Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 176, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1915 — MEN ASSOCIATED WITH 0. L. BROWN HERE [ARTICLE]

MEN ASSOCIATED WITH 0. L. BROWN HERE

Claim Misrepresentations of Hearing and Express Confidence in Railroad Building.

Perry O'Connor, farmer in White county and an investor in the O. L. Brown promoted railroad company, and H. E. Shellhouse, the engineer, came to Rensselaer today to discuss with businessmen the plans to hold another election for the proposed subsidy. They claim that there has been nothing irregular in the promotion methods of Mr. Brown and say that the men who, have put up money for the surveys and the other promotion expenses have no kick , coming except the objection made by those in Remington who became interested when that town was on the line of the proposed road. Mentioned in the investigation of the stock sales by Brown was the statement that Ban O’Connor had sold to the aged mother of Charles Stockton SIO,OOO of worthless stock. O’Connor was also mentioned as having tried to sell stock for the Brown railroad company and thus an undesirable relationship was shown. Perry O’Connor said that the transaction of the sale of worthless stock to Mrs. Stockton was as crooked as could be but that it had no connection with O’Connor’s employment with the railroad as a salesman and that he was not now employed with the railroad. Mr. O’Connor feels that Rensselaer should go ahead with its plans to hold another election, but was advised that until the Public Utilities Commission had made a ruling on the investigation and Brown had cleared up the things pertaining thereto that seemed to be irregular it would be useless to call the election. Mr. O’Connor said that he does not hold that view but feels confident that Brown’s road will be built if the subsidies are voted and he wants to go ahead with the election. Mayor Spitler and the editor of The Republican, who are friends to any plan for railroad construction that holds out any hope of building a road very frankly informed Mr. O’Connor and Engineer Shellhouse that the calling of an election at this time would be useless and that it was very doubtful if a petition would be signed if circulated. If Mr. Brown comes out of the investigation with clean linen then there will be time to take up the subsidy proposition but no one cares to do so at this time.