Southern Illinois home of Paul Powell, the ‘Shoebox Scandal’ politician, could soon be sold

By JOHN O’CONNOR
AP Political Writer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The birthplace of one of Illinois’ more notorious politicians might soon be up for sale. Paul Powell was the Illinois secretary of state whose death in 1970 led to the discovery of $800,000 in cash in his Springfield hotel room and Capitol office. Powell was from the southern Illinois town of Vienna. Before his death he established a $250,000 trust to maintain his birthplace for use by the Johnson County Genealogical and Historical Society. Gary Hacker is a society board member. He tells The Associated Press the trust will soon run out of money. The society doesn’t draw enough income to continue maintaining the home. Hacker says it likely will be put on the market.