Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-08-17
I0USTED INVESTIGATOR
BLAMES POLITICS
FOR PLIGHT
MENTIONS SENATOR
SENATOR M'kiNLEY OF ILLINOIS
AND CHESTER WllLOUGHBY,
His SECRETARY, ASSAlLED BY
PEEvED DETECTIVE.

Chicago, Aug. 17.--(AP)-Josepl
a Tatro, special agent for the inter
nal revenue department, ousted from
he government service on the ground
thai he made unwarranted and un
true charges involving United States
Senator William b. Mckinley and
his secretary, Chester Wiloughby, in
the fraudulent removal of whisky
from CfCago warehouses; has been
retained as an aid by Hinton G. Cla.
ha, gh, special investigator OF federal
officers here.
W. TatrO In letters to David No
Ian. department chief, and made pub.
lie iollcWHz his dismissal. denied he
made the charges against the Illinois
sen1',r anG his secretary. but de.
clarel that he will continue inves-
ucatic in which he has been en-.
gased and that he might make some
So. sSticnal disclosures involving
son. O. the persons | am charged
with having named"
Blames Conspiracy.
Tatro declared that he was dis
missed as q result of a conspiracy
10 get him out of the way
The story of his dismissal centers
areund the removal of / 800 cases of
whiskyvalued at $53 900 from q
warehouse iast April The liquor
was removed by fictitious drug COM
pany on permit bearing the alleg
ell signature Of, Charles A. Gregory.
Icderal prohibition director, for Hi
nois, a Mckinley appointee
Tatro In his version of the ware
house scandal, named as his orig
inal informant Charles w. Carey. for
mer secret service agent in the pro
hibition service. where his activities
resulted in the dismissal of fifteen
lHt htion sleuths Carey was later
removed
Desc ribcs ThrilIers.
According to the Carey-Tatro story
as related by the latter, gun play,
excited drug drivers and much mys-
terv figured in the removal of the
wisky from the Schwartzhaupt &
company warehouse when it was
learned that prohibition agents under
Gregcry were investigating the deal
tar taken from the SChwarzhaupt Of
fees following a struggle between
the proprietor and the man who gave
him til" Permit originally
Mr.. Nolan, special agent in charge
Of the intelligence unit of the in-l
ternal revenue departments in the
letters made public after Tatro's re
novel. said Tatro had been accused
OF making the Mckinley charges to
Edward Weiss, assistant United
States attorney, and United States
Con missioner Mason. Tatro has been
in the government service for fifteen
years
Clabaugh, who is conducting an in 4
veStiEatioH of federal officers here, /
und orders from Attorney General
Deaencrty following clash be-
tween District Attorney Clyne and
his former assistant Col John V. !
Ciinrin, characterized Tatro as "a
Va'uthle government man who will
b" extremely useful in the propara-
til Of cases. Clabaugh said his in
vcstigations included probe into
the .oltihition Office as we'll as 9th
er fepa TN cnts.
Chester Willoughby. mentioned in
the foregoing Associated Press dis
patch, is former well known Ottawa
resident. During his years here Mr.. /
Villoughby was connected with the
publicity department of the Chicago, |
Ottawa & Peoria arIway. and later
manaFed Mckinley park. then operat-
ed west of Ottawa His reputation
then and now has always been ire
proaChable
Senator Mckinley, whom Tatro as
sails without giving the senator any
chance to rofute the charges, is also
we'll known in ottawa He is presi- /
dent of Tie Mckinley system owner
OF the Chicago, ottawa & Peoria rail- /
way
Friends here ascribe the charges TO |
political maneuyer on Tatros part /
tn disCrcdit the senator before his /
1lliEoiS constituency. Others among
Mr.. McKinley's acquaintance blame
the dick for having q peeve against
'higher-ups" in general, and in start.
ing a campaign of ruthlessness to
knock off, few "bg ones" Sena-
tor Mckinley was made to bear the
blunt of the detectives first attack. +
Me9 here who known both the SEN
ator and his secretary will have to ,
have z lot more evidence than a dis /
Eruntlet office holders word for it.
befere they will believe the alleged
f!euth', allegations.