Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-09
Chicago ar the Mercy of
footpads
WHO lNFEST The LAKE FRONT
One Man Killed and Many Robbed.
The Police Force Completely
DemoTaliZed.

way rObDers as ever infested large
town. But in former years these gen
try have done the most af their work
/ in winter. In summer they have here
/ totore tramped the country or lived
| under the trees on the proceeds of their
winter hauls. This year mas proved
/ a notable exception. The sum
mer jast closed has witnessed
lengthy series Of robberies unex-
ampled in the history of Chicago for
J their boldness. Whether il is due 10
the fact that the dedication services OF
the worlds fair take place in October
and the garroters and sand-baggers are
| getting their hand in for that and the
worlds far itself, or whether II Is be-
cause the police force of the city was
never SO completely demoralized as It
is now, is n question. Both conditions,
doubtless, have much to do with It.
Terror on the Lake Front.
The favorite spot for these raids 10y
the masked men who push Il revolver
! III pedestrian's face and demand, and
| always get his money and
whatever otner valuables ne has,
in one OF the most prominent
| localities down town, is the Lake Front
] park, wide eXpanse of several blocks.
/ On its eastern side halt a dozen lines OF
| railroad skirt the lake. On Its western
edge the Leland, Victoria, Rlchelleu,
and Big Auditorium hotels shed the
| radiance of their electric lights over 1t.
| On the south the Illinois Central rail
| road is building big depot, and on the
| north the Art institute, a massive pile.
Is being constructed. Michigan boule-
wards long row of street lamps are
/ af sol IA t,Tos II
| half a hundred engines pierce the
| gloom. Yet despite It's openness
and public character an organ
! lzed band of robbers has nightly been
! holding up whoever happened 10
be IN the neigborhood, either on the
| brilliant boulevard or at the railro ad
| depots, after midnight. IL gang OF
| outlaws rob train in the west or stop
stage coach the Chicago papers make
a great story of It. But they are
afraid Chicago's reputation might be
| hurt and the attendance at the worlds
| fair affected. If they take up at any
length this reign Of terror IN their own
city. They cannot help printing each
dav that so-and-so "was held up on
the lake front last night and robbed of
a S225 gold watch and $3.50 n money"
but they are very careful TO see that
undue prominence is not given 1t and
the good name of the city not I'M
pared.
No Laughing Matter.
Yet observe that they severely con-
denim the German authorities for hav-
ing decreed the extent OF the
cholera epidemic, and take the position
that II was little less .han criminal TO
keep the people in ignorance or the
danger that menaced them. l believe
that 1t is equally as reprehensible TO
conceal the fact that Chicago is ridden
by gang of highway robbers because
the information puts men on their
guard. A large proportion of the peo-
pie robbed on Chlcago's streets are out
of-town people. IL they were warned
to stay IN at night. or at least to keep
on few of the weil-trayeled streets
and get home before midnight, they at
least would escape.
And 1t Is no laughing matter after
all, because in the murder or Peter
Mortle on the lake front, for example,
II was very clearly shown that n man
who reslsts the highwaymen can eX-
! pect death. Mortle was found dead
with bullet hole in his head. There
had been a robbery, unattended, how
ever, with n tragedy every night for
a week previous TO the killing OF Nor
tie. There was robbery every night
for week after bis murder, and all IN
the same nelghborhood. From the cir
cumstances OF the slaughte- It was evl-
dent that il was the work of one gang.
The police have dropped the search tor
the murdeTers, nor are they able TO run
down one of the gang who has been
guilty OF the depredatons.
Cannot stop 1t.
But then the Chicago police are, in
my opinion, the poorest in any city IN
the world. Though City detectives and
patrolmen were sent out OVER the cir
cumscrbed territory covering the base
of the gangs operations, they did not
even stop the IObberIes. Ii may seem
incredible, but il Is nevertheless true,
tnat after MoTtie's murder, and whlle
the detectives were supposed TO be
swarmlng over the Lake Front
park, man was robbed by
the same band and walked up
and down the park and up and down
every street ia the Belghb0Thood and
could not find a single policeman TO
complain to. The newspapers stated
tins and stated also that the robbed
citizen finally went to the police sta
ton. where the CONSERVATION of the
officers 20 command was great whsss
: they learned that despite their efforts
10 have the late front patTOAcd, there
was not patrolman there. There was
talk of sn invest CATION. great things
we're promised. but the matter gTadu-
alIv faded out OF mind and nothing has
been done. The police forces mastery
INABILITY seems 90 be due In lsTge
measures ~ politics. Among other
evidences Of this il this little piece ol
INSIDE history. certain lieutenant of
, police can never cad a gambling
house. They exist sH over thIcs go
aud a bind man could fnd them
but the police officer Is more than
hsna. He's deaf, dumb and para
Ir1ed The cause isfCund lu tae fact
tnat % member e the Legislature, who
lsa polite an &C power a1a influence,
made the Officer a /. .eutensnt and keeps
a.m In hs piace. IL also hsnpens tnat
this legislator partner 1u several
rsmh houses and tae nuforiunRte
lieutenant mnst see none ana rad
none for lea he u ght hePpen q ht
on one owned hF a.s Eosster.
Feiutcisas Nos roiieeuae..
OF course tssf sort of talrE is 80 corn-
mon r h.F etfes tnst S attracts tta
atten 1n HarGIT police cfh-er =
/ RESP laas.o.e position but aoids Ia o. CO