The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-13

1
James r. Kirby, staff writer for
The Tribune and NEA Service,
and tells the story Of Detroit.
Tomorrow Kirby will tell of con.
ditions in Cleveland.
BY JAMES P. KIRBY
Detroit, Mich. Sept. 13.-One hun
dred bombings have signalized the
entry of the Chicago racketeer into
Detroit.
The metropolis Of the automobile
world was the inevitable target of
the racketeer, and the Chicago
artists, schooled in the methods Of
exacting tribute from business large
and small, have made their impress
sion.
As in other cities, the dry cleaning
industry promised the most fruitful
point Of entry, and accordingly the
bombings began when business men
resisted the efforts Of the racketeer
to extort the tribute demanded.
The Booze Racket
But Detroit's proximity to the Ca
madam border is the source of other
and more perplexing problems than
the operations of the racketeer. The
booze racket in Detroit is unique in
that running liquor across the De-
troit river is accor,- ,ed with
amazing facility, and accordingly at
tracts from other citi~- big time op-
orators who invest large sums in
whisky to be trucked into other
cities.
Affiliations of Chicago racketeers
with LEGAL talent, notably the Purple
Gang" were accomplished, and
greatly facilitated the dry cleaning
racket, as we'll as hijacking and kid
mapping of racketeers from other
cities with money to spend for
whisky.
Thus, with a liquor problem
unique, Detroit was in no mood to
temporize with lesser rackets. Ac-
cordingly, nine persons prominently
identified with the dry cleaning
racket were placed on trial for con-
spiracy and extortion.
Besides the bombings, kidnapings,
ETC., in the dry cleaning war, there
have been three murders which police
attribute to the purple Gang"
Other incidents include the arrest of
Chicago "organizers" found to be in
possession of guns in downtown no.
tells, and the recurrence Of the
methods common to the Chicago op-
orators.
Trials Delayed
The trials Of the extortionists,
which began early in the summer,
came to a deadlock when the pre-
siding Judge was taken i'll. Through
out the summer the defendants have
been at liberty on bond. 1t is ex-
pected, however, that the trials will
be resumed soon.u
Interest in the cases was height
ened by the attempts to >call Frank
X. Martel. head Of the Detroit Fed
Grafton Of Labor, as witness. Be-
fore the suspension of the trial Mar
tel at different times refused to ap-
pear, and at other times could not
be found to testify.
sizes through the newspapers with
Police Commissioner William P. Rut-
ledge, whom he accused Of discrim-
mating against unions in Detroit,
particularly when Rutledge caused
Martel's application to carry a gun
to be denied.
With the resumption Of the trial
of the alleged extortionists, testi-
mony will be introduced to indicate
the extent of their operations. Ono
dry cleaning firm went into bank
ruptcy as q result Of the amount it
was compelled to pay the racket for
protection against bombing, and for
the safety Of its trucks. The tribute
reached 500 a week before the firm
closed.
Clothing Stolen
1--WE do not know the exact amount
of the money paid out" one partner
said. HBut we do know that we tried
to refuse payments to the gang and
a few hours later . truckload Of
clothing was stolen, and was not re-
turned until we had paid several
thousand dollars. It was payments
like that which broke u.s."
Among the rackets in operation in
Detroit is that of kidnapping saloon
keepers, bootleggers and others and
holding them for ransom. One De-
troit saloonkeeper was kidnapped, and
released only after his friends had
paid $4,000.
The rackets in operation also in
clude extortion from bootleggers, al
cohol dispensers and others by De-
troit policemen. A number have
been dismissed from the force on
conviction Of such offenses.
Building contractors, laundries,
tailors, theatres, barber shops, etc.,
are among the victims Of the racket,
whose operations began Is far back
as 1925.
Outsiders Drop In
Through the long record Of the OPP
erations of the racketeers in Detroit,
according = police, there appears the
trail Of the Chicago crowd, whose
names are well known.
To considerably less degree there
appea1s in the Detroit picture also
. number Of New York gangsters
who were attracted BY the possibil-
tiles Of quick and easy money to b
made by kidnapping and holding Tor
ransom bootleggers and other rack
eteers who were making short stays
in Detroit for the purchase Of Ca
madam whisky.
Estimates in Detroit place the
number Of blind pigs, saloons and
! speakeasies at between 5000 and
5000. Completing this situation Is
the fact that numerous federal OF
fioeEs on duty patrolling the river
hasyx hAan rauohk areanfinN nanssAv -