The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-09-27
IN
LAKE co. ONLY
JUST STARTED
U. S. District Attorney in
Dunn Hearing Promises
Further Revelations

Promises that the expose OF con
ditions in Lake county had only
started and that future revelations
would shake official and social life
Of the community to its very foun-
dation were made Yesterday after
noon by Dixon Bynum. assistant
the preliminary hearing in which
Judge William Dunn of Gary and
Attorney Blaz Lucas, King of the
City Court" were held to the fed
eral grand jury under $1,000 bonds
on charges Of conspiracy.
HEARING DRAMATIC
The hearing before Commissioner
Charles Surprise In Hammond was
much more dramatic than the us
ual run of such hearings.
The assistant district attorney
remarked about this feature. He
said that newspapers had attached
more Importance to the hearings
had turned out than he had ever
noted in connection with a mere
preliminary hearing before.
Matter could have been intro
duced which would have been per
tinent to the case and which would
reach out all over Lake county and
maybe farther through Northern
Indiana" he said in the course u
his argument. But" he added
this particular case Is merely &C
show the system in the Gary City
court and the relations which exist
ed between the defendants Dunn
and Lucas.
FOREIGNERS WERE PREY
These witnesses. foreigners. most
of whom cannot understand Eng
iish. have been the ignorent prey
Of Blaz Lucas and jcSse Dunn. They
wouldn't work on intelligent people
who could see through their skull
dugsery. These witnesses and two
hundred mora will be taken to In
dianapolis where they will tell their
stories TO the twenty three men OF
Indiana VINO will constitute the
grand jury and be removed from the
influences and atmosphere OF inti-
midation W h I ch row surround
them
Intimation was made in the
course OF the hearing that the de-
PENDANTS IN order to cover up the
conduct OF the Gary court had
trumped UP a change OF venue in
one case and signed the name OF a
lawyer. now dead. as special judge.
DRY AGENTS ON STAND
Prohibition Agents Wri s h
Browning and Kimball were first
placed on the stand TO show the
fragrant liquor law violations In
Gary and to indicate that such con-
ditions could not prevail without
official knowledge They told OF
visiting at least fifty places in Gary
at which they purchased drinks and
often bottles of liquor.
The only times they were refused
were on the grounds that they were
strangers and the proprietors did
not know they were al. right How
ever, on returning a day or so later
they would have no difficulty In
making buys as their faces would
then be familiar TO the men behind
the bars.
At many OF the places prostitutes
were seen. One ager. stated that
practically every hotel which he
visited in Gary had several p-osti-
tutes on the premises.
POLICEMEN AT RESORTS
Each agent recalled meeting mem
bers OF the Gary police force IN
some Of the PAGES. Sometimes they
were plain clothes men and at other
times they were in uniform. They
were drinking with the rest of the
customers at the bar. This was
true in particular OF the West Cay
Cafe. against which an order for
abatement proceedings was issued
by Mayor Johnson Immediately ar
er it was reported that Velma Jones
the owner, lad MAZE a statement
to federal men following her arrest
An officer in uniform stood at the
bar OF the West Gary Cafe when
federal men purchased pint OF
liquor.
Agent F. r. Kimhall told Of the
Visit TO the Gary police station on
the evening of Tuesday of last
week shortly after the arrest OF At
torney Philip Ukman on a charge
Of accepting bribe. He went with
Director Bert Morgan. Chief George
WinkIer and Agent Drake.
OFFICIALS HOSTILE
After some delay. he said. they
were admitted to a room in which
there were probably eighteen men
including Mayor Johnson and police
officers. His testimony showed that
the attitude OF the Gary officials
was one OF hostility to the govern
ment men and that several times i
appeared that personal encounters
could not be avoided. Gun-play
could have started easily.
Philip Nicklovich next took the
stand. He was arrested in Novem
Der. 1919. for selling liquor. He
said he gave bond and was tried
before Dunn. He was fned 800 and
costs and thirty DAYS in Jail. Luo as
called him aside and told him that
for $3.50 he would take his case. get
him new trial and have him let
off without the jail sentence. He
gave Lucas $50 and had a frien6
bring him $500. Then Lucas told
him to go home. He never heard
any more about 1t. The records
showed Nicklovich was fined 500
(Continued on Page Five)