Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-07-13

this department" was about the first
declaration made by Chief Of Police
O'Neill after ha assumed his Office.
The Chief will probably move in the
matter before long.
One of the business houses of this
city that has been shamefully treated
by the police Is the Chicago Finance
Company, from which thousands of
dollars have been borrowed by police.
men, who snapped their fingers In the
face Of the managers and refused to
pay back cent.
a policeman should be honest In all
things, II he Is worthy Of place OH the
force.
The Eagle has no use for ''lOan
sharks" and has fought them harder
than any other newspaper In Chicago.
1t has virtually driven these men out
Of the City Hall.
But common fairness cOmpels It to
say few words about the dcad-bcats
who use pOlIcemen's stars to dcfraud
such reputable concerns us the Chicago
Finance Company.
The loanlng of money IL In itself
legitimate business.
If 1t was not. there would be no
banks.
In Chicago commercial circles no
business house stands higher than does
the Chicago Finance Company, Suite
3O4, S. Dearborn street. During its
twelve years Of existence this firm has
stood on Its own foundation. having
been In no way, or Mt any time, con-
nected with any other loan institution
In the city Of Chicago. Money Is their
merchandise, and the Chicago Finance
Company claims to sell II, as the mer.
chant does his merchandise. for Il profit.
and the persons who buy it-pOllcemen
or Otherwise--should be compelled to
meet their obligations rs contracted
for. The Chicago Finance Company
stands high as lOaning institution IN
this community, enjoying the best Of
character and references. 1t has been
thoroughly investigated and found to
he honest, straight and liberal In its
dealings, but'it has also been unfOrtu.
pages Of their ledgcrs the names Of a
gOOdly number of socalled "dead-beat"
policemen. who are endeavoring to
evade the payment Of honest Obliga.
tiOns, and still hold their positions on
the Chicago Police Department. The
Chicago Finance Company has always
treated Its patrons right, but these po-
licemen seem to imagine, since recent
agitation In the daily papers, that
claims against them for money borrow
ed from this company are now null and
void. These facts when presented to
IN Eagle reporter ON Wednesday by
one of the members Of the Chicago Fl.
nance Company led up to quite story
Of the devious ways and methods the
chronic borrowers and "beats" (whO
are hOnored with stars by the Police
Department. have Of cvading the pay.
Inent Of just and honest obligations.
The member In question further said:
Bah! am so Disguised with these
dead'beat cOppers and their crooked
way Of doing business that II the May
or, his cabinet and the Chief of Police
desired the names ! would willingly
deliver them the whole bunch of them,
and also expose them to the public at
large. Why, my dear young man, just
allow me to give you few pointers OH
sOme Of these fellows, who claim to be
of, hut who really disgrace, the Finest
Many borrowed money for their fam
HES, they say, but at once took the
money to attorneys to start bankruptcy
proceedings. and again that class are
kept on the payrOlls Of the Police De
partment.
''SOme will only promise to pay II theil
horse wins, and II their horse did win
their creditors or families would set
little or none Of the money.
'SOme Of these policemen borrow
hundreds Of dollars. presuming theil
cloth and brass buttons entitle then
to unlimited credit. How can they do Il
on eighty.three and one-thixd dollars
per month? This fact Is convincing
proof that they do not want to. neither
do they intend to pay. Money was Dor
rOwed for given time-one or tive
months, ana was contracted for to b,
paid ut that time; the men were NO
compelled to keep paying interest 4
they paid principal when due.
'"The money was cheap enough a
any price when borrowed. The none!
WIS loaned for groceries, rent, sick
ness, funeral expenses, and In man!
cases to square outside accounts to pre-
vent trial board inquiries.
'"They will agree to pay O per cent pc
annum, or 100 per cent minute-any
thing to get the money.
"Many claims were secured by chat
tel mortgages, executed by HUSBAND