Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-13

other fraternal bodies, and particular
ly for the looting of the funds of the
Tribunes, were returned by the Rock
Island county grand jury this morning.
At $3.50 this afternoon only three of
the indictments were made public the
others having been suppressed by the
court until service has been obtained
on the accused. Those made public
are:
II. A. Weld, Rock Island.
DR.. A. L. Craig, Chicago.
K. M. Whitman, AIedo.
Appear and Give Bond.
Weld, Craig and Whitman, all of
whom were former officers of the
FraternaI Tribunes, are charged with
embezzlement, conspiracy to defraud
the Fraternal Tribunes and conspir-
acy to defraud the public. Judge
Gest fixed bail on the embezzlement
charge in each instance at $4,000
and in each of the conspiracy charges
at $4,000. Weld, Craig and Whitman
appeared in court and furnished bond
in the amounts fixed pending the
calling of their cases for hearing. J.
w. Dilley. w. B. Main and E. H.
Carol, all of Mercer county, signed
the bonds of Craig and Whitman, the
two latter being accepted as jOint
sureties. On Yields bonds are the
names of Phil Mitchell. L. S. Nc
Cabe, E. B. McKown, G. w. Reddig
and w. L. Aster, all of this city.
Whitman is an AledO banker and
church leader. He was one of the |
organizers of the Fraternal Tribunes
in this city II years ago. Craig has
long been associated with Whitman. /
He has been connected with various
insurance and stock promotion .
schemes. Weld formerly was states
attorney of Rock Island county.
Jury Ends Long Investigation
After having been in session off and /
on since the first Monday in May, the /
grand jury finally adjourned this /
morning after making a report to (
Judge W. H. Gest. With the report 16 !
true bills were returned, and seven of /
thus number grew out of the investi- |
cation of the affairs of the Fraternal |
Tribunes and a dozen other fraternal |
insurance companies involved in the
frauds which it is alleged have been
perpetrated The seven indictments !
contain the names of IS men, all .
prominent in fraternaI orders.
Two EXPECT indictment
Two of the men who have been men
toned from time TO time as being in |
danger of indictment appeared in the |
court room this morning through |
their attorneys and attempted to .
waive service and notice before they I
were sure they were indicted. These /
men were K. NJ. Whitman of Aledo, |
and DR.. A. L. Craig, of Chicago, both |
of whom were concerned in the deal |
whereby the American Home Circle /
and the Fraternal Tribunes were /
merged. Attorneys J. T. and S. R.
Kenworthy represented them. After .
the list of indictments had been hand /
ed to the judge and the latter had /
been given an opportunity to peruse /
them one of the attorneys gained the |
ear of the court and stated whom he |
represented and said that his clients |
had been led to believe by newspaper |
reports that they were to be indicted |
and that they wished to enter an ap-
pearance at once and waive service of |
the papers, The judge heard him .
no further, but decided to take the |
r;atter up again this afternoon, at !
which time the matter of bail in the ,
different cases may DE considered.
Many Charges Made.
The seven indictments, it is said, |
include many different charges,
among which is one that has seldom .
if ever been used here before 1t |
charges those mentioned in the bill !
with conspiracy to defraud the public. /
There are also charges of conspiracy
to defraud, of perjury, larceny, en-
bezZlement and stealing of records. !
One of the persons against whom it is |
expected an indictment is included in |
the list of those already returned, is |
known to have taken an extended trip .
to Europe. This is C. w. Hatfield of Chi
cago, who is alleged to have received |
some $4,000 as commission .
for having brought about the |
conference between the head Off |
GERS of the Tribunes and the Ameri-
can Home Circle, which finally result
ed in the merging of the two societies.
VIII Transfer Investigation.
States attorney L. NJ. Magill intima-
ted this morning that the investigation
as far as this county is concerned is
over with, but that new phases and
angles of 1t will soon come to light
both at Chicago and at Springfield,
where Attorneys Wayman and Burke
are to take up the investigation where
Magill left off. A number of things
were done in these two places over
which the local county authorities
have no venue and accordingly it is up
to Cook and Sangamon counties grand
juries to return a few indictments on
tGeir own account. States Attorney
Magill will assist the other two Off
Gals as far as is within his power,
hut most of his time from now on will
be given over to prosecuting the cases
which he will have to handle himself.
Record of Jury.