Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-08-11
THE GRAND JURY SPEAKS.

IuE SnAND JONI SFEAkSs
The Last Scptcm ml,cr Grand Jury Voiced
the Sentiments Of the People In Re.
gard tO the Sharks.
In September, 1900, the grand fury
Of Cook County paid Its respects to the
human blood suckers In no uncertain
language.
Many cases were presented to the
grand jury in which money loaners
asked the indictment of debtors. In
every instance the jury refused to In.
dict. stating Its reason In It's report to
the court as follows:
"The numerous cases Of crime trace
able to the operations of 'chattel mort
gage sharks and confidential credit
concerns for 'salarled people give re-
newed emphasis to the Importance Of
the establishment Of chattel banks un.
der the supervision Of the State, as
contemplated by the law recently en-
acted. Their limitations. however, af.
ford but a partial remedy for the pov.
erty, distress and crime of which the
chattel mortgage shark and 'conGden-
tial credit usurers are the prolific
cause, and we therefore suggest that
strict legal regulation should govern
all occupations In which such mort.
cages or credits are a primary or in
cldental part"
~
So easy Is II for the sharks to rob the
very Jurors Of the Cook County courts
Of their per diem,
That they believe they can wipe up
the earth with the United States of
America.
The United States has a National
bankruptcy law, passed for the pur.
pose Of relieving the overburdened.
l. Among the Overburdened were sew.
eral members Of the Chicago police
force, who We're forced to borrow
money from sharks. and who had long
since paid the principal on their debts.
But these poor men, like many others
who Were grasped by the tentacles OF
the devilfish. were SO deeply In debt
to the sharks for interest owed on In
terest ut the rate of 10 per cent. a
month shat the only way they could
free ti.~. ~...selves from the octopus was
by taking advantage Of the Federal
bankruptcy act.
They took advantage Of this act, had
an open hearing In the United States
Court and were duly freed from their
debts.
The sharks at once had them arrest.
ed In defiance of the Federal law, not
In one justice court, but in three, and
openly announced their intention OF
prosecuting these poor men until they
gave up the money which they do not
owe.
This prosecution still continues.
A more brazen violation Of the bank
ruptcy law,
A more Outspoken contempt for Fed.
eral authority and especially for Fed
eral courts, could not be found any
where.
The United States District Attorney
should have these sharks railroaded to
the penitentiary without further delay
And every justice aud constable who
aids or abets them should be jailed
for contempt at once.
%e1
The Dean OF Ely was credited with
the remark that he had more than once
detected the presence of American wO.
men In the close at Ely by their "beau'
tiful voices" lie suggests that he was
misunderstood. The adjective he used
was courageous" The change Is moi
n complimentary one, but the dean
does his best to make 1t SO by saying
that courage Is trait Of the American
girl. Nevertheless. there are better
ways of proclaiming ones courage thar
by voice which reminds one of III
you don't see what you want, ask fol
It,"