Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-09-27
GRAFT TRUE BILLS.
VS.. SCHOOL BOARD
ARE MADE PUBLIC
SEVENTEEN cHlcAGoANs ARE
NAMED IN INDICTMENTS RE-
TURNED FOLLOWING INQUIRY
INTO REPORTS OF lRREeuLARl.
TIES IN CONDUCT OF BOARDS
BUSINESS.

Chicago, Sept 27-seventeen school
board members, officials employees and
coal dealers were named in three new
indictments returned yesterday by the
IA, special grand jury which is investl-
eating alleged irregularities in school
affairs.
One indictment names Edwin s,
Davis former president Of the board
and still a member, on charge OF
having accepted $4,000 bride in con-
nection with a school coal contract.
-,a. His bond is set at 100000.
The second is blanket Indictment
naming eleven men on eleven charges
of conspiracy to defraud the school
a. board in connection with coal con-
tracts. Bonds for each are set at Sl0,-
900.
School Engineers Named.
The third names six school engi-
neers on charges of "conspiring to
commit acts injurious to the admins
traitor of public justice and to violate
M the civil service laws" in connection
with activities which led to wage in
creases for the school engineers.
Those named in the second indict-
ment are
E e. S. Davis, former president OF the
81 school hoard.
y Albert H. Severinghaus, former vice
president of the board.
Fred w. Krengie, assistant business
~ Is manager OF the board.
,Hpt John p. Kiley, assistant engineer of
/. BY the board.
James C. Michaels, president of the
Chest Creek Coal Company.
Wade Curry, nephew of Mr.. Mich
IN aeIs.
Daniel Kinnally and John Harvey,
salesman for the coal company.
Frank Martin, supervising engineer
for the board
r. j. Hickey.
Prosecutor PiQuett announced sew
eral days ago, while being questioned
''N by the grand jury, that if he was in
dicted he would Immediately present
his resignation to Mayor Thompson
to save the administration from en-
barrassment, and would insist on an
immediate trial.
Charges in Coal Inquiry.
b The indictment based on coal con-
tracts contains, among its eleven
counts, charges that the Chest Creek
,-- Company issued false invoices, cover
ing 100000 worth of coal which never
was delivered to the school board;
that on coal which was delivered,
prices far in advance of market values
were charged; that Mr.. Piquett receiy-
ed so cents ton on all coal delivered
in certain school district and that
4 a fraudulent coal warrant for $4,000
was issued the Chest Creek company
The engineers named in the wage
increase Indictment, which charges
that $4,000 was paid to a state rep
( resentative and another $4,000 to
state senator to obtain tax increase
providing funds for the wage raise,
are:
Arthur percy McCracken.
James Joseph Spain.
Charles Driscoll. la Ns
John l.. OBrien.
Joseph d. Dohney.
George Mckenzie.
Judge Michael l.. Mckinley issued
q public appeal to the employers of
the men serving on the special school
board grand jury not to let the men
who are giving their time to the in
yestigation suffer financially. The
judge was prompted to do this when
he had been told by member Of the
jury, whose name was withheld, that
his salary has been deducted while he
SN'< has been serving on the jury.
Need More Time.
John J. Boyk, foreman Of the jury,
and J. d. Adams, another member of
the jury informed Judge Mckinley
that the grand jury would not be able
to complete the investigation this term
of court.
The judge told the jurors he would
~. have to continue the body for another
month and he was then informed
that some of the men were dissatisfied
because they were losing their regular
salaries and getting only the SIS a
day paid by the county.