Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-07-21

Chief Ripley declared yesterday that
the monthly salary of forty of his men
was tied up last month on account of
this evil, and Comptroller Kerfoot says
he has had more trouble in dealing
with the money lenders than with any
of his regular work.
Registered letters are delivered to
him and special messengers arrive with
notes asking that the pay Of a certain
officer or emplOye be stopped. Comp
troller Kerfoot has ignored all these
until now suit has been brought against
him. and the case which will come up
to-day will settle his attitude in the
matter.
Chief Ripley says that the amounts
charged against officers whose pay has
been held up ranged from $40 to $40.
and amounted in the aggregate to over
$500 ~ have taken no action In this
matter" added the chief. "Tbe Comp
troller and Treasurer must deal with
these claims. have told every officer
that he must pay his honest debts. and
] insist on this. About forty of the men
on the force class rs dead bcats--men
who owe everyone they can. If II were
not for the civil service act would
dispose Of them in short order. I think
the officer who goes to the money lender
Is not any better than the man who is
ready to charge him exOrbitant interest
| for loan.
This system of lending money to
men on salaries Is a detriment to sOci-
ETY.. but I have little sympathy for the
man who gets into their grasp" con.
tlnued the Chief. "Nine times out Of
ten. SO far as the policeman Is concern.
cd. you will find that he Is an officer
who spends the time he Is OF In "a.
Icon. drinking beer and playing cards,
instead Of being at home with his fam.
| lily. The policeman receives n fair sal.
ary. and II he does what his conscience
tells him to do he will be able to live
comfortably without resorting to the
money lender for assistance
When reminded that he had not Mt.
tempted to retard the efforts of the mon
ey lender Mr.. Ripley said: "When these
sharks come to me with their troubles
I tell them that know nothing about
their business nlntters; that am run.
ming the police department for the pro-
lection of the city. and have nothing to
do with the domestic life Of the police.
man.
81 take great pride In the police force
ana It IL my desire to make It the bes,
| I'm thp world I dn mt cn,,ut an a n ,.
dead beats. ana there would not be Il
man on the force who would have Il
face such a charge IL I could remedy Il
have no love for the money lender
neither have I any affection for the
man who will not pay his homes,
debts"
When Mayor Harrison's attention
was called to the evil he said that h,
had not Interested himself In II, but
added that he was against the "mOney
4 shark" aud was willing to lend his aid
In any movement which would stop his
operations.
Attorney Robert Il. Cantwell, who
has been engaged to defend certain pO
llcemen who have fallen into the hands
Of the loan sharks" II Of the opinion
that the civil authorities can do some
thing to suppress the evil. and In in
clined to crlticlse them for not makinf
strong effort In this direction. Th,
City Hall officials say, however. tina,
the emplOye is not compelled to seel
aid from the money lender. and that II
he suffers II IL his own fault.