Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1919 — CHARGED WITH ARMY GRAFT [ARTICLE]

CHARGED WITH ARMY GRAFT

Three Men Nabbed at Des Moines by Federal Officers. Des Moines, March 4. —Three men are under arrest here in connection with the second expose of graft in the sale of army salvage goods. The men are: J. Rhoades. Norfolk, Va., broker; Arthur Koerner and A. Gross of Minneapolis. The trio were arrested by federal secret service agents. The “tip” was given by Lieut. H. R. Vanstrum, wealthy Minneapolis contractor, who is executive officer of the salvage corps at Camp Dodge. According to federal officers the tyio under arrest arranged with Vanstrum through his fiancee to fill out blank contracts, which they submitted for army blankets. The army officer was to get a five per cent commission. When the plan was made known to Vanstrum, he Imhiediately told army Intelligence officers, who followed the brokers across the country until they were arrested here.