.
Other fish dealers were named and
Burke also learned, il Is said. the name
OF a Democratic member OF the legisla-
ture who went south with the entire
fund contributed for use In the last
session.
Lemm said there had not been a ses-
sion Of the general assembly IN which
the fsh dealers had not put up" money
TO night legislation opposed 10 their in
terests. He said the last session. how
ever. cost them the most. In the forty
ffth general assembly. he said. he was
required TO contribute but 500. al
though II cost him $500 for the forty
sixth session
In his confession Lemm said that un-
I'll the death OF Chpt. Schultz OF Ha-
vana last year Schultz was tho collector
OF the fund paid the legislators, but
that he had been succeeded by John
Dixon, Ash dealer OF Peoria.
lrmm said thai while the fish bill
was on first reading In the legislature
be went to Hot Springs for his health
This was May ,. 1909. and before he left,
Iemm said he told Dixon to do what
he could to defeat the bill and Tint
he would stand his share OF the ex-
pense.
I,einm denied that he was a partner
OF Dixon. as has been reported, but said
that both hold stock In the Havana
Fish compay. Before leaving for Hot
Springs Lcmm said he told Ralph o
Lord. his bookkeeper. formerly OF
springfield that he expected Dixon TO
call upon him for contribution. and
n he did so 20 pay Dixon any amount
he asked. Lcmm said the amount Lord
gave Dixon was 5000. this being borne
out by letter Lord wrote OF Lemm ~
Hot Springs, telling him that the CON
tribution had been made and asking
" Lemm had any suggestions TO make
regarding the fight against the bin.
Lemm said he did not know how
much n. Dleckman, a Pekin fish dealer,
contributed. A letter written by Lemm's
bookkeeper. while Lemm was In the
south. showed Lemm was informed OF
the amount that his friend Dieckman
gave. The letter follows;
LORD TO LEMM.
''Pekin, May n, 1910.
Henry Lemm, Hot Springs. Ark.
John Dixon was Just down and ]
gave him check for 5000 for the af-
fair at Springfield. He also got a like
amount from r. Dieckman. made the
check payable to yourself and indorsed
II on back He suggested that I do 4
that way, In order to keep us out Of
trouble In case this ever got out. He
told me TO have you get after the Graf
49,. Aal.
could not get 500 out OF them. He is
afraid he is going 10 have some trouble
In raising the required amount Per
haps you had better take this up with
John
The way he explained this thing TO
me Is that II this goes through II will
reduce the price Of license from rs
cents to 10 cents and the seine tax
from $40 to 81 for each 100 yards,
with no limit 10 length of seine also
allows the use OF one and half inch
mesh. Now, this would be quite an
Item to those fellows I'm and around
Grafton, where, l understand. they do
quite extensive net fishing l believe
It good idea to have Harris see II
he can't get a little money together
and send IL to Dixon. Let me know II
you have any suggestions.
"tSigned r. o. Lord"
Lomm and Lord were served with
subpoenas to appear before the grand
jury. Lemm tomorrow morning and
Lord next Monday.
The money paid by Lord for Lemm
was through check on George Herget
Sons Bank OF Pekin. II was in
dorsed in blank and made out 10
Henry Lemm and signed by Lemm
by II. O. Lord, The date OF the check
was May II. and the same day Lord
wrote TO Lemm, telling him Of the
transaction.
at .ta a. at Lee l.
Lemm promised 10 tell a complete
story to the grand jury. This was after
he had been assured by Mr.. Burke |
that the grand jury was not after the |
mon who had contributed for the |
legislat-on. nor after the men who had |
contributed for tho defeat of legsla-
ton, but after the members OF the |
legislature to whom the money had |
been paid. |
John Dixon Of Peoria. to whom |
Lemm said he paid his contribution. |
has been served with a subpoena. re-
turnable at once, to appear before |
the SangamOn county grand jury. His |
testimony Is expected to give the |
names OF the men with whom he /
dealt. and States Attorney Burke ex-
poets Il will disclose the names Of l
the men who really controlled the |
legislative jackpot in the different |
sessions
Acting on Information given by /
Lemm, Burke sent a deputy sheriff
10 the Leinm fish warehouse and, /
after prolonged search with n
lantern, the check for $500. 20 which |
the Lord letter referred was found.
The names Of a number OF other fish
men and OF a lawyer, all alleged TO
he implicated In the contributions 10
the fund TO defeat hsh legislation.
were given to Mr Burke, and more
subpoenas are TO be issued.