The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-27
new CORRUPT
! CITY DISCLOSED
Ch|eopss, Mass, Has License
( Crafts on a Big Scale.
!
PROMINENT men INVOLVED
lIqaor Dealers. Gamblers and Junk Dealers
( All Pay Tribute Attempt TO Mulzle
: Investigation.
PROMINENT men INVOLVED


graft rivalling the corruption supposed
TO exist only in the very largest cities
shas been unearthed by the aldermanic
committee appointed 10 investigate
scharges OF Irregularities on the part OF
tChicopee city officials.
Graft for Mayor James II. LOOMS,
graft for City Auditor ]. r. Carmody.
lgraft for members of the board of alder
men. graft for granting liquor and pool
iltcenses for tolerating nickel-in-the-s
gambling machines, for protecting .rou-
|lette and for the dispensaton of other
lfavors-these in nutshell are the al
Legations of which the aldermen will ask
ithe grand jury TO take cognizance.
There has been no unseemly haste on
,the part OF the Chicopee officials 10 vim
.dicate themselves Mayor. Looms APP
lpeared before the investigating commit
,tee. but took occasion TO deny the right
iof the committee 20 compel his presence.
Chief OF police. c. +. Kimball, n valu-
iAble witness, has kept In the background
ton the technicality that the aldermen
have, no jurisdiction over matters per-
tanning to liquor licenses. License Com
~missioners r. p. Murphy and J. T. Lodge
rhls advice have invoked from the su-
preme court writ of prohibition to pre-
went inquiry into their official acts.
Chicopee is a staid New England city
of 10000 population. IL was the home OF
the late Edward Belamy, whose famous
sociologic novel. Looking Backward"
pictured the millennium. brought about
through Socialism in the year 200o, IL
was the home also OF ex-Gov. George -.
Robinson. whom the Republicans select
ed to oust Gen. r +. Butler from the
governors chair I'm. 1893, and who later
added to the laurels by securing the ac-
ouittal OF Lizzie Borden in murder trial
OF national renown.
-' 500 THE LICENSE GRAFT.
Unsuspectng junk dealers. who OBJ
sJected TO paying tribute for licenses, were
the beginning OF the troubles OF the city
Officials.
How much will you give for a license?''
queried City Auditor j. =. Carmody or
Joseph Greenburg. according 70 Green
burg's sworn testimony. Allis Freedman
testified that Mayor Loomis offered 70 get
him five licenses for 500 Mr. Freedman
receivedo the following letter. which was
II desire TO call your attention to the
claim against you for granting your junk
licenses of last year Please call and
pee me IN reference to the, same or
aehall be obliged To bring suit
The letter was waitten on Mayor
-Ioomts law stationery and signed James
il. Loomis,' The admission was reluct-
antly wrung from City Auditor Carmody
that he wrote the letter a. the request
Ing: Il have NEG been accused of be
ing fool The question Of veracity be
tween the mayor and the city auditor is
stil undecided"
81 Except as tending 20 show that no
overlooked by the exponents OF the graft
n system I'm Chicopee. the allegations I'm
connection with the junk dealers licenses
% are Of secondary importance.
The liquor licenses afforded a more
promising field. In the records OF the
Chicopee board of aldermen. I'm the form
of an affidavit duly sworn and subscribed
TO. is the following statement made to r.
y. McPhee by A. A. NJ. Moore. a hotel
proprietor in Chicopee;
Lodge sent for me- and I met him In the
law office OF Mayor James II. Loomis.
lie made an appointment with me at his
house for the following evening.
GRATED BY FRIENDS
I find II IL going 10 cost YOU some
thing for n license this year said Mr..
Lodge when ! arrived, ...
Il asked him II Il wasn't a little hard
20 he grated by ones friends. Well
ne said you know how Murphy is and
this IL going to he the rule
'T said. How much is it?'
Tt will cost you $500 said Lodge"
Then follows statement in which
Moore relates the particulars of the pay
. nent OF 800 each to the license commis-
eioners J. r. Lodge and +. =. Murphy.
The affidavit states that by arrangement
. Chief OF Police Kendall witnessed the
payment from a place OF concealment.
The aldermanic Investigation commit
tee has been deprived OF plenary pow
ers by the writ of prohibition proceed
ings which are based on the contention
. that the commissioners are amenable To
the mayor only. Pending a decision by
, the full bench the scope OF the inves-
tigating committee is limited TO volun-
tary testimony.
~. Disgusted at the attitude of the IL
cense commissioners an dthe position OF
. Mayor Loomis, who has vetoed an order
authorizing the hiring OF counsel 20 fight
she writ of prohibition proceedings. the al
4. dermen have decided 10 place the evidence
in their possession in the hands OF the
> district attorney. with the official request
Of the board that the grand Jury enter
upon searching investigation OF the
charges Of corruption against Chicopee
city officials.