The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-11-12
CROWE-O'DANNION PACT
CONTINUED from Page H.

glnmen, strikes are broken and pickets
are sent to the hospitals, while the
uniformed gunner of the employers
also send pickets to the hospitals and
to the jails. Only when a gangster
kills policeman, is the fury of the
authorities aroused and even then the
excitement dies down quickly.
Gunner Aid Grove.
Another reason. During election
campaigns, the democratic and repub-
lican politicians use gunner to init
midate voters. During the recent elect
ions in Chicago, Dean O'Bannion,
hitherto a democrat, deserted to the
republicans, got his gunner together
and helped to elect States Attorney
Robert E. Grove. 1t is reported that
he even went so far as to kidnap some
democratic opponents of, Grove and
held them captive for several hours.
With the aid Of O'Bannion's gunner
States Attorney Grove carried several
precincts usually democratic.
These facts may help to explain the
immunity enjoyed by the professional
killers in Chicagos underworld. No
such immunity is enjoyed by the ra-
dical workers whose only crime is
trying to organize and educate the
working class for the overthrow Of the
system of society on which vermin like
O'Bannion and Grove flourish.
Drop Indictments.
That II is not at all impossible that
O'Bannion and the other gangsters
were under the protecting mantle Of
Robert z. Grove in return for services
rendered, may be learned from the fact,
that the indictments drawn by the
grand jury against Percy Coffin and
Michael Faherty, high lights of the
Lundin-Thompson machine during the
Thompson administration, were nolle
pressed by order of the states attorney,
for lack of prosecution"
This action was taken as result
of a prediction agreement between
Grove and the Coffin machine. The
deal was made when Coffin visited
Grove at the latter's residence prior
port of the Small-Lundin-Coff mach
inc, the so-called fearless foe of crime
agreed to drop the indictments against
the two men who were charged with
getting away with millions in graft.
Had Strong Case.
The special prosecutor assigned to
the case by Grove, assured the states
attorney that he had a strong case
and could secure a verdict. Grove
simply said: Il am going to nolle pros
Sc the case"
Further evidence Of the connecting
link between the state and city govern
ment and the underworld is the dis
covery of gigantic counterfeiting plot
led by Ben Newmark, former chief
investigator for the states attorneys
office. Newmark and Mike Boyle rend-
cred yoeman service in saving Small's
neck in the long litigation by which
the states attorney for Illinois tried TO
make the governor give an accounting
Of the funds in his care during his
term Of office as state treasurer. The
labor leader and Newmark were chased
over several states by the police but
were finally captured and sent to
Joliet to serve sentences for contempt
OF court. They were later pardoned by
Governor Small.
A long story could be written Of col
fusion between the gangsters of the
underworld and the state and city
governments Of Illinois.
II is reported that at recent ban
quest given in honor of Dean O'Ban-
MON at Chicago hotel, several off,
cials Of the police department were
present, and aided O'Bannion and the
gangsters to consume the liberal guam
titles OF booze. that brot cheer to the
diners and joined in praising the wor-
thy citizen whose rise from poverty
TO affluence set good example to
others.
O'Bannion left an estate worth at
iaaat ona million doiIara hahtnd hin.