The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-10-31
The Case of Maroney

Jack Maroney must go to federal prison.
If he were merely one of the hundreds of
prohibition agents who have found the OPP
portunity to shake down bootleggers more
tempting and profitable than the salary of
their jobs, his case would not merit notice.
But Maroney was different. The AFRO
gance with which he Haunted his power, his
intimacy with the 'big shots" of the state
and local political machine, his ability to
shift from job to job in the federal service
should warn the people of the character OF
the machine and add one more reason for
destroying machine government and machine
politics.
The federal court was the very last to
learn or know of the activities of Maroney
as collector of tribute from the liquor dealers
and bootleggers.
The bootleggers all over the state knew
about it. They were paying him.
The politicians knew about it. During
the last campaign it was more than rumor
that Maroney collected under the pretense
that the money was needed for senatorial
campaigns. That may have been only an
excuse. But a lot of bootleggers believed that
the money was travelling farther than the
Maroney pocketbook.
His activities during the primary cam
paign, while attending court at Evansville,
were so open and notorious that leading
citizens protested and gesture Of investl-
cation bv a secret service man for the gov
eminent was made But Maroney held his
Job. The primary passed Interest in his
case Jagged.
In 1926, he was so close to Senator Wat
son in the campaign that the more sedate of
the Watson followers were shocked by the
intimate association.
When an inconsiderate congress put the
prohibition department under civil service
and Maroney failed to qualify, he was immed-
lately put into the department of justice.
That is the travesty of government. That
is notice to the gang that it pays to be true to
the gang and rewards will come.
In every political campaign Maroney has
been working in his own deft ways for the
gang tickets. He was working in the pres
ent campaign for the Coffin ticket, just as he
has always worked for the Coffin candidatoS.
MafOney Is gang SONeIllHlelC' 110 10 Ull0
essential cog in the making of a political ma
chine-the shifty fellow who never has an
honest job, but plenty of time for politics,
who demands a minor position at which he
does no work, but uses it to coerce votes, the
smart, slick, bluffing, clustering braggart
who does the dirty work and looks for what
he can find on the side.
When Stephenson first threatened to tell
the political secrets of the gang, Maroney
was the only person admitted to his cell. And
after that visit Stephenson was silent.
Finally he got so bold in the use of his
position to get money from law violators that
he acted as if he believed the prohibition law
was enacted to permit the machine to shake
down violators. Perhaps he still believes it.
For that is the viewpoint of the gangsters in
politics.
There is no doubt about his guilt. Ma
roney confessed. He is under sentence.
The way to get rid of the Maroneys is not
to send them to jail. The better plan is
to destroy the political machines which need
and use them.