The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-25
The Eighth Wonder OF the World
BY BURCK

"Each morning would wait in front of the
police station where detective would meet me
and give me list of addresses. Then he
would give me S., $40, in marked bills, and
we would set our watches together. We would
arrange 1t so 1 would have just enough time
to give the marked bills to a girl and watch
where she put them, the detectives could
get this evidence When the police entered they
would go through their little comedy with me.
They would insult me and accuse me- and
l would deny it all, insisting that the woman
was my wife and that had been living there
for weeks. Finally, would give them a fic-
titious name and address and hurry back to
the station. The girls would either pay sum
of money at once to avoid being arrested or,
they would be brought to the station. When
the came before court the officer would
testify that the man was unknown he had
given fictitious name and address. I was
always the unknown man, in any case the
police either got money from the woman or
credit for their zeal from the authorities.
Evidence Fabricated by Bosses
Acuna testified that he knew between 80 and
40 cases in which women were arrested and
convicted on immortality charges with all the
evidence fabricated by the police THEMSELVES A
number of these women unable to pay the graft
six months He himself received IS, and $40 for
each address he visited. Sometimes he made as
much as $3.50 week. Acuna who called him.
self a novice at the game, gave the names of
II others who were working for the police in
like manner
The New York correspondent of the Chicago
Tribune" writes that one of the men working
as police decoy, called "The Dove" (what
suitable name) is said to have amasSed half
ambition dollars in Is years by Turing women
into compromising situations. 1.-THE Dove" when
brought before the Committee stated that he
had been serving the police for Is years. 1.-THE
whole thing worked very simply he explained:
II, or one of my agents would invite a
woman to an apartment or hotel room. little
later the police would arrive. The woman is
arrested, the man disappears. Then lawyer
appears. A document is drawn up giving the
whole transaction legal appearance and, fin
ally, a sum Is handed to the police. The sum
would be anything from $50 to $1,000"
Such is the inner soul of the police force of
the worlds greatest city How nobly how I'M
selfishly has it fulfilled its role as an organ of
law and order as weapon of protection :. for
legal sharks and bootleggersl
The Investigation Committee has thus far piled
up mass of evidence which is said hardly to
sc-ctch the surface. Already there have been
number OF CONCESSIONS not only from the rank
ana ...e of the police but also from the upper
crust" Colonel John Weston, Acting District
Attorney assigned to the Women's Court adj
nitted that during the last few years he had
accepted $4,000 in brides from twenty-one law
yers whose clients, mostly women held on vice
charges were dismissed. Sometimes" he said,
"the money was handed to me direct in the
court room"
The Police Commissioner has taken fright at
these disclosures and without waiting the con-
illusions has begun to draw up plans to create
a sort of "super-vice squad" to spy upon and
control the activities of his own police and de-
tectives The Commissioner evidently believes
in that well-tried maxin-get thief to catch
q thief
What, our reader will ask himself, will be the
outcome. OF course, America, is so original, SO
novel, so out-of-t Extraordinary that 1t is rather
difficult to prophesy. Between you and me, how
ever, nothing much will happen. A few arrests
(of the smaller fish, some suspensions and. ..
hey presto! our eyes hungrily turn to await the
next sensation.
A wise man once said that there were only
seven wonders in the world. But he spoke of
course Of ancient times. Modern history has
created phenomena that is well worthy to take
its place in this highly exclusive list as the
Esghth Worlds Wonder-the New York Police
ForcA