The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1909-03-03
BARE A GRAFT PLOT
Chicago Grand Jury Probes
Protection" Ring.
IMMUNITY SWAG 100000

Many Saloon Men Are CalIed-Chareed
That Country Towns Had Been
"Touched"-One Hundred Called
Before Inquisitors.
ing plot, said to involve men well
known in county affairs and Chicago
politician of statewide influence, was
responsible for disappearance of near
ly 100 saloonkeepers before the grand
jury yesterday. The witnesses, hasti-
ly subpoenaed from Evergreen Park,
Sag Bridge, Lemont, West Hammond
and other suburbs within Cook coun-
ty, were confronted with the alter.
native of revealing the identity of
those to whom they paid tribute for
the privilege of operating gambling
slot machines and the method of col
lection or of facing indictment for
maintaining the gambling devises.
| Get 100000 for "Protection"
Behind the sudden and unexpected
development, growing out of the al
most unprecedented session of the
February grand jury, there is said to
be an effort to terminate the reign
of so-called county ring" headed by
a north side Republican politician.
This ring" is charged with having
divided 100000 within a year through
farming out unlawful privileges to
saloon and divekeepers located beyond
the vision of those who prevent such
operations on a large scale in Chi
cago.
Protection" has been guaranteed
1t is said, and the names of various
officials mentioned as being compla-
cent through exercise of the pull
of members of the ring.
Rouse the Ire Of Wayman.
States Attorney John E. w. Way
man is said to have been named as
one from whom no interference need
be feared if machines controlled by
the ring" were installed. Reports
that leaked out from the inquisitorial
chamber have it that when word that
he was being "peddled" reached the
| states attorney he declared he would
| punish every man connected with the
scheme to the limit of the law and
would strike as high up in the politi-
would warrant. Consequently there
was stir in many quarters when
yesterdays action of the grand jury
became known.
Enjoyed Practical Monopoly.
While the ring" operated on pure
nerve, relying upon the obscurity of
the places where their enterprises
were conducted and upon the compla-
cency of local officials for protection"
| its agents are said to have gone so far
| as to adopt a secret stamp-like tag
which was affixed to the gambling ma
chine as proof it was safe from mo-
lestation.
The tag was described to the jurors
as sort of 20. K" affixed to the bot
tom or back Of the machines and it's
presence was a token to constables,
town and village marshals that the de-
vice had official sanction in high
places, even the states attorneys Of
flee. In consequence the political
clique comprising the ring enjoyed
practically a monopoly of slot-ma-
chine gambling in Cook county.
Compelled to Disclose.
That all this reached Mr.. Wayman's
ears was obvious through the presence
of his private investigators before the
grand jury. The details of their reci-
tai to the jury are buried under the
ponderous secrecy with which the de-
alterations of that body are surroup1 l.
ed. Other witnesses who were ques
toned emerged fully aware that the
states attorneys investigators had
been over the ground and had made
careful report to the inquisitors OF
general conditions and of each spe
cific violation of law. They We're con.
fronted with diagrams of their places,
with the number and location Of the
machines marked and the range of
bets or play and the character of the
machines permitted. Then they were
commanded to disclose all the facts
under penalty of indictment for gam.
| bling.
Each Of Witnesses in Panic.
The witnesses were each panic.
stricken in turn. After the first few
emerged and spread the news of what
the crowd had been herded together
for In the jury ante-room further com.
| munication of facts through that me.
| dunn was cut off by taking the de-
parting witnesses by hidden exit
to the prisoners elevator and escort.
ing them thence to the street by way
of the jail or the sheriff's Office
Sixtyfour disguised saloonkeepers
were included in the first batch round.
| ed up and others continued to arrive
| throughout the day