The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-18
Nv JAMES p. KIRBY

IulIduclpHld, OCpl. lC.-1 UlIduel.
phia's police departmental part of
it, at least-is sitting on top of a
volcano that threatens to erupt with
a roar of scandal as District Attor-
ney John Monaghan pursues the
Shiny trail of the millions Of dollars
alleged to have passed through the
hands of racketeers, gangsters and
bootleggers here in the past year.
Already the grand jury invcstiga-
ton has given rise to whispered ru-
mors Of impending sensations-of
wholesale graft, of bribery on a tre-
mendous scale, of collision between
law enforcement officials and the
underworld. The atmosphere is cleo
trio with tense expectancy.
But District Attorney Monaghan,
the man behind the probe, is saying
nothing. Calmly, deliberately, and
with careful avoidance of all ostenta-
tion, he is questioning witnesses and
going on with his investigation.
Rogues' Gallery 'Raided'
Some things, however, are al
ready visible behind the scenes.
There was the disclosure that pho
tographs of certain we'll known Grim
inals, sought by Monaghan as grand
jury witnesses, had mysteriously
disappeared from the police rogues'
gallery. Thus Monaghan's county
detectives were handicapped in find
ing them.
There was the sudden suspension
of Captain Charles c. Beckman, head
of Philadelphia's 800 police detec-
tives, pending investigation.
And, among other things, there
have been the questioning of several
of Captain Beckman's confidential
investigators" and the disappearance
of one Of them; the public criticism
of two police captains in whose pre-
cincts big stills were found by fed
eral agents almost within the shadow
of their station houses.
Meanwhile the seized records of
the mysterious Franklin Mortgage
& Investment Co.-said to have been
organized by Max "Boo Hoo" Hoff.
alleged overload of Philadelphia's un-
derworld-are being closely guarded.
So are the records Of firm Of public
accountants that audited the books
Of this company, reputed to have
been formed for racketeering and
wholesale bootlegging.
Rumors that these records will re-
veal bribery, graft and collision on
a gigantic and highly organized scale
persist.
Prosecutor Former Judge
Monaghan, the man behind the
investigation, has the reputation of
being man who never quits. He
made a record for himself when, as
a Judge of the common pleas court,
he smashed Philadelphia's dope ring
and sent 60 men to prison. The un-
derworld still remembers this-and
fears him.
Although the common pleas bench,
in popular mind, outranks the office
of district attorney, Monaghan felt
that the latter office offered greater
opportunity to remedy the conditions
that he had observed in his II years
as Judge. So he quit the common
pleas bench to run for district at
torney.
During the campaign for the office
Monaghan and Mayor Harry A.
Mackey frequently appeared on the
same platform, and both committed
themselves to the task of cleaning
up the city. But for the eight months
since they assumed office, Mackey's
administration has constantly been
the subject of vigorous criticism in
the press.
The principal cause of criticism
against the city administration has
been what the press describes as the
ineffectiveness Of the police depart
ment, corruption, etc, under the rule
of Harry G. Davis, Mackcy's director
of public safety.
Davis is an able and efficient d.
rector" Mackey says.
"The conditions complained Of be-
gan under General Smedley d. But.
ler's militarizing of the department
and the later rule of Safety Director
George w. Elliott, Buffers successor
appointed by Mayor Kendrick."
Says Corruption Decreasing
Mackcy insists that since the first
of the year police corruption ha:
diminished to 1.-THE lowest degree,
and cites the fact that with the adj
, vent OF his administration $500 of thu
$500 men in the police department
were transferred overnight for thu
purpose Of breaking up alliances be-
. tween the police and organized
crime.
Monaghan's record as district at
t0rney shows that murder cases wcr,
! disposed Of within one month Of tn,
commission of the crime, and othe
offenders Of less serious crimes FIRE
, quently were in prison serving thei
sentences within = week after tn,
= crime had been committed.
Il But an efficient district attorne,
could accomplish little against tn
Y odds Of corrupt and inefficient pc
; lice department. Monaghan said lit
! tie publicly, but his own county de
/ tectives were working with remark
) able results in places where the cit
4 police might easily have accom-
plished the same.
u Early in August he PERSONAL
y took over the grand jury investiga
ton into gang murders. Since this
time Monaghan has foregone his Va
cation and has been working nigh
: and day. His lunch il brought
{ his desk, whore despairing assistant
: sndeavor TO keep warm, while thei
. chief plods through the grand jur
4 hearings.
vi Monaghan II cIncerned with tn
n problem Of running down to il
sources ths 10 millions he has q