Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-31
RAWN is IMPLICATED NOW
Former Illinois Central President
Is Said to Have Held
Interest.

CHICAGO. Aug. SO.-Resumption of the
hearing of charges against Frank b.
Hartman Charles l.. Ewing and John NJ
Taylor, former Illinois Central railroad Of
ficials, charged of car reprair frauds, de-
veloped sensational evidence. Theophile
Reuther a former director OF the Oster-
mann Manufacturing company, one of the
repair firms charged with grating from
the railroad, declares on the witness stand
that he had been told that the late Ira
q. Rawn held 1000 shares of the Oster
mann company stock. Reuther testified that
Ostermann said that he gave Rawn the
shares in consideration Of an order for 10000
car doors.
Rawn, who at the time he was found
shot to death at his summer home in Win
netka, ILL.,. several weeks ago, was presi-
dent Of the Monon railroad, and had held
a high official position with the Illinois
Central railroad. 1t had been expected that
he would be one Of the important witnesses
in the present case. Previous to his death.
when being questioned before a master in
chancery by attorneys for the Illinois Cen
trail railroad, Rawn declared that he held
no interest In the repair firm.
Reuther's evidence regarding Rawn was
given while the witness was being cross
Henry c. Ostermann, president OF the Os-
termann Manufacturing company. During
this conversation Reuther said Ostermann
expressed his intention of giving Rawn, Jo-
seph K. Baker, John M. Taylor and Frank
B. Hartman 1900 shares each OF Ostermann
stock Rawn, according to Ostermann,
promised to give to the Ostermann COM
pany the work Of making 1900 grain doors
If he got the stock. testified Reuther.
did he get the shares asked Aeeorney
Rothert.
Il asked Ostermann that question subse-
quently. and he said he had given them the
shares Of stock" replied Reuther.
Ostermann Threatened to XIII!
Previous to giving this evidence regard
| ing the alleged stock transaction. Reuther
related a story of an encounter with Os-
termann during which he declared that Os-
termann threatened to kill him IL he told
Of the transactions between the Illinois
Central railroad and the Ostermann COM
pany. Reuther stated that he went to
| Ostermann's offices to protest because he
| had not received dividends upon his stock
In the repair company.
"Ostermann said no dividends had been
| paid" testified Reuther, land I told him
that I had seen a check sent to man
named Tomski. He said 1t was a lie.
:" You have done more harm than good
| with this company Ostermann shouted.
| and 1 replied that 1 had done whole
| lot toward organizing the concern and
said: 1t will all come out how the Illinois
Central was robbed He grew angry,
seized a paperweight and struck me on the
head fell to the floor and some men
carried me out and placed me on my
back Ostermann said he would kill me II
1 told about the Illinois Central business.
I got home and had to so to bed. August
Diedrich, foreman in the Burnside shops,
called at my home and told me 1 should
not say anything about what happened.
| Don't mix up John NJ. Taylor Dledrich
asked me. Mr.. Milligan also called and
| told me not to say anything about the
Ostermann affair. but 1 told them 1 was
going to tell the Illinois Central Just as
soon as 1 got out of bed.
II went to see Mr.. Burton, master me-
chanic of the Burnside shops-he was my
boss-and told him what knew OF the
stealing in the Illinois Central, and that
l was going to squeal He advised me to
keep quiet and said that the men who
were stealing would get caught anyway.
Then went to see John NJ. Taylor and
William Renshaw, superintendent OF ma
chinery, and told them how the railroad
was being robbed. They said there was
no stealing and told me to keep my mouth
shut"