The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-10-13
HARMON RETAINS PARTY CRAFTERS.
Chief Executive Talks Much
About "Graft" but Puts His
0. K. on Cfeamer, Finley,
zuber, ct al, Who MuICted
State Of Real Money.

all questions and had taken Illegally
but S6S.45 in two years, which is
fine record as compared with other
Democrats who have been investi-
gated. He made goou.
c. n. WlRMEl, commissioner Of
labor, Harmon's appointee, having
been in office but month or so, had
grated only $44.65.
T. p. kEARNs, insector Of work.
shops ard factories, appointed by
Harmon, h7d been In the position
about a month but had a fair start
with $43.95 TO put back. Harmon for.
gave both and sent their names 10
the senate that their appointments
might be confirmed.
While state inspector OF oils, under
appointment of Governor Pattison.
Mr.. VIM. L. Finley told his deputies
to charge fees for all oil coming into
their territory. MIR Kilgorc, the dep
uty at Lima, inspected the kerosene
made by the Solar Refining company
of that city by taking sample from
the 4O,000-barrel tank-that's what II
holds. forty thousand barrels He
was directed by Finley to notify each
deputy the number Of cars Of this In.
sected oil shipped into his territory.
The deputies into whose districts
such oil was sent we're told by Finley
to send In claims for fees on the
amounts Of oil reported to them by
kilgore. They did. Finley uttered
NkgN g. a
they got the money from the state
treasury
The Finley conspiracy cost Ohio
$7,SGS.35. Here is detailed expla-
nation:
M. c. sHAFER Of Findlay was paid
$73s.e5 for inspecting kerosene he
never saw.
A. c. 5AcHTEL, deputy inspector
Of oils at Akron, was directed to
charge fees for inspecting oils he
says he did not inspect, $14e.28.
THOMAS M. McBEE, Mansfield, by
direction Of the state inspector Of
oils, VIM. L. Finley. charged and col.
lected S5e6.e9 on vouchers Finley In.
dorsed, for services never rendered.
FRANK L. REED, Mr.. Flnley's
deputy was directed by him to
charge fees for 16,475 barrels ef kero-
sene as having been inspected by
him In tank cars he did not even see.
Mr.. Finley paid him from states
money $5oo16.
w. J. DEVANNY, an aristocratlc
name In Democratic circles, was in.
speetor Of oils under Mr.. Finley at
Cincinnati. He was a high priced
lieutenant and Mr.. Finley cashed for
him false vouchers for $1,476.18,
knowing them to be false.
VIM. coWELL, Toledo, by Fin
ley's direction, charged for inspect
Ing 2e,6e6 barrels of oil which had
been Inspected previously by one Of
Flnley's men at the refinery and re-
ceived $717.e5.
J. 3. kLUNk, Toledo, was In the
machine but two months. He, as did
others by Finley's direction, charged
for inspecting cars of oil which bore
evidence that they had been inspect
ed previously and the law fully COM
piled with.
n. c. GRAY, deputy Inspector at
Hamilton, Jared better than Mr.. De.
vanny. VIM. L. Finley paid him on
false vouchers representing fees for
Inspecting oil In the railway yards at
Hamilton, on which Mr.. Finley had
previously collected Inspection fees
at the Solar Refining company at
Lima.
The terms Of service Of E. w. PEo-
Piles and S. N. 6EEBE as deputy
inspectors at Columbus were 90
short that Mr.. Finley gave them
states money on accounts falsfied by
his direction for $194.48 for Peoples
and S230.57 for Beebe.
All deputy oil inspectors save one
had a territory Seven months be-
fore his term ended the state .nspec-
tor Of oils Mr.. Finley, found that the
states share Of the fees for inspect
Ing kerosene was not being entirely
eaten up by the ten deputies who
were in conspiracy with him to hold
up the state by false vouchers. So he
made Schneider. Joseph Schneider
of Minister, inspector at large" or
something like that. Anyway Schmei-
der went at the end Of each month
10 Lima. Inspector kilgore had ready
fer him false statements Of oil In.
spected by him. Schneider would
give kIlsore IS, sign the statement,
send II to Finley, who would make
voucher against the state and send
him $40. This lasted seven months,
till Finley was superseded. Schmei-
der has represented Auglaize county
In the legislature and had consider
able political power.
Here is another interesting side
light on Mr.. Harmon's graft charges:
Mr.. Wm. L. Finley, while lnspeo-
tor Of oils, paid his stenographer $50
. month. When she saw In his an
nual report that he had collected
from the state $50 a month as her
salary she worried him about II.
Then she told Governor Harris, who
sent for Finley. Then Finley fired
her, but she declined to quit until