Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-23
TRACE TRIBUNES
STEAL IN STATE
Startling Evidence Unearthed
in Chicago by Prosecuting
: Attorney Mxgill.
ONE MAN GETS $4,000
Another Pockets $4,000 and Disap-
pears-Facts Being Presented
to Grand Jury Here.

1t is understood nearly 100 wit
nesses from various localities in the
state will be summoned before the
Rock Island county grand jury this
week in connection with the investf.
CATION of the Fraternal Tribunes
scandal. The developments are grow
ing more sensational daily, and the
enormity of the affair is just begin
ming to become apparent. 1t proves
to have been systematic loot of the
funds of at least four fraternaI or
ders, the Fraternal Tribunes, Amer
lean Home Circle, the Independent
Order of Mutual Aid, and society that
accepted negroes as risks, but the
name of which States Attorney L.
M. Magill could not recall.
L must decline to discuss matters
before the grand jury here" Mr.. Ma
gill said on his return from Chicago
this morning. whether, as intimat-
ed, Chicago federal officeholder in
Chicago is concerned, 1 must refuse
to say. will neither confirm nor deny
anything on that score. l simply want
to say that 1 shall do my whole duty
in this inquiry without fear or favor
l might add that from appearances the
disclosures will startle the whole state
when they are made public"
The disclosures, as has been
stated, are due to the efforts of ]. F.
Mcbride of Chicago, who was elected
head of the Tribunes after the disso-
luton of the merger with the Home
Circle. From what at first seemed the
misrepresentation of $5S,O0O in tne
inh
cred has grown into embezzlement on
a larger scale involving other societies
which, it is said, will reach hundreds
Of thousands. Mr. Mcbride has been
persistent and in his probe into the
Tribunes has had the cooperation OF
w. G. Galloway, T. ]. MediII, NJ. H.
Sexton and Robert Rexdale, all of
whom are astonished by the revela-
tons.
At the Chicago End.
The Chicago Tribune of this morn
ing sheds some new light on the Fra
ternal Tribunes scandal which has
been before the grand jury here the
past few weeks, printing the following
story:
Enforcement Of $1,000 by one
prominent Chicagoan;' pocketing of
$4,000 by another man who has dis
appeared and is being pursued through
Illinois; forged notes of $34,000-these
were some of the discoveries made in
this city by States Attorney Lawrence
NJ. Magill of Rock Island county pre-
vious to his return home yesterday
"Magill spent several days here in
vestigating an insurance scandal in
\
of such prominence in public life that
mention of their names, it was pre-
dicted, would come as a shock to the
average citizen.
"'The evidence I have secured said
States Attorney Magill, will be pre-
scented to the Rock Island county grand
jury next Thursday. l cannot reveal
its nature in advance, but the frauds
to be disclosed and the prominence of
the men involved are certain to make
the revelations of national Importance.
The grand jury will go to the bottom
of the accusations, and l can promise
that political influence will be of no
avail
Sees States Attorney Wayman.
'Mr. Magill held conference with
suit there also may be a grand jury
investigation in Cook county-possibly
a third in Sangamon county.
The conference with Mr.. Wayman |
was the second on the subject, the
first having been sought by Mr.. Magill |
just when State Representative Wheel |
an and other Rock Island witnesses
were before the special grand jury in |
vestigating legislative corruption. Be- |
cause he was here at that time Mr.. |
MagilPs visit was enormously attrib- |
uted to an interest in the Wheelan |
matter.
alleged looting of the reserve funds |
of the Order of Fraternal Tribunes, so /
that its deposits in a Chicago bank
were reduced from more than 100000
to $4,000, is said to be the starting
point of the investigation.
Shrinkage Follows Merger.
Reduction of the Fraternal Trib-
unes' reserve funds followed the or
der's merger with the American Home
Circle. AT that time a majority of the
Fraternal Tribunes' officers retired and
the American Home Circle officers took
charge, although several of the Frater-
nal Tribunes' officials continued in full
power. Misrepresentation of funds is
said to be charged to the Fraternal
Tribunes' officers.
1.-THE American Home Circle and the
Fraternal Tribunes dissolved relations
several months ago, continuing bust
ness separately The Fraternal Trib-
unes reorganized BY electing their for