Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1914 — DEAL MAY FALL THROUGH. [ARTICLE]

DEAL MAY FALL THROUGH.

Judge Hanley Rejects Offer of Monon liy. Co. for Gifford Road. H. R. Kurrie, attorney for the Monon railroad company, was here featurday to close up the Monon’s option on the Gifford railroad, but the offer of T. S. Roberts, president of the N. W. I. T. Co., of $9,,000 more than the Monon’s offer, put Judge Hanley in a position where he did not feel like accepting the $95,000 offered by the latter, and Mr. Kurrie was much put out over the matter and said that it was not probable his company would .'have anything more to do with it.

It is reported that Judge i Hanley informed Mr. Roberts' that unless be came across with about $25,000 he would not consider his offer at all, and that Roberts at once went to Chicago to raise the money. The SI,OOO check put up by Roberts, while no one questions but it is good, is not even a certified check, but is given on a Mason City, lowa, bank and written out on a First National bank check blank of this city.

Judge Hanley is reported to have told Mr. Roberts that he knew the Monon was good for what it contracted for, and while he and his company might also be good, they were strangers to him and he must have assurances of more money or he would turn down his offer. When the matter of taking over this road came up before the public service commission at Indianapolis last Thursday, some unexpected opposition developed. Benj. F. Talmadge, Ed Oliver and George Clark, objected because of the alleged fear that the Monon was not acting in good faith, would probably not operate the road, and that the Gifford road was a competing line, etc., etc. Talmadge is said to be a promotor who with Oliver and Clark, was trying to purchase the road as agents for other parties and recently made an offer of some $400,000 for the road and all the real estate remaining unsold of the Gifford estate. Enimet Laßue, as attorney for Regina Burris Kupke. of Barkley tp., who has brought suit as the alleged illegitmate daughter of the late B. J. Gifford, also objected to the sale of the road to the Monon, as being against public policy, as the road was a competing line of the would-be purchaser. H. R. Kurrie for the Monon, says it was the intention of his company to improve and operate the road, and that it is not a competing line. Executor George Gifford and his attorney, Mose Leopold, stated that the bulk of the business of the Gifford road, which owned but four freight cars and one passenger coach, is carried by the Monon from McCovsburg, and that the objections raised were not true. Briegs will be submitted to the commission in support of their respective interests and objections.