New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-05

Charges Against Former Chicago
officials Gro5c ont of Campaign.
fRy Telegraph to The Tribune. J

Chicago, May 4-'rhe elimination of investi-
cations conducted by the Civil Service Commits
sion and the grand jury into methods employed
by the Democratic admnstra tlon and campaign
committee in furthering the candidacy OF Mayor
Dunno for recollection and the approval OF his
plans for municipal ownership Of the local trac-
tion systems, came to-day in the indictment of
six persons prominently identified with the
Dunno administration. Announcement is made
by the States Attorneys office that a broader
investigation will be conducted by the next
grand jury along the same lines. and the indict-
ments of hundreds OF other Dunno partisans
mostly members Of the police force are ex-
pected.
Penitentiary sentences will be asked by the
States Attorneys office in the prosecution, the
charge on the indictments that have and that
will be returned being conspiracy.
John NJ. Collins, former Chief OF Police is
named in three separate indictments. and is
charged with mutating public records of the
city. conspring with others TO cheat and defraud
the city. and cousplring with others to violate
the Civil Service law. The last charge refers to
the collection of a campaign assessment from
the police.
The penalty for conviction for mutilaton of
public records is imprisonment in the peniten-
tary for from to seven years The punish
ment under the other charges would be a fine
imprisonment.
The other persons named in the indictments
are Frank u. Comerford, former police attor-
ney and special adviser for Collins. indicted for
conspiring with Collins to cheat the city BY
taking police from their place OF duty to do
political work; l.. II. Roche former city pur-
chasing agent and Mr.. DUNES personal man
ager during the last campaign, same charge;
William L. O'Conneil. former Commissioner OF
Public Works and chairman OF the county CEN
tral committee of the Democratic party. who
took general charge of the Dunno campaign, same
charge; James McGrath and Patrick ]. Nc
Nuity patrolmen indicted for Conspirins to
ceive bribes from saoonkecpers in their district.
''VTo find Indications the report of the grand
Jury states "of corruption and graft the
part of patrolhlen and officers that lead us to
suggest that these matters. which we have been
unable to thoroughly investigate on account of
lack OF time be fully gone into by the next or
succeeding grand juries.''
The bonds for the higher officers were placed
Mt $4,000 on each indictment. This makes the
bond of Collins $4,000. The bonds of OCon-
neil, Roche and Comerford $1,000 each, and
those of the two patromen $4,000 each
Mayor Busse to-day formally asked for the
designations of Joseph Powell, William Prentiss
and Frank Winter. who constitute the Civil
Service Commission of Chicago. The commits
gioners refused 10 comply with the Mayors re-
quest.
After receiving the commissioners refusal to
comply with his request. Mayor Busse formally
removed them and appointed three new mem
bers of the board. The names ot the new APP
pontees will be submitted To the City Council
for ratification Monday night. The deposed
officers will probably appeal to the courts.