Evening star., 1928-06-21
Big Bill" Must Refund.

| BY a decision rendered yesterday In
Circuit Court in Chicago. William Hale
Thompson, mayor OF that city, and
six OF his political aides are under
orders to reimburse the municipality
| in the net sum OF about $l,60o. 900.
! This money, the court holds, is due
from them because in 1921 they con-
spired TO use the public funds for the
: establishment ard perpetuation Of their
organization. Suit to that effect was
| brought seven years ago by the Chicago
/ Tribune 1t has trailed along for the
better part Of a decade as the court
has delved into the records and now
eliminates in this decision, following a
| judicial study of the evidence and ar
guments covering a period of four
! months. Judge Hugo Friend, in rem
dering the decision. said:
The essential facts are clearly es-
tablished. The Thompson group, in Its
Quest for control OF the city, couney
and State offices, required vast sums
to maintain its organization and Tor
campaign purposes. To meet these eX-
penses, which became constantly press
ing obligations, plan was conceived
and carried through by which nearly
$4,000. 900. constituting trust funds OF
the city, was paid to five experts, who
contributed large portions of their fees
to help defray these political obliga-
tions. More than S2.5o0.00o was paid
TO the real estate and building experts
Illegally. Through various steps pub
lie funds were diverted from the city
treasury and by devious means applied
for political debts of the Thompson
organization.
The case Is extremely complicated.
for the methods by which the diver
sions of public funds were Effected were
ingenious and overlapping. The pub
lie works involved were provided for
by bond issues totaling s28,0o0,o 900 for
the opening Of certain streets and ave-
nues in November. 1919. Experts were
employed to value the land to be taken
for the new streets. The graft which
went to the benefit of the political or
ganization was covered up in the form
of excessive valuations and fees.
Although the suit was brought i'm
mediately and public exposition was
made Of the charges, Thompson and
his party. after one defeat at the polls,
were returned to ofice. The city con-
troller of 1921 became county treas
urer. The president Of the board OF
local improvements was restored to that
position. The voters Of Chicago, be-
guiled by Thompson's extraordinary
methods of campaigning. re-establisi1ed
him In power They have since ad-
ministered smashing rebuke, though
in an election in which he was not a
candidate, in which other issues than
the graft charges figured
Unless the decision just rendered is
oyerruled by higher court, these men
must pay out of their own pockets
or others il they can be reached-be-
tween a million and a half and a mil
lion and quarters dollars. Two
Of the experts have already made some
restitution. One Of those named In the
charge is dead
This ought TO put All end to the rule
Of Big Biil' In Chicago. At the next
election he should be swept out of
power and his machine broken beyond
repair But the political memory of
the people Is not long lived, and, after
all. this Is money that was collected
and spent years ago and there is al
ways the chance of some other issue
arising. The political boss is peren-
nialiy resourceful and has an uncanny
way OF wriggling out OF the leash OF
nillstones hung about his neck In the
form OF scandals and crimes against
the public purse