CRIME: Dead Man’s Tale

When he was alive, swart Gangster Jack Zuta told suspicious Chicago police nothing enlightening about the Lingle murder (TIME, June 23, et seq.). But Jack Zuta dead on a Wisconsin dance floor (TIME, Aug. 11) became an eloquent police informant on many subjects. He left careful records of his business transactions in numerous safe-deposit boxes at various banks. Four of these boxes were unearthed during the past fortnight by Special (Lingle-case) Investigator Pat Roche of the State Attorney’s office. Puzzled were police and investigators at finding little Zuta money other than the $1,900 in his pockets when he was slain. But the Zuta data divulged last week read like an intimate crime & corruption confession from living lips, startled Chicago by mingling high political names with those of ‘leggers, gamblers, panders, brothelkeepers. Results of these disclosures last week were:

Gangs. Police further identified Zuta as the “thinker” and bookkeeper of the anti-Capone North Side Gang headed by Joe and Dominick Aiello and George (“Bugs”) Moran. Police raided the luxurious home shared by the Aiello families, seized a sheaf of papers they hoped would throw light on the Lingle case. Also last week they seized two shipments of whiskey and raided several breweries as incidental results of their Zuta investigation.

Pay-Offs? Zuta’s records contained entries showing more than $100,000 “dividends” over a brief period to one “M.K.” Last week police said they would question Matt Kolb, a ward worker already mentioned as “satchelman” for unnamed grafts. In one of Zuta’s boxes was found a list of politicians, one in each district of the city, which suggested who may have been the recipients of Zuta’s protection-money delivered through “M.K.”

Some of the politicians implicated by other papers of Zuta:

¶ Alderman Dorsey Crowe, by a $500 cash check among Zuta’s cancelled vouchers, endorsed with a rubber-stamp “Crowe & Kolb,” dissolved firm in which he had been partner. Alderman Crowe last week denied acquaintance with Gangster Zuta.

¶ Onetime Judge Emanuel Eller, by a $250 voucher. He explained: “Probably a campaign contribution.”

¶ Nate DeLue, assistant business manager of the Board of Education, by a cash check for $150 which he had endorsed.¶ State Senator Harry W. Starr, onetime city prosecutor, onetime election commissioner, by two checks of $200 each. He said: “They were given me … for legal services which I rendered.” ¶ Onetime State Senator George Van Lent, by two vouchers. ¶ The late Sergeant Martin C. Mulvihill, “world’s greatest policeman,” famed hero of many a dangerous arrest, by a $500 note signed while he was on the police force.

¶ Judge Joseph W. Schulman, by his own $400 check drawn to M. Green, endorsed to Zuta, returned by the bank marked “payment stopped,” and by other vouchers. Said the Judge: “I was in financial difficulties and I had to kite some checks. Green would get me a check and I would write one of my own . . . and date it a month ahead and give it to Green. I didn’t pay any attention to the names on the checks.” ¶ Chief of Police William 0. Freeman of Evanston, by a letter on official stationery, asking for “four C’s” ($400). Chief Freeman told investigators he had received the money as a loan, declared: “I am not ashamed.”

Lingle. Chief Freeman also testified in support of the belief that Lingle and Zuta were enemies. He said he had talked to Zuta last summer on the Criminal Courts building steps. As Zuta left him, Lingle approached and said, laughing: “See that guy? Hell get his. . . . That bird has double-crossed too many guys and he’s going to get bumped off.”

Last week Lingle’s widow denied rumors that Alphonse (“Scarface Al”) Capone had offered to buy her home. She referred solemnly to her widowhood as “a bad break.”