Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-20
PREY ON RAILROADS
Political Graft Declared Insiu.
nificant in Comparison.
HIGH OFFICIALS ARRESTED
Loot Said to Aggregate More Than .
Million Dollars.
REFUSED BIG SETTLEMENT
Illinois Central Could Have Had
3700, 600 to Drop Prosecutions.
Suicide Averted Arrest.

CHICAGO. August 20.-John M. Taylor,
former general storekeeper Of the Illinois
Central railroad and who with Frank b.
Hartman. former general manager of
the road, and Charles L. Ewing, former
superintendent of lines north Of the
Ohio river, is charged with conspiracy
to defraud the road. was arraigned be-
fore Judge Cottrell in the municipal court
today.
Taylor requested continuance until
August %. but Chief Justice Olson order
ed Judge Cottreli to set the case for
EOlson's court next Monday. The cases
Of Hartman and Ewing are set for next
Friday.
Harahan Swore Out Warrants.
The warrants for Hartman. Ewing and
Taylor were sworn to by President j. T.
Harahan. Hartman and Ewing were
taken to the Harrison street police sta
ton. Their bonds Of $4,000 each were
signed by q professional bondsman.
1--WE will get the last man in this con-
spiracy. down to the fellows that drove
the spikes in the road bed. IL there be any
such. that had guilty knowledge OF the
scheme" said Murray Nelson, jr., attor-
ney for the railroad, after the arrests
Inc Sdiuc OuuICI 0HiOuuCCu mat cOiC
idea might be conveyed to the public Of
the strength of the criminal cases that
have been worked up against the alleged
offenders by reason Of the fact that the
900, in return for which the complaints
were to be dropped and no public expo
sure of the alleged culprits made.
0utdoes Political Graft.
1.-THE mass Of evidence against this
man. he continued. land tine others, who
will be arrested later. is SO great 1t DEM
onstrates that political graft in its palm
lest conditions pales into insignifnance
beside the hoodwinking Of the executives
Of the great railroads by designing under
lings. l predict that the other roads will
wake up and investigate and that there
will be sensation after sensation before
the subject Of railroad graft becomes a
dead ISSUE"
The investigation began q year ago.
Last spring President Harahan began ac-
lions to recover sums said to aggregate
more than 81 ,0CO.OOO. alleged to have been
taken from the road by car repair COM
panies in connivance with high officials
of the road. Hartman. Ewing, Taylor
and many others of less magnitude re-
signed their positions.
Much Of the money is said to have been
repaid privately. The name of Ira q.
Rawn, vice president of the Illinois Gen.
tF8l TO8Qs VINO resigned 10 OccOme pres
ident Of the Monon system, and who was
found dead recently at his home with q
bullet wound In his breast, was brought
into the scandal. Murray Nelson said
that Rawn's death headed OF warrants
which would have been issued for his
arrest.
Other Frauds Unearthed.
Detectives working under the direction
Of President Harahan are said to have
unearthed frauds other than those con-
nected with padded car repair bills. These
are said to involve the diverting Of
81, 100000 or more from new construction
funds. The investigators say they have
procured several confessions, which will
be used in their attempt to fasten guilt
on culpable persons.
President Harahan called on Chief JUS
tice Olson Of the municipal court, and
with the assistance of a pile of documents
and photographs laid the case before
him. Judge Olson referred him to Judge
Bruggemeyer. in the Jurisdiction of whose
branch Of the court the illinois Central
Offices are situated. Judge Bruggemeyer
issued the warrants. The fact was kept
secret until yesterday. Not until the
arrests were made did II leak out. They
created excitement In railroad and social
circles, where the defendants are well
known.