◆ SpookStack

- B= killed at Ccicipe, an’ since that time Conn himself has received several communications wernirg nim to discontime his activities for the?grave grovers. On ohe occasion 2 gangsters made a personal cell on him in his hotel room et Chicago and again warned him not to return to Chicago. Mr. Conn stated that there ig no doubt but what ths Canone crowd know of his connecticn with Ferrera and therefore are out to "get” him. when Mr. Doids observed that Ir. Iy#gane head called on him the dey before, Nr. Conn immejiately stated that’ Irrgang was tied up hand end fist with the Aire Lonigya pang and that Irrgang hes cot only been fully jnferced of all Mhe ciycumstances .ith regard to this racket but has him- eelf been a party to it; thet now eposrently the only reason he is complain- ing is because in addition to the €20 assessment against each cer, which Irrgang himself has participated in, the Moran gang is adding a $20 asseses- ment, Daking $50 in all and, of courses, Irrgeng is now squealing because the shoe is on the other foot. He st: tei that Measrs. Mille and God ' who accomp nied hr. Irrgang to the office of ity. Dodde, the day befre, and hed previously been in conference with Mr. Teague of the Farm Board, were henchmen of Irrgang, fully acyusinted with all of the fucts and parties to them. Mr. Conn dic, however, s-ate that Irrgang's facts were correct and thet the vepartrert might look with profit to Irrgang for his side of the etory. lr. Con. war particularly anxious to heve the Denertzent and Burecsu place Agents in the freignt yards at Chicego for the purpese of observing the e-tuel veyrent of the 3¢ lug ossessment on all person: buying grapes. Ther2 is no doubt in my mind but whst hie real purvose was, end in fact he auritted the same, to meke s display of force on tne part of the Federal Government in order to enhence the pries cf his grapes and obtain a better met therefor. Ic fact, h2 stated, that on the thousande of carloads of grapes rhicgh sed recent:y teen sbipped t< the hast from California, no shipver bad yet made any prolit in iect practically e.1 cf them had lost money ch grupos shipned to the tact; and thet they would continue to lose momey unless soe- thing were done to break up the ectivities of the ganesters particularly in Chicago. Lr. Kerritt endeavored to argue that the Departmen+ had a ri¢ht under the lax to essign @ man or man to the farm Board for any use thet they might desire to maxe of them. Mr. Dodds, Mr. Osees end the writer combatted that contention and it wes ther:fore dismissed. Mr. Merritt, however, argued thet the roverument end perticulerly the Farm Board hed a property interest in the life and person of [ir. Conn inasmuch as he, Mr. Conn, hed been desip- nated .fter careful selection to disburse 9 million dollars for the Farm coerd in allevieting the conditions in the prepe industry. Fe related the fect that although the Farm Soard had seen fit to take over four hundred thousand tons of grepes out of the market in order to take up the surplus by diverting thess grepes to the mexing of medicinal wine for which lr. Doren of the Treasury Lepurtient had issued a special permit, nevertheless, the retail nrize of craver in the ast tuis year is lover then ever before, end the Fern Sc ré's plen, :i cource, will prove an abs.lute failure unless drastic ection de teen. ed