The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-11
STATE STUNC
FOR S1OO,OOO,
PROBER SAYS
Officials played for BoobS
in Bootleg Gas Deal,
Inquiry Indicates.


bic reopening Of the $3.50 boot
leg gasoline case settlement for
$4,000, was brought TO the attorney
generals Office Thursday afternoon.
Neither Attorney-Gene James
M. Ogden nor Earl Stroup, deputy
in charge of bootleg gas investiga-
tons under Governor Harry G. Les
lie, was on hand.
But the story was told to v. Ed
Funk, another Ogden deputy, and
to Auditor Floyd E. Williamson.
under whose direction the gas tax
is collected.
The information came from an
investigator who has uncovered
gigantic bootleg gas operations
throughout the central states. 1t
was planned to lay the matter be-
fore Governor Leslie today.
Poor" Man Has S1,5OO,OOO
According to the story given
Williamson, Poole Harrison of Chi
cago and Gary, who was allowed to
settle the $125,OO0 case for $685. 900,
is not the poor man he pretended
to be when making the deal in
1929 with Ogden and A. N. Bobbitt.
then state auditor.
Instead, he has 81 800 900 in four
teen banks, some in trust funds.
from Chicago to California, Will
Hanson was informed. Federal
authorities are trying to collect
some 100000 in income tax on these
funds, alleged to have been built
up from bootleg g~.soline profits, the
auditors informant declared.
Harrison is said to have offered
to effect a settlement with the
United States for $125,0cO, and to
have employed expert accountants
to build up his case.
Among items listed for deduction,
Williamson was told, was $4,000
monthly payment alleged to have
been made to Indiana and Illinois
officials" for protection in the boot
leg gas industry.
Proved to be Wealthy
Evidence of Harrison's wealth re-
Gently was given, according to the
story told by the investigator, when
ne (Harrison) returned to his home
town of Mexico, Mo, and held a
home coming for HarTiSons from all
over the state.
The Mexico paper is said to have
referred to him as ga multi-mil-
lionaire oil magnate from Chicago"
The Williamson informant declared
that "the paper told the truth"
Williamson pointed out that the
discovery and settlement of Harri-
sons bootleg operations in Indiana
was before he Williamson as
sumed office.
"But 1 am absolutely opposed to
any settlement for gas tax due the
state at less than 100 cents on the
dollar" Williamson asserted. Il
would be highly in favor of reopen
ing this case and collecting the
$125,000 from Harrison"
SeCIeuenC CalIed GOOD
Stroup, now in charge of the
Governors gas probe, was handling
the case when the $4,000 settle
ment was made. He told the Gov
ernor recently that he thought the
settlement was a good one.
Under the settlement terms,
agreed to by Ogden, Harrison paid
$4,000 in cash and was permitted
to pay the remaining $4,000 on the
installment plan. He failed to meet
the installments, and, instead of the
debt being discharged last July, as
promised, payments have not been
completed yet, Williamson said.
This brought a statement from
the investigator that Harrison him
self had told him that he had pro-
vided $4,000 cash to make the set
Element here.
Prosecution Is Averted
Bruce Cooper, Stewartsville, then
prominent in G. o. P. politics, was
fired from Bobbitt's office during
investigation of the case. He had
been a gasoline field examiner in
Lake county, where Harrison opcr-
ated
Ogden talked of prosecutions, and
1t was intimated that prominent
Republicans in Lake county would
be involved, but nothing in the way
of criminal action ever developed.
No gas bootlegger ever has under
gone criminal prosecution in H.