The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], December 06, 1914, Image 1

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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THE
BIRMINGHAM
AGE-HERALD
VOLUME XXXXIV
*—-!
o BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, SUNDAY, DECEMBER (i. 1914
48 PAGES
(IN' FIVE PAKTS)
NUMBKR 214
VAST ARMIES ARE
BUSY PREPARING
FOR NEWBAHLES
No Material Change in Po
sitions of Belligerents in
Past 24 Hours
GERMANS FORMING
NEW LINE IN EAST
Little Fighting in Belgium, But the
Operations in Alsace-Lorraine
Are Assuming Serious
Import
t SERVIAN CABINET RESIGNS {
• Rome, December 5.—(Via Lon- \
4 don, 9 p. m.)—A telegram from 4
4 Nish, Servia, to the Stegani News 4
4 Agency announces that the Ser- 4
4 vlan cabinet, headed by Nikola 4
4 Pacliitch, resigned today, and 4
4 that Premier Pacliitch is form- 4
4 ing a new ministry. 4
• 4
Rome, December B.—(8i15 p. m. i
The Italian chamber today pawned n
Tote of confidence la the government,
413 to 49.
London. December 5.—(ftilB p. m.)
King George haw returaed from France
where he visited the British forces at
the front. The King arrived at Buck
ingham palace this evening.
London, December 5.—<0:45 p. m.l
There have been no material changes
In the positions of the belligerents on
either the eaatern or tteatern fronts
during the laat 24 hours. Fighting has
continued hut It would seem aa though
on both front© the vant armies have
been engaged largely In making prep
arations for new battles.
Here and there heavy cannonades of
Infantry attacks have occurred, all of
which, however, were more in the na
ture of feelers than a serious design
in the way of an offensive or for the
purpose of an advance.
In Poland the Germans, whoso dar
ing stroke to penetrate the Russian
center has apparently failed with heavy
losses, according to Petrograd reports,
are forming a new line, extending
roughly from Kutno, In the north, to
* Craeow,^In the south. The right oi
southern wing of the this army, which
rests on Cracow, is commanded by
General Dankl. He Is supported on tho
uoi'.th bv General Eetaendorf. who^o
army is based on Ciferintochovva, while
{he new army sent from the west fills
the gap between this force and General
Machenaens Which, after extricating
Itself from th© Russian meshes, now is
in a neV position, extending from Kut
no southward. 1*he eighth East Prus
sian army presumably has taken up
the northern part of the l^ne.
To Fight New Battle
• Thus it will be seen that an entirely
new battle is about to be fought, for
the Germans are determined at nil costa
| to keep the Russians out of their ter
I ritory. The English correspondents are
confining themselves to reports of the
previous battle around Lodz, described
as th© most sanguinary of the war.
On th© western front Interest shiftB
from Flanders to Lorraine and upper
Alsace. There has been little fighting
in that part of Belgium still held by the
allies and the French have taken some
old German trenches which ha» given
rise to a belief that the Germans will
fall back to new positions.
Operations of more serious import
I ire taking place on the borders of A1
sace-Lorraine. In upper Alsace the
French apparently have made consid
•rable progress and they also are mak
ing desperate efforts to sever commun
ications of the German force holding
8t. Mihiel on the Meuse. Everywhere,
however, siege warfare prevails and Le
the most part gains extend hardly mote
then 100 yards.
4 In the near east similar conditions
prevail and nothing has occurred which
I might ba termed a battle.
Naval warfare, so far as northern
waters are concerned, has been post
poned by reason of tho weather, which
has been severe.
Betrayed By Spy
London, December G.-ALS9 a. m.)—How
100 French troops were betrayed by a
■py lait Tuesday is told in dispatcher
from Dunkirk. The French soldiers were
sleeping in A church At Lampernlsse. A
•py dlaplayad light. In the belfry which
notified th, Sermon artillery of the pres
ence >of th, troop,. A bombardment fol
lowed and ttaa aleeping men were out to
plecea by exploding shells, which also set
fire to the atrew on which they had been
lying. __
Palish Nobleman Killed
Paris. December 5.—<10:32 p. m l—A
Hava* Petrograd dispatch says that
■ I'rlnoe JIlcolAa Radii will, a Polish noble
" man who waa a captain of Russian
dragoon,, was killed in the fighting
Around Lodi.
-■aiae»»aai»glgttttrtlttff T*TtT*‘
LACY SENTENCED TO SERVE
SIX ADDITIONAL YEARS
former Convict Department Clerk Sentenced for Embezzlement
of $2207.12 at Second Trial—Notice of Appeal Taken.
Receives Sentence Without Emotion
' I intgomery, -(Special.)
’ ) Lacy. form< ' the etate
•let departm itence to
i • 10 years «aiy tor
embesxlemer as today
■need to ser ' ia» years
■ the embexxli f J 12. Lacy
» tried this • having
i>i consumed In
I s Ice of an ap ‘ »y Lacy's
»:■•.• neys as soc ence was
t .\.ny by the cour .'oi« -own sus
► .id operation ice pend.
V : IF n appeal t< • « ' ) court of
(i f .Is.
t. jr's appeal sentence
• ill • presented t appeals
t month. He ■ upylng a
e t Use Monti ™ Jail since
tr* JWrtettoo lai
Attorneys for Lacy are preparing to
make a determined fight in his defense
in the higher courts. The records in the
case are probably the most voluminous
In the criminal history of Montgomery
county, many hundred typewritten pages
covering the case.
The action of the court of appeals In
reference to Lacy's conviction by the
Montgomery city court will determine the
future course of his attorneys. In the
event the court of appesls affirms the
city court, It Is highly probable that
Lacy will apply to the supreme court
for a writ of certiorari to review the
decision of the lower court.
Lacy was unmoved when the court pro
nounced sentence upon him today. He
received the sentence calmly, his expres
sion of countenance undergoing no change
when Judge Brown added six additional
yeara to his original aentenoe. Altogether
Lacy has. been sentenced to serve II
gears tor tbs theft of state fmglg
CENTER OF FIGHTING
ACTIVITIES IN EAST
NOW SOUTH OF LODZ
Heavy Fighting Reported Along Line
From Glowno—German Troops
Appear Exhausted
BATTLEFIELDS COVERED
WITH DEAD OF BOTH ARMIES
Most of Germans Injured Show Bayonet Wounds—Dead and
Wounded so Thick in Field That Ground is NotiClea^J^
After Three Days’ Work by the Red
Berlin, December 5.—(By Wireless to Say^' Sfcrft—A Brit
ish submarine today tried to force a passagt vnrough\the Dar
danelles, according to a dispatch from Constantinople to the
Frankfurter Zeitung. The submarine’s presence wtos dis
covered, however, the message adds, and the vessel apparently
was hit by shots fired by the Turkish forts.
Petrograd, December 5.—(Via London, 7:55 p. m.)—The center of the field
of operatipns in the eastern war arena hai moved to the eouth of Lodz, In Rus
sian Poland. The German effort centers at Szczerczow, 20 miles west of
Piotrkow, with that town the objective. Heavy fighting Is reported also along
the line from Glowno, 16 miles northeast of Lodz, to the Vistula river.
The strength of the German forces op*
posing the Russian left wing is estimated
at five corps, each corps occupying a
front from eight to 10 miles in extent.
Germans Exhausted
There are indications that owing to ex
haustion of the troops composing the Ger
man center, most of those regiments have
been withdrawn or are resting on their
arms and that fresher troops are holding
the line.
News dispatches from the front at
tribute the Russian success in crushing
the Germans near Is)6z chiefly to the
endurance and the tireless aggression of
the Siberian troops.
The entire wooded region from Rrzeziny
to Kurpin is described as a German grave
yard. Here an unsupported Siberian bat
talion Is reported to have charged a bat
tery of heavy German artillery and to
have bayonetted the gunners. ,
The dead and wounded In this district
are reported so thick that the Russian
hospital corps, after working three days,
had not cleared the field. Most of the
Germans treated showed bayonet wounds
The fire-blacked ruins of the village or
Kurpin, dispatches from the front say,
are packed with charreJ bodies of Ger
mans who took refuge from Siberian
bayonets to fall under the fire of a Rus
sian battery.
Charge Disastrous
Dispatches from Poland say the Ger
man disaster attending a march to reach
the main German force from an isolated
center began with a charge of the Siberi
ans at Rzgow. six miles south of Lodz.
The Siberians, after a long march, en
tered prepared trenches and immediately
asked permission to attack Rzgow, where
the Germans were entrenched. They de
ployed and attacked the German position
from two sides. The unexpectness of
the assault surprised the Germans and
the first trenches were (juickly taken,
though the Germans soon recaptured
them. Tn the next few hours these
trenches were taken and' retoken three
times.
The Germans finally ret eated north
ward. being pounded by the Russians un
til the main body of Germans was
reached.
A rough cross surmounted by a peaked
helmet and another cross on which rests
a Siberian cap, bloodstained and bullet
holed, now marks the field where thou
sands of dead lie side Ny side.
35 DEATHS AND 918
INJURIES CAUSED BY
BASEBALL IN 1914
| Chicago Sport Writer Tabulates the J
Season’s Causualty Record—20
Deaths Resulted From
Pitched Balls
Chicago, December B.—Thirty-five
deaths and 918 Injuries were caused by
baseball in 1914, according to figures
made public today by a sport writer
who tabulated the season's records.
Of the players who died from in
juries 20 were hit by pitched balls,
five were struck by bats, four were
In collisions, four overexerted them
selves, one was hurt sliding to a base
and one was killed In a fight.
. Injuries to amateur players are class
ified as follows:
Broken limbs, 314; concussion of
brain. 18: fractured skulls, 13; pa
ralysis, 4: sprains, 37; spiked, 26; frac
tures, 17; dislocations, 7; torn liga
ments. 10.
Pluyers hurt In the minor leagues
number 116, American 69, National 61,
Federal 56, college teams 8,
BRITISH CRUISER
REPORTED MISSING
Whereabouts of Cruiser Austrslia
Unknown, According to Italian
Report to Berlin
Berlin, December 5.—(By Wireless to
Sayvllle, I.. 1.1—Information given out to
tile press today by the German official
press bureau says that, according to a
report received by the Italian newspaper
Corrlere De Da Sera, the Australian bat
tle cruiser Australia apparently Is miss
ing.
The Australia Is a dreadnauglit cruiser
of 19,200 tons. She is 578 feet long. 7964
feet beam and has a mean draft of
2784 feet. She was built at Clydebank in
1912 and is capable of traveling 26 knots
an hour.
The Australia carried eight 12-lnoh guns,
16 four-inch guns and three 21-inch tor
pedo tubes.
The Australia was last reported in Ha
waiian waters last September when the
Watson Navigation company steamer
Wilhelmina picked up a wireless mes
sage from the dreadnaught saying that
she was in full chase of the German crui
ser Nuernberg.
NEW REVOLUTIONAR
MOVEMENT START/
IN MEXICO, IS REPf
Two Former Huerta General'
Proclamation Claiming Pc
Head of Troops in Ct
tral Chihuahua
—Jl
El Paso, Tex., December
revolutionary movement has beets
started In Mexico, according to copiea
of a proclamation received here today
and signed by Jose lues Hitlar.ar nnd
Emilio P. Cnmpa, two former federal
generals.
The two generals were reported at
the head of troops In central Chihuahua
and about to attach Casas Grades, a
strategic point southwest of Juarez
and west of Chihuahua City.
The proclamation denounced both the
Carranza and the Villa governments. It
said a convention form of government
would be established by the new party.
Support in all parts of Mexico wa<j
claimed.
The document was dated at Vado de
Piedra, Chihuahua, November 2o. This
was a few days after General Salazar
escaped from jail at Albuquerque, N. M ,
where he was held on a perjury charge.
Both Salazar and Cam pa were chiefs
under Huerta, together with General Pas
cual Orozco, w'ho is reported In New York
conferring with agents of the former
Huerta government, and It is asserted,
attempting to purchase war munitions.
The new movement is denounced by both
Villa and Carranza followers as a reac
tionary attempt.
FOOT AND MOUTH
DISEASE SOON WILL
BE UNDER CONTROL
Fred P. Johnson, Manager of Western
National Stock Show, Discusses
Situation With Govern
ment Officials
Washington. December 6.—Department
of agriculture officials believe the cattle
foot and mouth disease epidemic will be
under control by the first of the year.
Fred P. Johnson of Denver, manager of
the Western National stock show, to be
held next January, called at the depart
ment today and discussed the situation.
Department officials, Johnson said, urged
that the show be postponed three or four
weeks to make safety certain.
Johnson said he was Informed the out
break bad already cost the government
nearly $1,200,000, largely In payment for
slaughtered Infected cattle and to main
tain a force of TOO Inspectors. Secretary
Houston declared there was no reason for
panic and the slaughter of breeding ani
mals, Johnson said, and urged patience
as a few weeks would see the disease
stamped out.
TEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL
FOUND STRANGLED
TO DEATH BY CORD
Janitor of Church Arrested In Con
nection With Hideous Murder of
Little Margaret Millings in
Sacramento, Cal.
Sacramento. Cal., December 5.—The
body of a 10-year-old girl, who had
been strangled by means of a cord,
was found In a German Lutheran
church here tonight.
The dead child, Margaret Millings,
was to meet half a dozen of her com
panions at the church to make doll
dresses for Christmas. She arrived
ahead of them. The other little girls
were frightened by finding a trail of
bloodstains which led them to Mar
garet’s body in the basement.
David Fontaine, Janitor of the church,
was arrested.
FEELING UNCLE SAM’S MUSCLES
I
1 THE WAR SITUATION
FRANCE
.»*» r !&.•— (10:37 p. na«)
.{ -iffi 'ial communication
Ailed ky the French war office
it:
ic snvW * t 'pr©v '> <1 today
.he day before. We have coneoll
.ed our position to the north of the
•Jouse of the Ferryman" (on canal.
»©tween Bixmude and Ypros), which
was captured December 4.
"On the remainder of the front there
is nothing: of Importance to communi
cate."
Washington, December 6.—Offensive
operations by the French garrison of
Belfort and German counter attacks
were reported today from the French
foreign office to the embassy here.
The communication adds that de
struction of German earthworks, men
tioned in the war office statement of
today, took place near Thanh, a vil
lage which has been a disputed point
since the beginning of the war.
The dispatch says in part:
"In the regions of the woods of
Hlrtzbach the offensive taken by the
garrison of Belfort has been slightly
driven back. They still hold the west
bank of the small lake in that vi
cinity. Our artillery at this point
has Inflicted considerable loss upon
the enemy."
OIL LADEN VESSEL
REPORTED CAPTURED
London, December 5.—(10:26 p. m.)—The
Norwegian steamer Conrad Mohrah. oil
laden from Philadelphia for Christiania
was captured by a British cruiser, ac
cording to a dispatch to the Exchange
i Telegraph company. The ship was con
) voyed to Queenstown where she arrived
| yesterday. An investigation a^ to the
cargo's ownership was made.
A later dispatch from Queenstown to
Lloyds says that the Conrad Mohrah
sailed for Bergen.
Cancel Appointments
Pails, December 6.—(10:57 p. m.)—The
Academy of. Fine Arts has decided to
cancel appointments of German and Aus
trian correspondents. Dagnan Bouveret,
president of the academy, has resigned
rr-member of the academy of fine arts
of Berlin.
TODAY’S AGE-HERALD
1— Armies prepare for new battle.
Arlsona antl-ullen law held up.
Jessie Cope under arrest on bribery
charge.
New revolution sturted In Mexico.
2— Facts concerning Colorado -labor
struggle.
3— Inaugural plans being worked, out.
4— Doll basar tills week.
5— Carries out threat to commit suicide.
Says commission fought Sby of tax
question.
Expect rail mill to run until Christ
mas.
Electrical supply Jobbers meet here
Tuesday.
g—Traveling men think business Is good.
7— Children's books for Christmas sug
gested.
8— People encouraged to raise vegetables.
9— Birthday of Aclpco T. M. C. A.
ID—Purse snatcher foiled by woman.
14— Sports.
IE—The Book Shelf.
16— News of Ensley. .
17— With real estate dealers.
20— Chandler speaks to M. E. conference.
21— Deny that Merritt, will retire from
■peakershlp race.
23— Corner In ancestor*.
24— Oxford career of Prince of Wales.
26— 30-31—Society.
27— French soldier won promotion.
28— Editorial comment.
32— Automobile gossip.
33— Paris artists obtaining relief.
34— Night life of Pads smothered by war.
35— Markets.
36— 44—Magaslns section.
45-43—Comic supplement.
GERMANY
Berlin, December A.——(By Wireless
Telegraphy to Nayvtlle, L. l.)—-Amoi»g
the news item* given to the press to- !
«!•)' by the (Jfbunn official press bit- I
reon were the following!
“The Russian new spaper Not or
Vremya demands the occupation of the
/aland of ftpltxhergen by Ktissla Irre
spective off Sweden's and Norway's In
terests.
“Reports from Rotterdam sa.v that
the Kngllsh war loan Is In the market
below the Issue price.
“The French socialist. Pierre Bon
nier. In a letter to the Socialist Heroe,
published In the Guerre Module strong
ly condemns the verdict handed down
by a French court-martial on the Ger
man military surgeons, Collins and
W'ohlfart. who were sentenced to n
year's Imprisonment for alleged pil
lage. Bonnier ealla the verdict >• deed
of infamy.**
AUSTRIA
Vienna, December 5.—(Via Lon
don, 11:26 p. m.)—The following
official statement was lamed to
day :
"Nothing of importance occurred
in tiie Carpathians yesteiday. In
Weat Galicia small battles de
veloped in which the Austrians
werb successful.
Tiie situation in South Poland
remains unchanged. The battle In
North Poland continues."
JESSIE COPE n
OFAITEIfTTO BRIBE
Woman Who Accused Mil
lionaire of White Slavery
Is Alleged to Have At
tempted Blackmail
Chicago, December Be—Mias Jessie !•'.
Cope, accuser of Col. Charles Alexander,
a Providence, H. I., mllllounlre, under
the white slave acl, wns arrested here
today, charged with attempting to hrUie
goverumeat officials In Chicago to nld
her to blackmail Alexander out of g,10,
OtW, Alexander, 65 years old and mar
ried, was arrested at Providence yes
terday. ,
The public had Its (iret view of the
woman when she was arraigned before
United States Commissioner Mason, who
held her on the bribery charge and also as
a witness against Alexander. She Is 82
years old and was described by one ol'
the government agents who resisted
the alleged bribe offer as a "brilliant
brunette beauty." She is of medium
height and weight, and handsomely
gowned.
District Attorney Charles F. dyne.
Michael L>. Igoe. his first assistant:
Hinton Q. Clahaugh, head of the local
division of the department, of Justice,
and Louden C. Wheeler, an agent work
ing under Clabaugh. manifested studied
reluctance to accept the case when Miss
Cope first brought before them h :i ac
cusation against Alexander, It wns
stated today In the district attorney's
office.
In the end, according to a formal
RUSSIA
-4
Pfitrograd. December 6.—Tito follow
ing official communication was 1s
wufcd by general headquarter# tonight:
"Draperate engagement* In front of
Kowlu.j ami particularly in the region
of Dodz and a long the road# from the
went toward# Piotrkow continue. On
December 4, on the roadway between
Pobianlco and Da#k, our armored au
tomobile#. by favor of the daikneas,
fell upon a large column of the enemy,
dispersing It with machine gunfire and
artillery, causing .serious loss.
"The rest of the front Is without
essential modification."
Petrograd, December 6.—(Via Paris,
4:45 a. in.)—1The following official com
munication has been issued:
"Furious combats continue to rage
tin the Lowicz front notably in the
Dodz region and routes from the west
toward Piotrkow.
"Fire from our machine guns and.
artillery caused great loss to the
enemy.
"These ha# been no essential modi
fication of the situation on the re
mainder of the front."
VICTORIA CIROSSls
WON BY A PRIVATE
Conspicuous Gallantry in Attacking
Hostile Machine Gun Wins Honor
for Englishman
Loudon. December 6.—<S:1 *i p. m.)—The
Victoria Cross has been bestowed on Pri
vate George Wilson, second battalion
Highland light Infantry, for most con
spicuous gallantry on September H, near
Verneull in attacking a hostile machine
gun.
The official announcement describing
the Incident says:
"He was uccompan.ed by only one man.
When the latter wus killed he went on
alone and shot the officer and six men
who were working the gun. which In
captured."
♦ 1
i DOM IMF AN Pit 12 SI DENT t
i TAKES OATH OF OFFICE .
♦ - ♦
♦ Santo Domingo, Dominican Re- •
♦ public, December G.—Juan Isidro $
♦ .limine*, who was proclaimed .
♦ President of the Dominican re- j
♦ public yesterday by tile national ♦
congress, took the oath of office (
f today. Quiet prevails throughout ♦
♦ the country. t
♦ ♦
ARIZONA ANTI-ALIEN
ACT HELD UP PENDING
FOREIGN JOTESTS
England and Italy Attack
Legality of Law Regulat
ing Foreign Employment
U. S. GOVERNMENT
WILL INVESTIGATE
Arizona Governor Postpone* Proclam
ation of [.aw at Requeat of State
Department—Bryan Refuses
to Make Statement
' —
tVanklngton, December — Vit the ab
sence of offlrlnl advices Secretary
Bryan tonight refused to comment on
n message from Governor Hunt* an
nouncing hla decision to postpone the
proclamation of Arlaona'a now anfl
nllen employment lour pending further
communications from the state depart
ment. Formal protests against the laor
were lodged today by the British and
Italian ambassador* and a message vraa
sent to Governor Hunt asking If he had
authority to postpone action.
Mr. Bryan listened with interest to the
governor's reply as carried in’ Associated
Press dispatches, but would not discuss
the matter.
The department is not advised as to the
full scope of the law, but It Is known
It requires a minimum of 80 per cent of
the employes of any person or corpora
tion in the state to bo citizens of the
United States. Governor Hunt also was
naked to transmit the full text of ths
law.
Kritisli Protest
The British protest attacks' the law as
In violation of the fourteenth amendment
to the constitution of the United States,
which provides that no state shall "deny
to any person within its Jurisdiction equal
protection of the laws.”
Tlie Italian protest cites the commer
cial treaty between Italy and the United
States ratified In 1871, which provides that
cltixeus of each nation resident in tha
other shall have liberty "to carry on
trade, wholesale and retail, to hire and
occupy houses and warehouses, to employ
agents of their own choice and generally
to do anything Incident or necessary for
trad«* upon the name terms as natives
of the country, submitting themselves to
the laws there established."
The note presented by the British am
bassador sought information us to the
exact status of British residents In Ari
zona under tlse law. it was stated that
British cimsol* there hud rent word that
• suits to test th" iegultty of thr net were
j contemplated by British residents.
\ In reply the state department notified
i both embassies It had taken steps to ob
; tain complete Information us to the anti
alien act and expected soon to be able
1 to furnish the desired information. As
I soon as the text of the Arizona law is
| available It will he subjected to study
I by the department's legal advisers, who
will also look up court decisions based
on anti-niton enactments of other states,
such as California, Oregon and New
York.
Delay Action
Phoenix, Ariz., December 5.—Governor
George Hunt of Arizona telegraphed the
state department today that he would
delay proclaiming the faw voted at tha
Novembjr election forbidding the employ
ment of more then 20 per cent of foreign
er* in any business In the state. Governor
Hunt declared that he was averse to de
laying the preclaiptttlen. but would do
ho pending further advices from the state
department.
The Htate department telegraphed Gov
ernor Hunt that the ambassadors of Great
Britain and Italy had protested against
the law and asked him if there were not
somfe means by which he could suspend
operation of the measure. The governor's
telegram read:
"I am directed to Issue a proclamation
declaring the measure a law forthwith,
upon receipt from the secretary of stute
of a certificate of the election return*.
'Forthwith,' broadly interpreted, means
within the reasonable time required to
prepare the proclamation. 1 am very much
averse t<> prolonging the period preceding
the issuance of tin- proclamation, but I
realize the International aspect given by
the protest of the Italian and British em
bassies and will await further advices
I front the department."
!SANTA~CLAUS SHIP
REACHES MARSEILLES
Marseilles, December 5.—(Via Paris,
6:’30 p. »n.)—Something of Christmas
cheer was assured Marseilles children
I whose fathers are on the firing line
I when the United States Santa Claus—
i ship Jason came Into port today and
; unloaded 50 wugdnlouds of gifts. The
townspeople massed upon the quays
and gave the ship a warm greeting.
The Jason left New York November
in loaded with Christmas gifts for
children of the belligerent countries.
Her last calling place was Davenport,
England, whence she sailed November
28 for Marseilles.
•••••••■•■a,•••
THREE CHICAGO POLICE
OFFICERS ARE INDICTED
Crusade Against Alleged Police Corruption Reaches Climax is
Action Against Police Captain Halpin, Lieutenant
Tobin and Former Detective Sergeant
Chicago. December 5.—State's Attorney
LHoyne's crusade against alleged police
corruption reached a climax here today
when Police Captain John J. Halpin, lieu
tenant John H. Tobin. & veteran of the
police department, and Walter O’Brien,
a former detective sergeant, were indict
ed on charges of bribery and operating
confidence games.
Halpin and Tobin Immediately were sus
pended by Mayor Harrison. Capiases for
their arrest will be Issued Monday.
The indictments were based largely on
alleged confessions by • Barney" Bertsche,
confessed go-between, and the Rryan
brothers, Frank and Janies. The Ryans
for years conducted clairvoyant parlors
•ut of which, it is alleged, they fleeced
many victims out of tens of thousands of
dollars.
The bribery charges against Hatpin ac
cuse him of accepting specific sums,
ranging from 12ft) to 31000, and protect
ing the Rryans from arrest In connec
tion with alleged swindles.
He Is alleged also to have received
>3000 for protecting the Ryana and John
Ktroanlder from arraat in a wire-tapping
■cheme by which Dr. William T. Kirby,
a private banker, was swindled out of
120.000. The loss wrecked the bank. Tobin
and O'Brien are alleged to have shared
in the booty also. The trio are charged
further with receiving a percentage of tho
>15,000 out of which the Ryana ewlndled
Mrs. Hope t,. McEldowney of I .a C rosea,
iVls., and >13,250 accruing from the swind
ling of Mrs. Mary Rapp of NapaigvUMt
111.
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