The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-09-12
BIG BUSINESS
JOINS CHICAGO
WAR ON GANGS
Millions of Dollars in Capt..
tai Enlisted to Rout
RaCketS.
JOIN CRUSADING JUDGE
Underworld, for First Time,
Faced by United, Rich
Powerful Foe.

bU CNttCQ Press
CHICAGO, Sept. 12.-Action Will
replace talk in the war of rebellion
which an aroused Chicago citizenry
has declared against racketeers. it
was declared today by Colonel Albert
a. Sprague, head of the new conn
mittee for prevention and punish-
ment OF crime, successor to the
secret six"
There has been enough talk all
ready, now We'll have some action"
said Sprague when questioned as to
where the committee would lay down
its initial bombardment.
Never in the history of Chicago
or any other city, it is believed. has
there been a committee formed to
light gangsters that included among
It's number so many men of great in
fluence and power.
Millions of dollars in capital and
the backing of many of the city's
largest organizations are assured on
the side of law and order by enlist
ment of the thirty-three men on
Colonel Sprague's committee.
Business Men Enlisted
This is only one of several or
CARNATIONS pledged within the last
lew days to furnish fighting troopsp
Tor the impending struggle.
Several members of the commit
tee are heads of large banking in
SCitutlons, some own or manage
large department stores, one is
president of the Illinois Bell Tele-
phone Company, others direct the
activities of railroads or are heads
OF equally as powerful business or
CARNATIONS.
For the first time, it was pointed
out today, Chicago's underworld
army, rich and powerful as it is.
tlnds itself facing in actual combat
an army Just as rich, just as power
tul, and just as determined as its
own forces.
The war" is the direct result of
an order which Judge John P. Nc
Goorty of criminal court gave to the
September grand jury to stamp out
racketeerlng now and forever"
LingIe Killing Started War
Its real beginning, however, dates
pack to last June 8, when Alfred
j. Lingle, Tribune reporter, was
Killed by a gangster in a pedes-
trian subway.
That murder and the subsequent
discovery that Lingle had been a
racketeer led to formation of the
secret six" a committee of six
business men whose names were
never revealed and whose purpose
was to investigate crime.
Later, Jack zuta, gang leader. was
murdered and his records discov-
cred in secret vaults. They proved.
investigators said, that the under
world was reaping fabulous profits
from racketeering and other activi-
Ties and that the gangsters had
allied themselves with politicians
and other men of power in build
ing up a er-government" with
In the city.
AL MergeS With Rivals
There followed an announcement
that Scarface Al Capone was Or
ganizing all gangsters and racke-
teers, including even his old enc
mics, under his banner of "Al for
all and all for Al"
Then Judge McGorty started his
war with the charge to the grand
jury that it must stamp out the
super-government" and place con-
troll of the city permanently in the
hands of the forces of the people.
The order brought immediate re.
suits. The forces of organized bust
ness and organized labor, which are
said to have paid millions in trib-
ute annually to the racketeers.
f1ocked under the banner of Judge
McGorty. The drive against gang
sters was begun. The war is on.