The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-07-27
A Raaroad ?resiSeat Shot to Deak
Myaesioady IN dis Home.
SUICIDE OR MURDER
Family Claim Burglar Did Shoot
inS.-Possible Fraud Implication
and Fear Of Disgrace Advanced as
Theory for Suicide.-Dead Mans
Associates Not Surprised

Ira G. Rawn. president Of tbs
| Chicago. Indianapolis and Louisville
Railroad (,he Monon Rou,e.) died
ot bullet wound. a, his summer
residence in Winnetka: fifteen miles
north OF Chicago. early Wednesday
morning.
Members OF Mr. Rawu's family
say he was killed by burglar. The
police are working on a theory that
Mr.. Rawn killed himself. AS bas-
is of their suicide theory. the police
advance the following reasons:
They point to the fact that Mr..
Rawu was operating vice president
OF the Illinois Central Railroad at
the time fraudulent car repair COZ
tracts were put through and that
recently he was drawn into the Ii
lino!s Central graft investigation as
a chief witness.
They saw that the action OF Ar.
Rawn's relatives In refusing to aid
,he Chicago detective department to
search for the alleged murderer Is
suspicious.
They declare taat there exists
lack OF convincing evidence that an
intruder had actually been IN the
Rawo residence.
Mrs. Rawn. wife OF the dead man:
z. G. Coburn. his son-in-iaw: Mrs
Coburn and two children. and three
maids were in the house when the
tragedy occurred.
Mrs. Rawn says that her husband
was aroused from sleep at haK pase
one O'Clock il the morning oy
noise on the hrst foo: OF the resi-
dence. She says Mr.. Rawn picked
up revolver in his room On the
second floor and started downstairs
and vas down in the hall when Two
shots were fred. a minutes search
OF the front ball and adjoining rooms
Of the residence. however. show but
one bullet. that fred from the re-
yo,ver O! Mr.. Rawn and which ap-
oarcn;ly had passed through Dir.
Rawr's body just below the heart
Coroner Peter Hoffman took per-
>onal charge OF the investigation io-
70 the death. he refused to say
.hether he thought the case was one
OF murder or suicide He stated.
however. tha, powder marks had
Beer found OF Mr: Rowns night
gown. indicating ,ha, the bullet
which killed Mr. Rawn was fred at
close range.
Friends and business associates OF
the dead man say that he has been
ookinS badly for several weeks
Some attributed Mr. Rawn's worried
expression to the investigation OF the
conspiracy By which the Illinois
,en,ral claims 1t was mulched out
OF hundreds o: thousands OF dollars
This is row going on in court
On two successive days last week
Mr. Rawn begged for and secured
,ostpoueu,ent .. his examination as
witness on the plea that his VIE
sas III.
His examination was schedu.ec 70
re taken up again next Tuesday.
Mr.. Rawr left the Illinois CentTai
Railroad in November. 1909. and be-
.ame president Of the Monon- Early
This Spring the Illinois Central fraud
came TO light. Though the inresti-
cation is no, in such shape that any
criminal responsibility for the FRAUDS
IS fixed. il is declared that the rep
u,ation o: some. persons involved
would be ruined and their iatcte
practically blotted out.
4, the 1rs, hearing before Master
IN Chancery Thomas J. Taylor. Jr..
Mr. Ravn testified that the car re-
pair contracts all came under ms
supervision. he admitted that ne
| vas responsible for farming out the
| ears 10 the various repair commit
tees