Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-09
BILLS FOR PROBE
BRUNER'S OFFICE
ARE BEING FILED
Attorneys and Sleuths Who Aid
ed Prosecution Want ST.
O95.94 for Services.
HELPED TO GET EVIDENCE
Special Committee Makes Report to
Board of supervisors-Ask
for a Mine Inspector.

Bills for the probe OF alleged "ir-
Irregularities of the sheriff office have
begun to float in. At the meeting OF
the board of supervisors yesterday al
ternoon a report was read from the
special committee which investigated
graft conditions" in which the sum of
s2.Og5.s4 for services rendered by two
attorneys and TWO sleuths was asked
No action was taken. the matter being
merely placed on file.
c J. Searle OF this city and c. e.
Srurtz. Kewanee, special states
attorneys who were engaged by the
committee to supersede States Attor-
ney F f. Thompson, but were pre-
vented from acting through the lat
ter's strong defense OF his own pre-
negatives. both wanted to be paid. Mr..
Searle thought his advice worth $500,
and Mr.. Sturtz made claim 10 1852. j.
G. Miller. deposed deputy under o. L.
Bruner and present deputy under
Sheriff G.. II. Richmond, and G. H
Allen. detective. were the others who
wanted compensation for securing evil
dence. The former asked for S251-4O
and the latter S7gG.j0. These state
ments are but the fbrerunner of the
deluge that is 10 come later. What the
bard will do when Special States |
Attorney George Wood hands in his |
modest please remit" remains to be |
seen.
Committee Report
The matter came up when the spe- !
ciaI committee made a report to the i
board in which fl was stated:
For your information we wish to
state that Messrs. Sturtz and Searle
were hired by the special committee
during the early proceedings of the
special investigation.
Later. at the request of Special
States Attorney Mr.. Wood, the serv-
ices OF Mr.. Miller were deemed neces-
sary As proceedings developed, gt
was found advisable by the special
committee TO hire detectives TO get
evidence necessary for the proper
prosecution OF the different cases
caused by the special committee on
investigation. This is covered by the
allowance to G. H. Allen"
New Chairman Talks.
After John Upton was elected chair
man of the board to fill the vacancy
caused by the resignation Of Mr.. Rich
mond. who was elected sheriff, ne
made a short address to the county
solons.
He paid a tribute TO Sheriff Rich
mond. as chairman Of the supervisors,
and predicted even greater success
for him as sheriff He urged cOopera-
ton OF the board and committees and
advised careful and earnest work on
the part of the board in planning for
the new jail and Colona bridge.
That the new chairman is not in
favor OF erecting the jail elsewhere
than in the court house square, was
indicated when he stated that the new
bastile need not cover an entire city :
block, but should be erected on the
present lot. convenient to the court ,
house. In closing he stated that he !
would exert every effort TO be fair
with all members Of the board and
that he would not allow politics TO I
sway him.
Want Mine Inspector.
Messrs. Develin and Bohlander. the 5
former president of the state mining i
Inspectors board, and the latter dis {
riot mine inspector. addressed the
board, advocating that a county mine I
be employed s
In a lengthy address Mr.. Bohlander {
urged that the county take steps at I
his meeting. stating that the safety
u the miners was at stake. He sug- I
rested that the Mercer county inspec-
or be employed by the supervisors of
his county. and stated that an inspec-
ion OF the 10 mines in this county
.ould be made in 10 days at least and
,ossibly in q shorter time. He said
hat inspections should be made about
very two months. and told of condi-
ions existing here. as he found them. F
which were a menace.
He stated that Rock Island county y
vas the only one in the district with
ut an inspector. He quoted statistics F
Which showed salaries of inspectors
n other counties.
Only One Without Inspector. a
Mr. Develin said OF the IS coal min p