CRIME IN CHICAGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20520, 22 March 1930, Page 8 (Supplement)

CRIME IN CHICAGO.

THE RULE OF THE GANG. Chicago is to-day the second city inthe United States, and with the usual American worship of size, it hopes in time to be the largest city in the world. Even now, however, it can confidently claim to be tho world's capital—of crime. Set forth in breathless, incoherent slapdash style, "Look at Chicago," a history of the bootlegging trade in that city, with its subsidiary industries of " hijacking " perjury, graft and murder, reads like the wildest nightmaro of the thriller fiction-merchant.

I3ut Chicago is a place where the truth is stranger and stronger than fiction. On the one side magnificent buildings and all tho amenities of twentieth century civilisation, and on the other utter lawlessness and a reign of terror that is the negation of all that civilisation stands for. Bootlegging, with the unlimited chances it offers tho unscrupulous to amass wealth, has led to tho organisation of rival gangs which settle their differences mostly with revolvers, but -occasionally with machine-guns, and in broad daylight. The Policeman's Lot. It may be asked, where are the police ? The answer appears to be in the pay of one or other of the gangs. For in Chicago the life of a " wrong cop," otherwise on honest policeman, is certainly not merry though it is usually short. Remarkably frank .biographies are given of some of the bootlegging barons, such as Dion O'Banion, A 1 Capone, Ilyinic Weis3 and Jim Colosinio, " humanitarians who have laboured to supply alcoholic refreshment to tho thirsty multitudes of God's Own Country."' O'Banion sold Capone a browery which he knew would bo raided in a week. Justifiably annoyed, Capone retaliated by murdering O'Banion. At tho funeral there wero " twenty-six truck loads of wreaths, some of them costing 1000 dollars apiece." Long Roll of Deaths.

In tho period following O'Ranion's death there have been more than 70 "big shots" killed in direct connection with " booze,, beer, gambling and vice feuds " in Chicago. In only one instance was anyone even brought to trial, and in that case the Assistant State Attorney, who unsuccessfully prosecuted the defendants, was subsequently found dead in a " gang slaving." The only possible hope for Chicago in the author's opinion is a thorough purging of tho police force and a large increase iii its numbers. Tho present Commissioner is said to be an honest and capable man. Given a frco hand lie could make Chicago too hot to hold the gangs. But with tho immense civic and political " pull " wielded by the gangsters will lie be allowed to take action ? Time alone will tell. Meanwhile Chicago is an excellent titv not to livo in.

"Look, at Chicago." by Edward D. Sullivan (Geoffrey Bles)