LARGE REFUND ORDERED

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 25 July 1928, Page 10

LARGE REFUND ORDERED

CHICAGO AND ITS MAYOR

NEARLY £‘409,0J0 INVOLVED

SAN FRANCISCO, June 27. “Big Bill’ Thompson, Major ol Chicago, has been ordered by ibe Circuit Court to repay nearly £4OO,U>U, which the Court held was illegally extracted by him and five political associates lor his campaign funds. Tlie Judge rebuked tlie Mayor and liis henchmen for-entering a conspiracy which he said w as “formed for the dual purpose of financing the political activities of the Thompson organisation and tlie private benent of mem net's oi the conspiracy.” Two defendants who had made restitution were discharged. , The action was instituted by the Chicago “Tribune,” as a taxpayer, seeking to have moneys it paid refunded, as they were diverted to illegal purposes. Thompson did not give evidence, and was severely' reprimanded by the Judge lor leaving tlie burden of proving his good faith to his legal I representative. “The defendants,” said Judge Friend “have preferred to rest the burden of explanation with their counsel, and to have unfavourable inferences rebutted by argument, rather than by evidence. Called to account as public trustees, against whom serious charges of fraud me preferred, they are silent-. Behind tlie denials contained in their answer, no serious attempt was made by the defendants to disprove the fact showing the existence of the fradulent scheme.”