| Show H y Pr Pu u. u b bl lisA h e rs P. P Pro roe t be R ep o r- r R a acet ck k e t R. R R Rr ii um r I o fi l Unite to Analyze Each Shred of Evidence in b. b Writer Gangster W Link t. t Urge Public to Withhold Judgment nt Until All Alli r i Facts Are Known note Following f isU la is Editor Editors note Following U the third and last of f the United Press Pren series of ef special die dis- patches dealing with develop menU meats in tn the Lingle Lingl murder v case caser s fly BYEARL EA EARL L J J. J JOHNSON 1 United nl ld Press Pre Staff Correspondent CHICAGO July 11 it UP The UP-The The attitude Altitude of Chicago o newspaper publishers pub pub- lishers toward charges of racketeering racketeering racket racket- among their reporters may maybe maybe maybe be summarized In three typical statements 0 I 1 I L' L That the newspapers rs' rs have have- nothing to conceal 2 That every rumor of im an al- al al alliance liance between reporters and gangsters gang gang- stera Is be being In Investigated 3 That the country m Ill do well wen to withhold judgment on the Chi Chi- Chicago cago press until the fact facto are known These statements represent the essence of ot conversations which the United Press has h as had with leaders haders in the Chicago newt newspaper paper fraternity in the days of journalistic excitement excite excite- ment the murder of Alfred Afred J. J Lingle Chicago Tribune police poUce re re- re porter PUBLISHERS INTERVIEWED Those Interviewed were S. S E. E Thomason publisher of the Daily Times Colonel R R. R McCormick publisher of the Tribune Walter Vatter S. S Strong publisher of at the Daily Dally News Homer Guck publisher of b 0 the tho Herald-Examiner Herald Herman Jerman Black publisher of the Evening E American and Charles A. A managing edl editor or who spoke poke forJohn forJohn for forJohn John Shaffer publisher a of tho te Evening Eve nine ning Post Each publisher Is Is' In charge of at a property worth at least a R. million dollars Most of r the papers represent sent investments of ot man many times that figure Under the pressure of at executive duties it would be un un- unusual U usual ual if the publishers were Vera fa familiar familiar fa- fa with the private affairs affairs' of at their police pollee reporters or minor editors Colonel McCormIck did not know of Lingles Lingle's dishonesty until the scandal of gang connections s came to to light after his murder scandal ft Itself U was in the rumor stage several d days ys before the evidence evIdence- of cf his betrayal was waa s strong enough to arr warrant nt exposure in the Tribune M MULTIPLY L FAST Meanwhile l the intensely comp competitive competitive com com- p o newspaper atmosphere in Chicago was filled with rumors that other reporters besides Lingle were using their positions for tor illegal illegal ille ille- gal gain Publishers bc began n private Investigations hired detectives to check check- checkup up on certain staff men who whose e names were mentioned in the rumors and questioned their editors editors edi edi- the tors about men working on on outside In some offices oUces personal l financier of reporters were were looked into by executive order But as Homer Homer- Guck of Her Her- Examiner aid l phrased d It a father often otten Is Js the last to Je learn rn of his own son sons son's misdeeds None of or the tho publish publishers pub pub- lish lishers rs even no now will Ul g guarantee that his own staff is la per ver cent pure but all are arc emphatic In I saying saying say say- ing that that- any man nan found to to be racketeer racketeering n will will be discharged and MUST KEEP CONFIDENCE Walter Strong of the Dally Daily News sees the situation which has de developed developed de- de In the wake of the Lingle killing as endangering public confidence confidence confidence con con- in the tho pr press 88 Under present conditions of crime Strong said tho the newspapers news new newspapers news news- papers rs Arc are about all the people hav have left Public confidence in the press mutt must be preserved preserved- Herman lierman Black of the American pointed out the futility of expecting reporters assigned to cover gangland gangland gang gang gang- Iland land to avoid all contact with gang gang- A reporters reporter's first job when assigned to a crime expose is to obtain the confidence of at at least one gangster g who will talk Each reporter dc develops his own te tech technique h- h pique in such dealings Often it is necessary to hire tipsters and nd stool pigeons Leland L ally News reporter once had such a a. connection connection tion Uon with Julius Rosenheim but was dropped by th that t paper after lie ho wa wasp said to have attempted extortion extortion ex ex- among gangsters by threatening threat ening to expose them in the News These connections Arc are looked upon by the papers as Just Justa Q a Ip part t of the b business W WANT WANT INNOCENT A T TI I INNOCENT CLEARED N CLEARE D Alt All v iu have ve expressed an to toh have ve an Iho showdown wn on the tho racketeering charges tb Lb clear the of of those who are not gi guilty JIt Colonel McCormIck of offered offered ott ot- ot t ed to io make mak a s p personal r onal appear appearance Appear Appear- ance anc ah i before the Brand grand jury jury and nd the ther information ho has gathered since the tho murder Yester Yesterday the Ev Evening Post Post and the Evening American demanded editorially that Harry T. T Bru Brundige author of the most sweeping charges charge against l local cal news newspaper newspapermen men be brought before belore the grand Jury on his own own terms 8 Brundige is a widely known reporter re- re re reporter ro- ro porter for the the- St. St Louis Louts Star He spent several days here ing the Ing-the- the Lingle ile his paper and wrote wrote- a series of ot dispatches about Itchy palmed newspapermen newspaper newspapermen men In Chicago OUTLINES RACKETS In his ar articles wl which were re reprInted reprinted reprinted re- re printed by the Chicago Tribune Brundige SUrie suggested ted the grand Jury l investigate A reporter who fi Is known as the unofficial mayor of at Chicago Why another reporter reporter-Is Is paid 5 cents a ba bag for every sack of or ce cement cement ce- ce ment sold in Chicago I The reason reason e n why I y yone one editor main taint p an an office in the Loop separate from his newspaper office The bond signing racket as a a. police reporter is said to control It it offered to take his evidence evidence evidence evi evi- dence before a Chicago grand rand j Jury LY Frank W. W Taylor Jr managing editor of tho the St. St Louis Star re refused refused refused re- re fused to let him him do so unless States State's Attorney John A A. Swanson would agree not to question the reporter privately first Taylor did not want to run the risk of having baving Swanton S want on hear Brundige's story brand it flimsy and then refuse to take him before tho the grand jurors Swanson replied that a. a a personal Interview was imperative as a a. part of the legal les-al procedure Thus tho the editor and the states state's attorney r reached ached an impasse But the Chicago papers are urging urging urge ing Ins Swanson to waive legal procedure procedure procedure pro pro- and accept Brundige Brundage on his own terms term It Is likely that he may yet et have a a. chance to give to the grand jury the names of the thc re- re reporters porters ho h hay had accused as racketeers rack rack- |
