New-York tribune., 1910-08-30
SAYS RAWN HELD STOCK
Director Told ChiCagoan Got
1000 Shares in Repair Co.
GIVEN FOR CAR DOOR ORDER
Hartman and Two Other Illinois
Central Officials Also Named
as Recipients of Shares.

Chicago, Aug. 29-Resumption Of the
hearing to-day of charges against Frank
B. Hartman Charles L Ewing and John
NJ. Taylor. former Illinois Central Railroad
officials accused of car repair frauds. de-
veloped sensational evidence in Judge
Bruggemeyer's division of the municipal
court.
Theoph. Reuther, a former director Of
the Ostermann Manufacturing Company,
one of the repair firms charged with graft
ing from the railroad. declared on the wit
ness stand he had been told that the late
Ira G. Rawn held 1000 shares of the Oster-
mann Company stock. Reuther tes'lhed
that Ostelmann said that he gave RaWn
the shares in consideration of an order Ior
10000 car doors
Ravn who at the time he was found
shot to death at his summer home, in Win
netka Ill. several weeks ago, was preSl-
dent of the Monon Railroad, had held
high official post with the Illinois central
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 Chahcery
by attorneys for the Illinois Central Rail-
road. Rawp declared that he held no IN
terest in the repair firm.
Ostermann president of the Ostermanu
Manufacturing Company. Reuther testi-
fed Ostermann expressed his intention OF
giving Rawn, Joseph z. Baker John NJ
Taylor and Frank B. Hartman -'ooo
shares each of Ostermann stock.
"Rawn according TO Osternann. prom
ised to give to the Ostermann company the
work of making ten thousand grain car
doors if he got the stock testified Reu-
ther.
Did he get the shares?'' asked Attorney
Hoover.
Il asked Ostermann that question subse-
quently and he said he had given them the
shares OF stock replied Reuther.
Previously to giving this evidence regard
ing the alleged stock transaction Reuther
related a story of an encounter with Oster-
mann. during which he declared that Os-
ternann threatened TO kill him If he told
of th. transactions between the Illinois
Central Railroad and the Ostermann COM
pany
Reuther stated that he went TO Oster-
nann's offices to protest because he had
not received dividends on his stock in the
repair company.
'Ostermann said no dividends had been
paid,' testified Reuther, and 1 told him
that 1 had seen a check sent TO a man
named Tomski. He said 1t was a lie.
You have done more harm than good
with this company Ostermann shouted,
and | replied that I had done whole lot
toward organizing the concern, and said:
IT will all come out how the Illinois Cen
tral was robbed He grew angry, seized
a paper weight and struck me on the head.
fell to the floor and some men carried
me out and placed me on my back. Oster-
mann said he would kill me if 1 told about
the Illinois Central business.
I got home and had TO go to bed Au-
gust Diedrich. foreman in the Burnside
shops called at my home and told me 1
shouldn't say anything about what hap
pened. Don't mix UP John NJ. Taylor,
Diedrich asked me. Mr. Milligan also
called, and told me not To say anything
about tie Ostermann affair. but I Sld
them I was going to tell the Illinois Cen
tral just as soon as got out of bed.
I went to see Mr.. Burton. master me-
chanic of the Burnside shops-he was my
hoss-and told him about what l knew Of
the stealing in the Illinois Central and
that I was going to squeaI He advised me
10 keep quiet and said that the men who
we're stealing would get caught, anyway.
Then I went to see John NJ. Taylor and
William Renshau, superintendent of ma
chinery, and told them how the railroad
was being robbed. They said there was no
stealing and told ME 10 keep my mouth
shut"
Reuther was the only witness examined
to-day. He will PROBABLY be placed on the
stand again tomorrow afternoon when the
hearing of the case is resumed.