Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1902 — CHICAGO’S TAX SCANDAL. [ARTICLE]

CHICAGO’S TAX SCANDAL.

Startling Exposures in Connection with the Masonic Temple Case. The farmer is supposed to be an easy victim for swindlers. City men are wont to laugh at the apparent ease with which gold-brick men, padlock experts, and three-card monte manipulators swindle their country cousins. But occasionally things transpire which tend to the conclusion that the city man is no brighter than the farmer. The exposures in connection with the Chicago Masonic Temple tax case have undoubtedly given the rural population many a quiet chuckle. According to report; many shrewd, though unscrupulous, business men of Chicago listened with bated breath to the plausible but impossible plan by which taxes could be reduced—for a consideration to be paid the tax fixer. Impressed by certain simple the tax fixers gave of their professed ability "to deliver the goods,” the business men handed over large sums of good money to the confidence men. In return they got nothing of value—nothing even as substantial as the_gold-tinted brass brick which has tempted so many farmers to part with their eash. Many thousands of dollars were taken in by means of this tax swindle, and a Chicago paper asserts that if the list of victims could be published many familiar names would be found. And the city men are left without the hope of possible revenge l . The farmer, if he can but swallow his pride can arouse the country side and make it warm for the men who have swindled him. But the Chicago men in question dare make no complaint, for they themselves became parties to a crime when they agreed to have their taxes ’’fixed.” The 1 first warrant in the tax-fixing scandal arising from the discovery of a forged receipt for $26,770.17 for the Masonic Temple taxes was issued Tuesday. It was sworn out by representatives of the State’s Attorney’s office, and charges Luke Wheeler with being a fugitive from justice. Detectives believe Wheeler is not in or near Chicago, and they say that it is probable the fugitive is amply supplied with money and perhaps aided in escaping the officers by powerful interests, as were Coughlin and Armstrong in the jury bribing case of two years ago.