New Britain herald., 1929-08-14
Mayor and Chief of Police Caught
 In Speakeasy As Federal Raiders
 Mop Up East Chicago Liquor Ring
200 Persons Including Young Girls Caught in Surprise Raids By 25O Agents Mann Act Violations,
 Election Frauds Involved

Hammond. Ind, Aug. IA P- Girls of school age, mayor, a po- lice chief. and men and women operators of scores of speakeasles were among the 200 persons arrest ed last night and early today as federal prohibition agents "mopped up" what they termed the Calumet district liquor and vice ring.
 By l o'clock this morning 1G5 persons had been arrested in East Chicago and Indiana Harbor, the two cities against which the agents concentrated their drive, As rapid ly as the prisoners could be taken to Crown Point for arraignment be- fore a United States commissioner, the 25o raiders returned to the roundup, which they said would not be completed until approximately 300 arrests had been made.
 Mayor Raleigh P. Hale of East Chicago and his chief of police, James E. Began, were among the first arrested. Nick sudovich, cata- Iogued as lieutenant of Scarfacc Al Capone' and as one of the heads Of liquor traffic in the Calumet dis. trict, also was seized. Federal au- thorities expressed the belief that Capone.. now in Philadelphia jail, is he actual head of the alleged liquor and vice ring.
 Raiders Strike Swiftly
 The raids began at 6 o'clock lls, night after a secret conference of federal forces at South Bend yester. day afternoon. So swiftly did the agents strike that most of those ar rested were taken in the cabarets, speakeasies, and saloons where they worked.
 Mayor Hale and Chief Began were charged with conspiracy and sim ,. liar charge was made against Sudo- Vich who was found in the cabaret he operates. In many places the agents found girls acting as bar maids, and they were sent with the others to Crown Point for arraign- ment.
 There was no parallel for the raids since 1923, when federal men sur prised liquor traffickers in Gary, sending 51 men and women to prison. Among those imprisoned following the Gary raids was that city's present mayor, Roswell o. Johnson. A huge liquor conspiracy was charged at that time, and simi- lar charges are involved in the pres ent raids.
 Mayor Hale was elected nearly four years ago and took Began from the Chicago police force to head his law enforcement. The two men were released early today two men were released early today on bonds of $25,OOO each. At the time of their release it was stated that more than 100 warrants re- mained to be served.
 Many Charges Involved
 1t was understood that Mann act violations and charges of narcotics sales and of election frauds were involved in the allegations of the warrants. A federal grand jury sit ting at South Bend recently under took investigation of alleged ci' tion irregularities in the Calumet district.
 East Chicago and Indiana Harbor are the principal cities in the Calu- met district with its extensive steel and iron mills and other industries United States District Attorney Oli- yer M. Loomis recently was quoted as saying that the civil machinery for law enforcement in the area had broken down 10 such an extent that Gov. Harry G. Leslie would be justified in declaring the district under martial law"