, 1873-07-11


Department Of tho Government.
.-.--.--=---
THE HICKEY CASE.
In tho light Of recent examinations into tho
official conduct Of Michael Hickey, Captain Of
Police in tho South Division, the public mtat
inevitably como to ono Of two docisionB-otller
Michnel Hickey is d prosecuted oflloial, about
whom thieves, gamblers, md prostitutes aro con-
tinually weaving their tolls, sooking thereby to
impair his efficiency and impoach his good nanlo;
or, b1ichao1 Hickey is using Ills official position
for corrupt purposes, escaping detection In each
instance by artltlcos and Rubtorfugos which
would do no diBcrodit to Slippery Jack limHo1f.
It is no new thing for h1r. Hickey to bo tho SUBJ
joot Of Investigation. Ho Inns mado moro OK
tended reputation by vrtne Of tho rnrt
ho has played in these investigations than from
any particular skill or succcss that ho has malo
In hiH profession. 1udood, tho thieves havo
arrested him about as often as ho has arrested
them, and they havo brought him to trial quito
ns in1ustriouBly as he has thom- Now ho is up
again On tho aamo old charge OF corruption,
only th1s timo wonlthy aud daBhing oyprian
| ia the witnosa against him. 1Ior statement
Of tho case may bo summed up in
= fow words. On tho 21st Of March
last, tho bagnio OF this woman, Lizzie Moore,
| was entered by thieves in tho night, and sho
was robbed of 81, 900 or $4,000 worth OF diamonds
and watchos. Tho thieves turned the property
over to ono Gcary, tn fonco," in police par-
| lance, who agreed to realize on it., and, after
getting 1t, turned informer. Two days after the
robbery, Capt. Hickey wentto tho bagnio, osten-
| sibly to find ont tho dotai1a Of tho robbery, so
that he could mako tho arrangements necessary
to apprellond tho thiogos. Two or three aays
aftor this visit ho callod upon tho
woman again, and read lotter to hor,
purporting to have been written by Pittsburgh
pawn-broker, setting forth that ho had d
diamond cross, two diamond rings, two watches
and chains, property worth $4,000, which could
bo rodcemod for $3.50. Tho woman informed
him that sl.o would willingly pay that amount If
tho jowelry should provo to be hers, The last
tin.o Cnpt. Hickey called upon her ho informed
her that llo Ind got the jowotry, and tllat she
mist como to hiH oilico and identify it. The
next day, she and her Bistor went to tho
police station aud identified it. She
| then prepared to pay the $780, wl.o1,
Capt. Hickoy informed her that she was Mis-
taken in the price. It was $3.50 instead Of 1880.
She thon won't to tho bank and iirow $500, and
borrowed $3.50 of 1or sister, and, aB Bho handed
him the money, ho ordered her to put it iu IN
envelope and place tho envelope under Il pillow
in Ills slooping- apartment, which she did. He
thon handed her the jewolry, and she departed,
after boing cautioned by him not to say anything
about the affair." AZ it might load to trouble, and
| il any ono should inquire whore sho got tho
| jowolry, to say that it was loft at her
door. Upon tue strength Of this WON
ans testimony and that Of ono or two
otler witnesses, tho Grand Jury indicted
Goary, " the fence" and three Of tue parties i'm
plicatel in tho robbery but failed to indict Capt
Hickey. There wna nothing to show that she
was all unreliable Witness Her testimony was not
shaken in the least by tho croHs-questioning to
which aho was subjected by the Prosecuting At
tornoy. If, thon, she was good enough witncHs
for tho Indictment Of the other parties, why waa
not her atatoment sufficient to indict
Capt. Hickey nlso7 Tho factH were
abundant to raise grave doubt whether the
jewels ever loft Chicago. It was pretty cloaz
TINT eho had pnid him tho money to got buck her
jewolry. Hundreds Of prisoners Layo boen in.
dicted upon much 1limsior evidence than this.
Tho Board Of Police havo now the Jurisdiction
in his caso and it is to bo presumed that neither
political nor other Influences can reach thom or
swcryo them In tho least from thorough and
straightforward investigation of tho charges. It
is to bo presumed also That Capt. Hickey will
have to stand or fall upon his own merits. Tho
mattor is very simple ono. Did Capt. Hickey
take $3.50 for restoring this womans property,
aud if 80, to what uso did he apply it Z
That is tho whole case in u nutshell,
and Superintendent Washburn and his associ-
ates on tho Donrd can oasily determine these
questions. It is their duty to do 60
aud to do 80 Immediately, and sottle
now and forever thoao everlasting scan.
dalB about Hickey, Tho public arc getting
tired OF thom. If Michael Hickey is an honest
apd incorrupliblo man. persocutod continual,
by thieves, gamblers, and 1arlots. establish thai
fact, protect him, aud punish tho blackn1ailora
If, on tho other hand. Dlichaol Hicke,
il D knavo, who il using Ills oilcia
position for corrupt purposes, and whose intlu
onco is 60 strong, politically aud otherwise, tia
llo cannot DO indicted for his otfonaes, lot hin
ut loast bo removed from tho police. 1t III abou
tin,e TINT this continual ontcry and fusa ovo
Hickey was stopped in so1no nannor Tho pub
lie will look to the Police Board therefore, tt
j sottla tho official and moral statna Of uicke
onco for all.
| It Ia thought TINT tho now statute in Nes
York do tlning the crime Of murder haB yirtual
: repealed tho law Of capital punishment. Thls i