The Wilmington morning star., 1945-05-24
Nv wEsTBROOK PEGLER

erS. HIS aTClcleS serve l1le Soo~ P"A PoSe
of making people Think
BY wEsTBROoK PEGLER
Copyright, 1885, BY King Features Syndicate.
NEW YORK, - When Joe Fay and James
Bove, vice presidents of big construction I'M
ions of the American Federation OF Labor,
were sentenced to eight and one-haf years
in prison on April s. so much other news was
breaking that important details were omitted
from most of the accounts which reached the
public.
Because this case reveals a connection be-
tween the union racket the construction rack
ct, which is just corrupt as any other, the
criminal underworld and political subsidiaries
of the Roosevelt government, this will be
background essay. New York judge has
just released Fay and Bove on $4,000 bail
during their appeal. So there is possibility
that they will wiggle off the hook after all.
These vicious criminals shook down CHI
tractors for $368, 900 the Delaware Aque-
duct job, $500, 900 project paid for largely
by Federal taxes. Federal offenses were in
herent but Fay is democratic politician in
the Hague machine in New Jersey and in
the old line grating democratic mob of
political contractors and union bosses in New
York. Moreover, the gang had connections
with the Kelly organization in Chicago For
political reasons the passive United States
Department of Justice let them alone so the
HSS0A
done in New York by Frank Hogan.
On the day of sentence, attorneys for the
crooks asked the court for mercy and that
made Hogan good and sore. He told the court
that there was danger OF retaliation by Hlc
mob against those few contractors who had
come into court to testify. Accordingly, Judge
Munson did warn Fay and Bove that it there
was retaliation by anyone, he WoCld see 20
it that they must serve their full terms of
IS years.
But Hogan also made some remarks about
contractors on the same job who gave him
no help and he didn't give them the benefit
Of any doubt He thought they just weren't
willing to do their duty as citizens.
First Hogan discussed Harry Mclean, of
Toronto, a spectacular drunkard who made
himself notorious few years ago by throwing
away wads OF money. Mclean got big repu-
tation as a great open handed man OF mys-
terry but he was just cockeyed. In September
1912, Hogan sent an accountant to examine his
books and Mclean beat him up. month
later Hogan sent an assistant district attorney
to see him and Mclean fatty refused to enter
New York. Later, Mclean went to the Battle
Cree. sanitarium to boil out and was grabbed
as a witness but sneaked away during the
night after admitting however that he had
paid graft of $125, 900 on the job.
Another example Of good citizenship" Mr..
was being sarcastic, was presented by Steph-
en- A. Healy OF Chicago"
Healy is big construction contractor and
politician He is a friend OF Mayor Ed Kelly
and of William E. Maloney, the president OF
Fay's union. Maloney also is Chicago
democratic politician. Last year, Healy pick
ed up at a bargain the enormous Stevens
hotel in Chicago, which the Army had COM
Wandered briefly for military ira lining cen
ter This year. Healy sold the hotel at profit
of S., O00, 900.
For over year, Hogan said, 'Healy re-
fused to come into this jurisdiction. All we
could do was beg him to be good citizen
and to urge his attorneys so to persuade him.
''Healy stood out there and ignored us"
Mr. Hogan told the court. Later he was picked
up in Florida under reciprocal witness trea-
ty but started habeas corpus proceedings and
got away to Chicago. After year and hale,
however. he did come to New York.
'Then," Hogan said, HE had a very fancy
story, indeed
Healy had paid $125,0Oo but none Of it 10
Fay or Bove. He had paid money to Mike Car
rozzo, old time Capone gangster in prosti.
tuition and unionism, and an intimate friend
and colleague of Healy's bosom friend, Ma
loney. Carrozzo, however, was now dead
Fay, on the other hand was and still Is
alive and kicking and he is still vice-presi-
dent OF the operating engineers, under Maloney.
| IL Healy had testified that he paid tribute to
Fay for immunity from labor trouble the
aquednct job he would have injured Maloney's
racket And it is fine racket because in a
few years in the union business, Maloney has
acquired great farm in Illinois, a winter
home in Florida and stable of race horses.
THAI Mr.. Hogan said disposing of Healy.
lis the kind of witness we had to deal with -
Maloney has been investigated, even indi-
Gated, often before
One investigation was made by the Treas
ury. Dennis Zeigler, rank and file worker.
and father of large family, had been hound
ed out Of his job and made a destitute because
he tried to reform a Chicago local in opposi-
ton to Maloney. He appealed to William Green
president of the A. F. of L., and Green &C.
cused him of trying to disrupt labors soli-
darity In desperation he gave information to
agents of the Treasury who then made in
quiries into the incomes of Maloney and 9TH
erS.
One night in February 1888 Zeigler tele-
phoned the treasury agents, inploring armed
protection because he had been chased in a
public street and threatened with DEATH Two
Treasury agents have verified this phone call.
How Ter, the Treasury had no police force
and therefore could not help him.
few nights later on Feb. rs, 1888, Zeigler
was waylaid and murdered by gunman With
in sight of his home.
One night in August 1941 William Green
attended festive brawl given by the Chica.
go mob in honor of Maloney and said: Bill
Maloney is a highly efficient administrator