The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-17
SENATOR'S
TARGET Of
RUM AGENT
Names cKinley in Whis-
ky Fraud; Is Fired
and Rehired.

Chicago, Aug. 17.-(By the Asso-
ciated ss.)-Joseph A., Tatro,
special agent for the internal rev.
enue department. ousted from the
government service. ON the ground
that he made unwarranted and un-
true charges involving United
States Senator William B. McKin-
ley, and his secretary, Chester Will
in the fraudulent removal
Of whisky from Chicago ware
has been retained as an aid
by Hinton G. Clabaugh, special in
vestigator Of federal offices here.
Mr.. Tatro, in a letter to David
Nolan, department chief. and made
public following mis- dismissal, de-
MED he made the charges against
the Illinois senator and his secre-
tary, but declared that he will con-
tinue Investigations in which he
has been engaged and that he might
make some sensational disclosures
involving "some of the persons l am
charged with having named"
Dismissed Through Conspiracy"
Tatro declared that he was dis
missed as a result of a conspiracy
to get him out of the way.
The story of his dismissal CEN
ters around the removal of 1900
cases of whisky valued at $4,000
from a warehouse last April. The
liquor was removed by fictitious
drug company on a permit bearing
the alleged signature Of Charles A
Gregory, federal prohibition direc-
tor for Illinois, Mckinley ap-
pointee.
Tatro in his version of the ware
house ecandal named as his orig
ih44 infurmant,SCharle w. Carey
former secret agent in the prohibi-
ton service, whose activities re-
suited in the dismissal of Is prohi-
bition sleuths. Carey was later re.
moved.
Gun Play In Deal.
According to the Carey-Tatrt
story, as related by the latter, CUR
play, excited truck drivers and
much mystery figured in the re.
moval of the whisky from the
Schwartzhaup & Company ware
house when it was learned thai
prohibition agents under Mr.. Greg
ory were investigating the deal
The permits, it was said, we're latel
taken from the Schwartzhaup Of
fees following a struggle betweel
the proprietor and the man whit
gave him the permit originally.
Mr.. Nolan, special agent IL
charge of the intelligence unit o
the Internal revenue department
in the letters made public after Ia
tro's removal said Tatro had beel
accused of making the McKinle.
charges to Edward Weisl, assistan
United States attorney, and Unite'
States Commissioner Lewis F. Ma
son.
Clabaugh Retains Tatro.
Tatro has been in the governmen
service for Is years. Mr.. Clabaugh
who is conducting a sweeping in
vestigation of federal offices her
under orders from Attorney-Gen
eral Daugherty, following a clasl
between District Attorney Clyn
and his former assistant, Colone
John V. Clinnin, characterize
Tatro as, "a valuable governmen
man" who will be extremely use
full in the preparation of cases. MI
Clabaugh said his Investigations in
clude "a probe into the prohibition
office as well as other department:
Burns in Dark.
Washington, Aug. 17.-Employ
ment of Joseph Tatro, discharge
internal revenue agent in the dc
partment of justice investigation q
Chicago, has not been sanctione
by department officials here, VIII
said today that the bureau of in
vestigation was alone responsible
for the personnel Of the force er
gagged in the Chicago inquiry, an
that no authority had been given t
Hinton C.. Clabaugh to emplo
agents locally. Chief William .
Burns of the bureau said he ha
not heard of the Tatro incident