The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-12-13
ESPECIAL 70 TIE rInEsI

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. =, Dec n
.ihpnatlc denial OF the charges. that
tney had received protection mon.v
was made yesterday afternoon hv ch,at
wa smade yesterday afternoon bv r.htcs
reward O'Donnell and Capt. Thomas
Downey OF the Esst Chicago police
loTce VINO are on trial before judge
anderson on charges of consp jracy to
violate the prohibition law
All of tbs evidence was tr. na4a-a
court adjourned last night and attar-
neys this morning took up ihe arr1,-
ment or the case. 1t was expected 10
reach the jury sometime during tn,
forenoon
The denial was made ispe yesterdav
when the defendants took the witness
stand after they had listened to testt
mony from government witnesses IN
which East Chicago and Indiana Har-
Dor had been described as wide open
towns.
O'Donneu testified that the aid Of
the police department In making raids
was not requested by the prohibition
agents when they began their clean
up of the city. On cross-exarnn1atiop
he admitted that he had never oYered
the assistance of his department. He
denied the intimation OF Federal Agent
U. j. Simons that the police had tfr-
ped on places of impending raids by
federal men. Downey's testimony fol-
lowed similar lines. Both admitted
that liquor was manufactured and sold
III East Chicago but they said they
had made every effort TO enforce the
Law.
On trial with the police officers
were John Stipanovich. Nick vutono-
vich and Nick Popovich who have al
ready nj
having paid O'Donnell protection
money.
One OF these testified that he quit
paying when business became rotten"
and that his place was searched fifteen
or twenty times thereafter alythouEh
ne had not been molested previously
and had even been tipped of" when
federal officers were near.
Vujonovich said that he is now l,v-
Ing in South Chicago because no fear
ed Capt Downey would kill him. He
said he had paid 500 month for Ave
months to Downey and when he stop
ped paying after he had testified be-
for the federal grand jury Downey
came to him and told him that unless
he came across with the money" he
was going TO kill him.
Stipanovich said he had to sell his
place Of business because he could no
longer afford to meet tho payments o.
$50 a month to each CT the officers
His place was raided three times In
one day before he could sell It. he
said, and the raiders finally found so1ns
whiskey under lumber pile In the
back yard. This case has been carr
ried to the supreme court.
An effort by counsel for thu defense
to obtain testimoney from II s.
Cf+ -
relative to O'Donnelrs character, was
frustrated by the government. whose
objection was sustained by Judge An-
derson on the ground that the testi-
mony was irreveIayent. Cohen was
not permitted to testify although he
took the stand.
The wide-open condition OF East Chi
cago and Indiana Harbor at the time
the federal prohibition agents began a
series of raids was described by G. )
Simons, prohibition agent. who was IN
charge Of the prohibition enforcement
forces the city. Simons described
the violations as open and fragrant -
He said for a period OF forty-five days
he had five men making raids every
day on places where liquor was being
sold. He said the cases were tried In
the city court OF Hammond. because
they werc not getting the cooperation
of tho legal forces at East Chicago.
Between December. 1920. and April,
1921. when the indictments against tina
were returned. the federal
forcs were making an
average OF two or three arrests day
RAIDS "TIPPED OFF, SAYS AfENr
what were the police doing Oh this
time" Judge Anderson asked
'I don't know. your Honor" Sirnons
replied.
Simons testified that at soms OF the
places where raid swere made. the in
mates were tipped Off, before tho ar
rival OF the raiding party. and all evil
dence OF violations was disposed OF
He said intoxicating liquor was being
sold in boarding houses. irmorat
houses. and private residences. Five
separate stills and 500 gollons Of nasn
70 manufacture whisky were found IN
one house raid@d. he said.
.Simons attributed tho widespread
law violations to the lack OF props,
police surveillance and said that tr
Hammond, only short distance away.
.op6i+ions were much better because