The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-08-19
POLICE CHIEF, EDITOR
NDPOLITICIANA ARE
IN PAY CHECK LIST
Chicago States Attorney Con.
tinues Probe Into Dealings
Of Slain Gangster
OFFERS TO REPAY, SPURMED
Evanston Chief Wrote Letter to
Zuta Asking for Loan
Of $500

OF $500
Chicago. Aug. 19.-R-Two checks
signed by the slain gangster, Jack
zuta, each for $500 and each made
payable to state Senator Harry w.
Starr Of the thirteenth Illinois dis
trict, were taken from the zuta
strongbox today and made public by
the states attorney.
One check was dated October 5.
1926, and the other October Is Of the
same year.
Starr was elected to the state senate
in November Of that year. He Is q
candidate for reelection on the Re-
publican ticket at the approaching
November election.
Was on Probe Committee
Senator Starr was chairman Of the
legislative committee which last year
investigated the "whoopee" records Of
the Chicago sanitary district.
The endorsements on the checks
have not been identified as in Stars
handwriting, the states attorney said,
but Starr has been asked to appear
and explain the use Of his name on
the zuta papers.
The chief Of police Of Evanston and
the city editor Of the Chicago Daily
News were addedstoday to the list Of
persons who had financial dealings
with Jack Zuta.
investigators. delving through the
,optous records found in zuta's secret
hfe deposit box, found the names
Bill Freeman" and John Craig"
Involve Police Chief
They called In William o. Freeman,
who has for three years been head Of
the police department In the exclusive
and wealthy north shore suburb.
Confronted with q letter asking Zuta
for $500, Freeman admitted borrowing
that amount from the vice overload.
He said he had offered to repay the
money, but never did.
Investigators called In John Craig,
city editor of the News, and he iden-
titled his signature on an uncancelled
check for $50. i.
Craig told Of being accommodated
by Zuta when he wanted q check
cashed at an inn. After q month or
SO I noticed the check did not come
through the bank, so I inquired about
it from Zuta," Craig related. He
said the matter was all right. ! re-
piled that I did not do business In
that way, and I gave him the cash.
Il asked him for my check and he
said he had torn 1t up"
Investigators said they had been
told by the bank on which the check
was drawn thAt Craig had never had
an account there. He explained the
account was in his wife's name but
that the bank had honored checks he
had signed.
Chief Asked for II
The evidence placed before Free
man wa q letter written on stationery
Of the Evanston police department.
It follows:
Dear Jack:
II am temporarily In need Of four
'C's' for q couple Of months. Can you
let me nave it? The bearer Goes not
know what it Is. 10 put 1t in envelope
and seal it and address it to me.
"Your old pal,
Bill Freeman.
"P. S.-WW let you know the night
of the party, 50 be sure and come"
Charles F. Rathbun, special assist
ant states attorney. appointed to In
vestgate the staying OF Jake Lingle,
Tribune reporter, said Chief Freeman
admitted the signature was his al
though he could not remember writ
ing the letter.
Zuta Was "Kind"
Freeman remembered getting the
requested loan, however, not long
after he became head Of the Evan
ston police force. Rathbun quoted him
as saying he needed money badly
three years ago on account Of . judg- 1
ment returned against him In . suit
by q former landlord. He said he
attempted to get money from q big
man in Chicago and this man intro
duced him to zuta who later gave
him the money.
The police chief went to Zuta some +
time later, he told Rathbun, ana Of I
fered to pay him SITS but tho gang
ster said "Never mind" Freeman
quoted Zuta as saying "Chief. you
seem to be poor. Wait . while and
get it all together"
Freeman told the assistant prose.
cutor the money never wa repaid, |
but he said "Zuta never got any IA
vors from me In his life. o did he
ever ask for any"
Zuta, one Of the leaders Of the
Moran-Aiello gang faction, was shot
and killed In q Delafield, Wis.,. dance
hall August !. \