Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 224, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1910 — HAMMOND TIMES SAYS PURTELLE’S RECORD IS NOT GOOD. [ARTICLE]

HAMMOND TIMES SAYS PURTELLE’S RECORD IS NOT GOOD.

Gives History of the Promoter of Northwestern Indiana Traction Company. • The Hammond Times of Monday has the following regarding. Eugene Furtelle and his associates who are endeavoring to promote the Northwestern Indiana TraGtion Co.", an interurban railroad which, if constructed, will pass through Rensselaer. The company has already been granted a franchise in Rensselaer and other towns in .this vicinity. The project so far has cost our citizens nothing and if Purtelle or any other man is able to build an interurban through here he will be welcomed by the people. The Times article follows; Having become convinced that the operations of Eugene Purtelle, of the Northwestern Indiana Traction company, are Such as are not approved by the more conservative promoters of street railway enterprises, and that the whole project savors of a doubt, some Hammond men have made an exhaustive investigation of Purtelle’s record. The necessity for going into this matter arose when the information came to this paper that the bond agents of this company were operating all over northern Indiana and are selling the stock and bonds of the company at whatever terms they are .able to secure. It is believed that there are at least thirty stockholders in Hammond alone and it is hard to tell how many hundreds of people in the other towns along the route of this railroad have been induced to purchase stock at prices varying from 75 to par. The following is the report from a source which is positively reliable, which gives an indication of the manner in which Purtelle does business.

In promoting the project to build the electric railway from Hammond to Dyer and other points south, two companies were organized. The first was the Northwestern Indiana Traction company and the second is the LaSalle Supply and Construction company. The capital stock of the Northwestern Indiana Traction company is $50,000, which is about to be increased to $2,000,000. The LaSalle Supply .and Construction company, 222 LgSalle street, Chicago, was incorporated under the laws of the state of Illinois In November, 1909. The latter company has a capital stock of $5,000, which has been paid in cash, and ip apportioned as follows: W. F. Mulcahy, 32% shares; L. C. Garver, 12% shares and M. W. Hanley, 5 shares. The LaSalle Supply and Construction company occupies the offices formerly tenanted by Eugene Purtelle & Co. Purtelle was regarded to be the principal owner of the business. In November. 1902, Purtelle started Into business in partnership with his brother under the name of Aubrey, Purtelle & Co., and in June following changed the name to Purtelle Bros, d Co. In the spring of 1904 this house failed for. a large amount, and so far as can be learned have paid none of their debts.

In October, 1904, he started another business in Chicago, under the name of Purtelle, Price & Co. He ran it for a short time and closed up and subsequently opened an office and later the government issued a fraud order against this concern, prohibiting it the use of the mails. In May, 1906, Purtelle operated the Illinois Security company at 204 Tacoma building. The furniture was seised for debt. Judgment was rendered against him July 3, 1908, Jor 132.26, and in December, 1908, he and George A. Haskell gave a chattel mortgage to David Washerman for 230*1, balance due on office furniture, which was released Jah. 2, 1909. Recently Purtelle gave up the business, gfUd now appears at this address avowedly having no connection with the LaSalle Supply and Construction company, but very apparently furnishing the concern with its motive for organizing. This company claims thgt it is in the market to construct railroads and their first contract is the Northwestern Indiana Traction company, of which Purtelle is president and W. R

Prucker, an Indiana man, is secretary. The Northwestern Indiana Traction Co. fias headquarters at Monticello, Ind. It claims to have part of the right-of-way and all but two franchises for the operation of the road, which they say they will begin to construct in thirty days. Regarding the LaSalle Supply and Construction company, Michael Han ly is president, Lewis A. Garver i 3 secretary-treasurer. ~ Garver came originally from Rockford, 111., and was formerly of the law 2flrm of Hayes. Garver & Octagin. Hanly is a clerk in the employ for many years of the Armour Grain Co., 205 LaSalle street. Mulcah’y, it is claimed is a Chicago capitalist, now in California.

The Republican might add to the above that W. F. Brucker, secretary of the Northwestern Indiana Traction Co., lives in Monticello, and was formerly treasurer of White county. He acted as chairman of the Democratic representative convention which nominated Capt. Guthrie at the convention here September Bth. Of Brucker, The Jasper TCounty Democrat says: “The convention was called to order by Chairman Brucker, of White. * * * County Chairman Brucker also served his county as treasurer and was an able and popular official.” Other prominent White county citizens are interested in the proposed road. The W. F. Mulcahy, who is referred To as the owner of 32*4 shares of the stock of the LaSalle Supply and Construction 00., may be and probably is the F. W. Mueahy who was fined here by Squire Irwin September sth for drunkenness. He is a telegraph operator and has no means. His fine was paid by a friend, who also furnished him money to leave'town.