Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
CHICAGO POLICEMEN
DENY GRAFT CHARGE
Indicted Captain of Detectives
and Associates RidicuIe Con-
fessi0n of BertSche.
ORDER FOR SUSPENSION
BY MAYOR HARRISON
Mrs. Mary Rapp Begins Suit. In
volving Accused. to. Recover
Proceeds of Swindle.

CHICAGO, December States At
torney Hoyne's sensational crusade
against alleged police corruption
reached climax here today when Po-
lice Captain John ]. Halpin. recently
removed as head of the detective bu-
reau; Lieut.. John H. Tobin, veteran of
the police department, and Walter
OBrien. former detective sergeant.
were indicted on charges of bribery
and operating confidence games.
Halpin and Tobin were Immediately
suspended by order of Mayor Harrison.
Capiases for their arrest. 1t is expect
ed, will not be issued until Monday.
The indictments charge Halpin with
three bribery offenses and three Of
lenses in connection with the operation
of confidence games. Tobin and O'Brien
are named with Halpin in the latter
charges. \ fourth policeman will be
named later in the same charges, 1t
was said by Hoyne.
The indictments were based largely
on alleged confessions by Barney"
Bertsche, confessed go-between, and
the Ryan brothers, Frank and James
RYAN The Ryans for years conducted
a string of clairvoyant parlors, out OF
which, it is alleged. they feeced many
victims out of tens of thousands or
dollars.
Defendants Deny Charges.
In the criminal court bonds for the
indicted men were fixed as follows:
Halpin. $4,000; Tobin, $4,000; OBrien,
$4,000 Talking with reporters. the
defendants asserted that the confess
sions did not contain a word of truth.
he hrih CHI Hal in
accuse him of accepting specific sums.
ranging from $500 to $1,000, and pro-
tecting the Ryans from arrest in con-
nection with three alleged swindles.
He is alleged to have received $4,000
for protecting the Ryans and one John
Strosnider from arrest in the wire
tapping scheme by which DR.. William
T. Kirby, private banker. was swim
the bank. Tobin and O'Brien are al
legged to have shared in the bOtty also.
The trio are charged further with re-
ceiving percentage of the $15,500, out
. of which the RyanS swindled Mrs. Hope
L. McEldowney of La Crosse, Wis. and
the s13.250 accruing from the swim
ding of Mrs. Mary Rapp of Naper-
willie. Ill.
Halpin is veteran of the police
force AS he still ranks as captain it
is thought that his old friend and
comrade. Chief of Police Gleason, will
be intrusted with the order for his ar
rest Tobin has been a policeman for
twenty years and worked up to the
rank OF lieutenant O'Brien was not
well known until he became involved
in charges against the clairvoyants.
Halpin was transferred from the de-
tective bureau. of which he was chief,
to another station by Mayor Harrison a
month ago FOR the good of the serv-
ice He was then being attacked
torney Hoyne. Mayor Harrison this
afternoon ordered the suspension of
Halpin and Tobin.
What the Indictments Charge.
The indictment against Ha1pin charges:
First. that he accepted January 1. 1913,
$500 from Bertsche in return for a
promise not TO arrest Frank Ryan.
reported head of the claryoyant ring
Of swindlers, and James Ryan for
crimes they had committed and were
about TO commit
Second, that he accepted $500 from
Bertsche to lay or" while with his
knowledge the Ryans swindled Mrs
McEldowney out of s15,500. James
Ryan and Bertsche are under convic-
ton of this crime.
Third. that he received $1,000 from
Bertsche on promise not to arrest the
men who heeced William T. Kirby out
Of 100000 by a overlapping scheme.
In Bertsche's confession he states that
the swindling of Kirby, a private
ant ring K;rh,-,s hani fa;1aS
sn,h oI the swihaie.
IN the superior court today, where Mrs
Mary Rapp of Naperville. ILL.,, filed
SUIT 10Y the recovery of sls,360 which
she alleges she lost through the opera
tion of the clairvoyant ring. AS de-
PENDANTS she named Bertsche Tobin.
Halpin and Frank and James Ryan
The swindle. she alleges took place
February %. 1919.
The confidence game counts of the in
dictments name Halpin, Tobin and
oBrlen as recipients of the proceeds
OF the Kirby swindle, of the McEldow-
hey fraud ana $l1,0O0 OF the money al
ieeed 10 nave been obtained from Mrs.
NaPp-
New vorL
"".S AnAoi Hlat1on.
States ATTORNEY How're said that Do
lie ro,,r,;..;.c. 49,,