Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-05
JELKESENTENCED
TO PRISON Term
Oleo Maker Takes All Blame;
Gets Two Years; Asks
Mercy for Associates.
OTHERS ARE GIVEN FINES
Eight PenalIzed s2,5oo for Colorina
Food-AlI Are Set Free on
Appeal Bonds.

Chicago. Ill. May 5.-John F. Jelke
| president of the John F. Jelke com
pany, oleomargarine manufacturers,
yesterday was sentenced by Federal
Judge Geiger to two years imprison
ment In the federal penitentiary at
Leavenworth, Kan, and to pay a fine
CT $4,000.
This is the maximum penalty for
the crime of which Mr.. Jelke and his
eight associates were convicted by a
jury month ago. They were found
guilty OF conspiracy to defraud the
ored oleomargarine.
Seven of Jelkes fellow defendants
escaped a prison sentence. Judge
Geiger imposed upon them a fine OF
$500 each. Francis NJ. Lowry, II
years old secretary tot the company
the ninth defendant found guilty, is
i'll in the Good Samaritan hospital at
Los Angeles, Cal. He will be sentenced
separately as soon as he RECEIVERS
sufficiently to return to Chicago.
Escape With Fine.
Those convicted who escaped with a
fine are:
William VI. Steele. general manager
OF the Jelke company.
Hugh ID. Cameron, Milwaukee rep
resenta,ive.
Harry E. Kitchens, salesman.
William L. Lillard, former salesman.
d. B. Tullis, former salesman
Fred Rapp, former salesman of
George p. Braun company, absorbed by
the Jelke company.
William p. Jackson, former man.
ager of the Braun company.
Court convened pursuant to an ad-
journment taken in order to permit
Attorney John Barton Payne, chief
counsel for the defense. to make
special plea for clemency. Mr.. Payne
reviewed the trial and said whateve-
had been done by the defendants was
done with the knowledge of the gov
eminent.
Denies Men Are Criminals.
These men are not criminals At
torney Payne said. They never sup
posed they would be suspected of be-
ing criminals. All other people en-
gagged in the manufacture of oleomar-
garine were doing the same thing and
in the same way.
81 want to urge upon the court,
whatever you may feel to be your duty
as to Mr.. Jelke, the head of the bust
ness, that you do not do anything that
would infiict upon his employees a
permanent stain"
I'll hear you no further on that |
matter" Judge Geiger said. II have !
my mind made up as to that"
Assistant District Attorney Robert 1
W. Childs stepped forward and urged ,
that the government would not cor |
slider the law indicated by the i'm !
position of a mere fine.
Dramatic Scene Staged.
The dramatic moment of the session /
arrived when Judge Geiger, after an |
alyzing his reasons for distinguishing
between Jelke and the other defend
ants in the extent of punishment, ask
ed Mr.. Jelke to step forward. :
Mr. Jelke, a gray haired, dignified
man OF 5S, walked forward to the bar
of the court, crossed his arms, and
looked intently at the judge. In re-
Spouse to a question as to whether he
had anything to say Mr.. Jelke said he
wished to shoulder all the responsible
ity for what had been done. He spoke
amid intense silence.
81 have only this to say, your honor"
he said. 81 have been in this commun-
ity many years. / have been IN bust
ness in Chicago 20 years and / have
had an homo able career.
LAS for myself, / ask nothing at
your hands but what is justice. But l
do plead for these other men," he said.
waving his arms toward the other de-
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