Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1901 — Current Topics [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Current Topics

Chicago's ‘Police Scandal. Astounding revelat.ons of the misconduct of the police force of Chicago continue to amaze the public. It was generally sujpected that the department, through some of it 3 commanding officers, is a patron of the criminal classes, shielding them from prosecution in return for money or political assistance. This was a dignified and honorable business compared with thi position in which the most recent charges have placed the department, It figures now not as the protector, but as the tool of criminals. The accusation is made by one of the societies fothe prevention of crime that when a raid of poolroom owners communicated with police captains and sergeants over the pol ce telephone, whi h had been kindly placed at the disposal of the runners, and the captains and sergeants forthwith sent out men frem the stations to warn the cr.m'nais. This is in some respects the worst charge that has been mada against the department. Not only does it.connive at crime, but it devotes its energies to a systematic defeat of the processes of the court. It is apparent from the manner of the men under suspicion that they are in no terror of punishment, and will be in none until the sustaining political power behind them, which would comp°l them to protect vice an*d crime even

Chicago's New Chief of Police Who is Cleaning Out the Department, if they were not too willing to do it, Is smashed by the people.

FRANCIS O’NEILL.