The Detroit times., 1913-05-21
6LOCUM DENIES
\ TALE OF GRAFT
AMONG CLEANERS
SAYS Actions Attributed To the
Head of Clearing House Are
impossible
BURNS DETECTIVE
EMPLOYS DICTAPRONE
Puts Up Scheme to DespOil
Farmers to J. Ii. Thompson
: and Records Conversation

Talk, Pure buncombe. It's a
case OF man letting his mouth run
away with Itself" said Grant Slocum,
secretary OF the Michigan organiza'
ton Cleaners. and president OF their
Cooperative Clearing House associa-
ton Tuesday morning, relative 10 u
case worked up by the Bur2s detec
tive agency, accusing j. b. Thomp
son, secretary and manager OF the
association. OF trying TO make deai
10 sell out the farmers and with the
& aid Of ]. T. McGraw. a detective. who
posed as broker, TO corner the
bean market OF Michigan
Mr. Slocum credits the whole al
legged exposure TO efforts OF men OPP
,used TO the cooperative associations
sand elevators OF the farmers. and
Who started out to entrap him. Mr..
McGraw came TO me with PROPOSE
ton OF making an agreement 10
handle products from the farmers
and Cleaners elevators he said.
He proposed TO sell beans on the
security OF the bills OF lading, and l
saw no objection to such an agree
ment when We should get enough
business TO justify II. for al present
we are connected only with three ele-
yators. but / referred him to sir.
Thompson"
McGraw, who had familiarized him
self with the bean industry OF the
state. became acquainted with Thomp-
In
fuller and then In the Hotel Charlie
voix. he led Thompson on In
scheme to play the cooperating farm
ers against the independent dealers
and then TO double-cross both II
necessary in multiplying the profits
OF the proposed Thompson and Me
Graw brokerage firm
AT first il was the plan TO put the
cooperative concerns out or business
by fieecing the farmers, and at the
same time getting a rakeon from the
engineering firms puttine up the
plant" said Manager Kelly, or the
Burns agency, Tuesday
when these were dead, Thompson
ard NcGraw were TO go on orSahlZ-
ing the same sort OF plants, and skin
ing the farmers again without the use
,oi the Cleaners name"
In half dozen meetings between
McGraw and Thompson between the
dates OF April 20 and May y, Ihomp-
son Is said to have made many asser-
tons OF the possibilities OF gratis,
which he implied. at least. had been
worked by him. He Is said TO have
told OF getting a rake-off on chickens
sold In the local market
With regard to these statements,
Mr.. Slocum asserted there could be
no foundation for them The chick
ems. butter and eggs we get. Tor IN
stance" he said. go directly 10 Ne
Donald Bros. When the shipper Is
| not a stakeholder with us. We get n
commi sion OF one per cent, when ~
RENTED by the commission men.
That Is the only thing We make, ana
F Mr.. Thompson could not possibly
juggle the account. The only thins
| he could do would be to have an
'agreement with Mcdonald Bros. and
get secret rebate from them
Mr.. Slecum then exhibited the
hooks and vouchers to show just how
the transaction was carried out.
There are about 300 pages OF dicta-
phone and other records taken by the
Purns detectives. the whole trend or
which Is said TO show Thompson as
making a bid to sell out TO the bean
jobbers.
When sought Tuesday morning.
Thompson was neither at his office or
his home. He will not do any more
business in connection with the clear
ing house association till he explains
tho statements which It's officers say
are fiagrantly untrue.