The Washington herald., 1907-05-05

Chicago, May 4-The Cook County
grand jury, which has been probing into
Chieagos political corruption, returned
its report this afternoon.
Five Of former Mayor DUNES political
Heuteuants were indicted, two bills being
returned against ex-Chief Of Police John
Collins, ex-Police Attorney Comerford.
ex-Public Works Commissioner william
L. O'ConnelI, ex-Purchasing Agent Ed
mund X Roche. and Detectives James
McGrath and James McNulty.
Gaping the sensation was a statement
from members Of the grand jury that
when fUII disclosures OF bribery and cor
ruption are made public the record viii
pale 70 fnsfgnifcance the shame OF ST.
Louis. Cincinnati, san Francisco. and
Philadelphia. Members Of The grand jury
declare that for years Chicago has been
in the clutches Of the most corrupt p0-
litieal machine in the United states.
Municipal ownership, they say, has been
merely a mask for The civic rOtIeHHess
which has eaten Ike a cancer into the
very vitals OF the municipal government.
Long List of Onenses.
are conspiracy 10 defraud the city By us
ing its police force for the collection Of
campaign contributions and other political
wrong doing during the recent elections.
violations Of the civil-service laws. col
Iectmg bribes from law violators. and
mutilating and destroying police records
Collins is indicted on three counts. two
OF which make hin liable 10 q fine OF
$3.50 and Imprisonment for from one 10
ive years. Roche and OConneu and the
two detectives are liable TO the same fines
and Imprisonment
II is said thai the men who had charEs
| Of Mayor DunHe's campaign collected at
least s50000 from the police force. and the
grand jury is probing for proofs of the
amounts collected from saloons and disor-
DERBY houses. This phase of the inYestiga-
! uon viii be taken up later, together with
fifteen cases that were left unfinished by
| the present grand jury.
rot a Victim Escaped.
According TO one member Of the grand
jury tonight. no dive keeper or law viola
tor on whom the police got clutch. was
/ immune from the contributions. and the
victims were also forced TO pay large
sums into The general election funds.
/ According 10 scale said 10 have been
enforced, police inspectors were assessed
500 each, captains $50 leutenants S25.
/ Isergeants $15. and paroimen $40.
The indictments have created the sem
sation of the year in Chicago. Former
/ Mayor Dunno had generally been regard
! ed as a paragon of civic virtue. His can
/ didaCy for the bench has in previous cleo
/ tiOns been on a platform Of personal
purity. The revelations adopted tonight
/ of the jObbery said to have gone on under
/ his official nose are expected 20 put "A
very pronounced dent In his political halo,
/ and have served as shock not only 10
! his personal friends. but TO the public in
/ general.
Men to BE Tried in July.
! According to the revelations made TO
the grand jury. q Democratic victory and
/ the passing Of the records Of assessments
/ into the hands of the victors would have
headed OF The present expose. The de-
/ feat of Mayor Dunno and his associates,
! however placed the evidence in the hands
( OF the grand juTy, and revealed the mine
| OF corruption and graft. The statute of
/ limitations prevented the grand jury from
/ examining previous elections.
In addition To the indictments returned.
/ the jury also criticised Chief Clerk Homer
/ Galpin, of the Municipal Courts, whose
/ subordinate John T. Lenehan. was re-
/ Gently indicted.
! The indicted men viii be tried during
! the summer term Of court, which begins
/ July ]. Collins, whose case viii be heard
first. tonight gave bonds for his appear
anCe on Monday.