Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-10-04
MASTERS REPORT.
FOR |. c. MILLIONS
HITS STATES CLAIM
ANCIENT SUIT FOR LARGE SUM
DECIDED BY COURTS SPECIAL
REFEREE - TRIBUNE PLACES
DcIsIoN AT DOORS OF "PoLI-
TICS"

When representatives of the State
OF Illinois and OF the Illinois Central
railroad gathered before Special Mas
ter in Chancery Duncan McDougall
yesterday both waived argument in
support of their written objections,
filed to the report Mr.. McDougall sub
mitted To them several months ago.
Mr.. MCDougall when he has taken
the objections under advisement, and
rendered an opinion on them, will ten
der his report on the suit brought by
the State to collect its share OF the
profits of the gross income OF the Hi
nois Central Railroad.
The suit which involves millions of
dollars worth of property is the lar
gest Litigation ever brought in La
Sale county, and has been on trial
in the Circuit Court since 1915,
Last May Mr. McDougall submitted
his report on the case, to the attor-
neys for both sides Most of the find,
ings Of the master, are said to have
been favorable to the railroad com
pany After the report was given out
a petition asking that Mr. McDougall
be removed A hearing was held be-
fore Judge Slough and the petition
was denied.
The representatives Of the state
were dissatisfied because the report
rendered by Mr. McDougall had been.
largely drawn by the railroad com
pany. The evidence at the hearing
before Judge Slough indicated, that
in an open session Of the court, Mr..
McDougall instructed both the attor-
neys for the railroad company and the
council for the state to prepare a draft
of the findings of fact and conclusions
of law, as they would like him to rem
der if his decision was in their favor
Neither side objected to this proceed
ure, and both sides prepared such
drafts
The findings presented by the state
consisted of 2l5 printed pages and the
railroad zoe pages In addition to the
printed findings presented by each
side, 30 days of oral arguments fiji
teen by each side, We're submitted.
At the conclusion of the arguments,
Mr. McDougall rewrote a large art Of
the draft of the railroad, as the great
er part of his findings were in favor
of the defendant, completed the re-
port. and after he had it copied sub
mitted it to the plaintiff and defend.
ant,
The report will soon be presented
to Judge Slough by Mr., McDougall,
and it is said, after the La Sale cOun-
ty circuit iurist passes on it it will be
carried to the higher court.
Parke Brown in writing for the Chi
cago Tribune today intimated that
Governor in accepting check from
the railroad company in June, for the
payment of the states percentage for
the first months in 1921, and giving
a receipt, headed the entire suit
toward the rubbish heap
Attacked by Tribune.
Public interest in the suit was re-
viveG this morning when the Chicago
Tribune by veiled innuendo attempted
in a column length article, to show
that politics was largely responsible
for the turn of events taken by the
proceedings.
The Tribune's story, written by
Park Brown, was in conformity with
it's policy to assail the governor on
any and every subject it can muster
together on even preteXt for attack.
While not saying so directly it assails
the integrity of an honored member
Of the La Sale county bar inferring
he was subsidized" by attorneys for
the Illinois Central to render a de-
cision adverse to the state.
To reach Governor Small the
Worlds Greatest Nuisance hit thru
Mr.. Duncan McDougall, counselor
whose record of many, many years in
Ottawa is above reproaCh, both at the
bar and as a private citizen.