The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-02

low the Chicago chief Of police used his in
- vestigators to list the bawdy houses, new dope
dens gambling joints and speakeases SO the
regular share of graft could be collected, was
told in a special grand jury investigation that
was started on January 49, 1881. Mrs. Shirly
Kub, once a $500 month investigator" for
Acting Police Commissioner Alcock and at an
other time an employee of the sanitary district
a section of the city government told how she
collected graft. Another witness was Miss
Shaw, former sweetheart of Sergeant Jack Har-
degen, who got his job as police sergeant be-
cause he paid $1,000 to the gangster Jack zuta.
His main duties were collection of graft di-
rectly for zuta through the police department
The Disappearing Act.
At first, the disclosures seemed so startling
that request was made for $4,000 to pay the
grand jury investigation. Then the usual thing
happened Mrs. Kub disappeared" Then Miss
Shaw couldn't be found. They were bringing in
the names of leading city government officials
who got the graft The whole police depart
ment was involved. 1t was not only the Thomp-
son administration that was being exposed but
all the capitalist politicians in the City of Chi
cago. What happened to this investigation
which for few days was bla- ned on the
pages
1t reached into the Civil Service department.
The examination papers on which Sergeant
Hardegen was supposed to have obtained his
promotion disappeared" Every time evidence
was needed to prove the witnesses statements,
the documents couldn't be found. Graft started
in the house of prostitution and reached on up,
ever higher
Cermak Comes In.
What became of this grand jury investigation?
The $4,000 had been promised. Here we see
how all distinctions between capitalist parties
disappear in the matter Of protecting the ex-
posure Of graft and the connection Of the en-
tire capitalist city governments with the graft
rings. The workers are told that the Big Boss
Of the Cook County Democratic Party, Anton
Cermak is bitter enemy of Big Bill Thompson.
But they worked together like two fingers on
the same hand when 1t came to the task of kill
ing the grand jury Investigation. The money
for the special grand jury comes from the Coun-
ty Board. Anton Cermak headed the County
Board, other democrats rule there, too. What
did they do about the $4,000? They refused 1t,
and that ended the tale of graft leading up to
the high office of the Chicago Police Commits
sioner, protecting Thompson and all his cohorts.
$4,000 Becomes 100000.
Anton Cermak became Mayor Thompson's
successor on April 7, 1881. His action in quash-
ing the grand jury investigation shows how
closely his interests are tied up with the graft
ing police and the AL Capone gang. There will
be no difficulty at all for Capone to transfer his
business to the Cermak outfit. Mayor Cernak,
who has his own efficient gangster machine and
will inherit all of those who supported Thomp-
son. Besides he is building new Tammany in
Chicago.
Behind Cermak there have lined up the
leading capitalists in Chicago. One Of his sup
supporters is Melvin Traylor, president Of the
First National Bank. Traylor came out in favor
of wage cuts for all workers prior to his backing
Cermak for mayor Traylor, of course, knows
about Cermak quasling the grand jury investi-
cation which threatened to expose connection
between the police department and the
gangsters.
Another supporter Of Cer1nak is the McCor-
mick estate, which beside owning the Chicago
Tribune of Lingle fame, is the chief owner of
the International Harvester Co.. which laid off