Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-07-20


this department." was about the first
declaration made by Chief of Police
O'Neill after he assumed his office.
The Chief will probably move in the
matter before long
One of the business houses of this
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 a cent.
A policeman should he honest I'm all
things, IL he IL 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.
II has virtually driven these men ont
of the City Hall.
But common fairness compels It to
say few words about the dcad.bcats
who use pOllcemen's stars to defraud
such reputable concerns us the Chicago
Finance Company.
The lOaning of money IL In itself u
legitimate business.
II It was not, there would be no
banks.
In Chicago commercial circles no
business house stands higher than does
the Chicago Finance Company, Suite
3O4, So Dearborn street. During its
twelve years of existence this firm has
stood on Its own foundation. having
been In no way, or ut any time. con-
nected with any other loan Institution
In the city Of Chicago. Money IL their
merchandise, and the Chicago Finance
Company claims to sell 1t, as the mcr-
chant does his merchandise. for u profit,
and the persons who buy it-pOlicemen
or Otherwise-shOuld be compelled to
meet their obligations as 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 1t has also been unfOrtl,.
nate enough to have written Oh the
pages Of their ledgers the names of Il
goOdly number of sO-called "dead-beat"
policemen, who are endeavOrlng to
evade the payment of honest Obllga.
lions, and still hold their positions on
the Chicago Police Department. The
Chicago Finance Company has always
treated Its patrons right, but these pO-
llcemen 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 ia
an Eagle reporter on Wednesday by
one Of the members Of the Chicago Fl.
nance Company led up to quite a story
Of the devious ways and methods the
: chronic borrowers and "beats" (whG
are hon0red with stars by the Police
Department. have of evading the pay
ment of just and honest obligations
The member In question further said
bah! ! am 80 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 I would Willingly
deliver them the whole bunch of them
and also expose them to the public al
large. Why, my dear young man, JUS
allow me to give you a few pointers OF
some of these fellows, who claim to b,
of, but who really disgrace, the Finest
Many borrowed money for their fam
lilies, they say, but at once took thu
money to attorneys to start bankruptc!
proceedings, and again that class ar
kept on the payrolls of the Police De
partment.
'Some will only promise to pay II thei
horse wins, and II their horse did viii
their creditors or families would Sc
little or none of the money.
"SOme of these policemen borrow
hundreds of dollars, presuming thei
cloth ana brass buttons entitle then
to unlimited credit. How can they do
on eighty-three and One-third dollar
per month? This fact Is convincing
proof that they do not want to, neithe
do they intend to pay. Money was boz
IoWcu ioh SaNch tihcOhc VI wv
months, and was contracted for to
paid ut that time; the men We're nc
compelled to keep paying interest
they paid principal when due.
"rhe money was cheap enough q
any price when borrowed. The none
was loaned for groceries, rent, slcl
ness, funeral expenses, and In man
cases to square outside accounts to pr,
vent trial board inquiries.
"rhey will agree to pay per cent pc
annum, or 100 per cent minute-any
thing to get the money.
'Many claims We're secured by cha
tel mortgages, executed by husban