The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-04
JOHN HILLS "REFoRMERs. -
How They Fought Corruption at Ro-
by, Aided by an Indianapolis Paper.

JOHN HILLS "REFORMERS."
How They Fought Corruption at Ro-
by, Aided by an Indianapolis Paper.
Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Gamblers who operated poolrooms and
race track at Roby, Ind, last spring are be-
coming greatly interested in the exposures
of John Hills "reformers' and proceedings
in the HooSier state courts are talked of
If Hills men again attempt to levy black
mail or even attack them These gamblers
have in their possession papers and docu-
ments which they declare would send half
a dozen Of the "reformers'' to the peniten-
tiary were they produced in court. The
documents would also show an astonishing
state of corruption among certain officials
whose regulations are at present supposed
to be beyond reproach. The whole history
marked by corruption. blackmail and brib-
cry.
When the sheriff closed the Chicago pool
rooms in March after they had contributed
to the reform corruption fund for several
months Roby became their Mecca. Hill s
outfit learned of the intentions of the gam
opened their games a proposition was made
by the 'reformers" to keep their hands off
for a certain figure. James O'Leary of
squelching the first proposition for black
mail. Another boss gambler, whose name
is closely linked with the history of Roby
affairs, was next approached by Bert King,
representing Hills bureau. The boss
asked for time in which to consider the
rGIOTm6rS OHeT, ana several OdyS were
allowed. Matters came to a climax one
night in the Wellington Hotel barber shop,
when King came to the boss, who was
getting shaved, and asked for his answer.
The boss" in the presence of several bar
bers, fatty refused. and King then said that
Hill would bring the gamesters to bend to
This event was followed by Kings visit to
Hammond with a letter from John Hill, as
chairman of the Civic Federation gambling
committee. The letter hwas addressed to
Judge Gillett, of Lake county, and in it
the ''reformer' recited tales of how he had
driven the gamblers from Chicago to find
that they were about to take refuge under
the laws of the great State of Indiana"
Hill also said that burglars and thieves
were so thick among the sports" that dire
disaster threatened the towns of Roby and
Hammond
This letter fell into the hands of the
boss gambler, and he was so astonished
at its import that he sent a Chicago news
paper man with it to Hill to ask If he had
written it, Hill acknowledged the author
ship of the epistle, and the boss laid 1t in
his vault with other documents bearing on
the reform" carnival of blackmail and ex-
tortion. But as yet the gamesters were OBJ
durate and King went to Hammond again.
Here he enlisted the local correspondent Of
the indianapolis News in his work, and soon
the wires were heated with stories OF the
reign of crime at Roby.
Copies of the News with the Roby stories
were sent to Chicago and here remailed to
Governor Mount of Indiana, to make sure
that he would see the attacks started by
King. About this time King had another
talk with the boss gambler and Hill
manager left for Indianapolis with $50 in
clothes and overcoat King left Chicago on
Saturday and returned on Monday, at
which time he and the boss" partly ar
ranged a deal The boss" however, was
angry at the repeated attacks on Roby by
the Indianapolis newspapers, and he sent
the newspaper man who had presented the
letter to Hill to the capital city. The news
paper man registered at the Grand Hotel
under the name of Thomas w. Davis and
began. to make inquiries about Roby. He
visited Governor Mount and learned that
Prosecuting Attorney Merrill Moores had
visited the race track and had reported
races" he could find no gambling.
The Governor had instructed Moores to
write the Civic Federation of what he had
seen. and he did SO, in his letter stating the
facts and adding that. while he was anxious
to prosecute the gamblers the great State
of Indiana" was short of funds He recon-
mended that the Civic Federation employ
Attorney Bowers, of Hammond to conduct
the prosecution. Moores assured the Civic
Federation that the great State of In
move against the gamblers that the Ere
formers might make. This letter went from
the Civic Federation into the hands of Bert
King, and he carried it to the boss gam
bier, who dictated the answer. Posing as the
Civic Federation, the boss seated in an
easy chair in Manglers saloon, stated that
the organization, like the great State of
Indiana" was hard up and could only lend
moral support to the action against the
ROby games. This letter was typewriter in
the office of Hills attorney, and then mailed
to MooreS. Thus the action started by Hill S
letter to Judge Gillett died.
Meantime the boss representative in In
dianapOlis found that the Hammond news
paper correspondent had stirred up bad
muss which could not be easily quelled
Some of the sheets were calling on the
Governor to call out the militia, and 9TH
ers denounced the administration for the
frightfuP state of affairs at Roby. King
had reported to the boss that~the Indian
apolis News had changed hands and that
he had fixed matters relating to Roby with
the new proprietors. The boss" man found
that this statement was untrue and he be-
came alarmed at the action stirred w by
King. He then telegraphed the boss -
CLOSE deal with Arthur and Bert" AR
thur was cipher name for a certain
headlight of reform" and Bert" meant
Bert King, After the receipt of the mes
sage the deal was closed by giving the
reformers" a half interest in the field
book. AS has already been stated. Jules
Frank, an ,employe of Arthur Webb was
put in the. betting booth to look after the
''reformers' " interests.
From May 4, 1898. till May H. 1898, the
"reformers'' received on an average of $3.50
per day in blackmail from the field book
On the 18th of May the race track closed,
and from that time until Harlem opened,
May "a, HIS men collected 500 daily from
the pool room at Roby.
Proof of these statements is in the hands
of the boss" who was mulcted out Of his
ill-gotten gains, and 1t is likely to be laid
before an Indiana court in the near future.