Martyr Into Racketeer

"There is venality in almost everyone's life."--Publisher Robert Rutherford McCormick of the Chicago Tribune.

"No innocent man has been murdered [in Chicago] since the World's Fair in '93"--Will Rogers in the New York Times.

Entirely erased from the U. S. Press is the legend of Alfred J. P. ("Jake") Lingle, Martyr--the touching story of the brave crime reporter for the Chicago Tribune who was shot down because he "knew too much" (TIME, June 23). Instead there had taken form by last week the story of Jake Lingle, Racketeer, who sold for fat sums the power of his newspaper to politicians, gamblers, crimesters, without his employers--who paid him $65 per week--knowing much about it. Five days after Lingle's murder the publishers of the Tribune had learned enough about the relations between their "city room" and Chicago's underworld to order off the front page the Martyr Lingle story. Meantime other investigators heard and published embarrassing details.

Reporter Lingle, Racketeer, was pictured as the "man to see" for gamblers, bootleggers, et al. who sought to "put the fix" in any law enforcement office. If Lingle thought the "fix" feasible, he might say the necessary word--for a price. In three years, about $150,000 came to $65-per-week Reporter Lingle.

Lingle's power apparently derived from his close friendship with Police Commissioner William J. Russell (since resigned), who held his position at the potent Tribune's pleasure--and who had a joint brokerage account with Lingle (at one time it reached six figures. Russell's salary was $10,000.)

Two reputed Lingle operations:

1) More than a year ago a gambling resort run by one Joe Josephs and one Julian ("Potatoes") Kaufman was closed by the police. Not long ago word went about that they planned to reopen. Lingle met them with a demand for $15,000. Refused, Lingle threatened: "If you open, you'll see more police squad cars than you ever saw together before." Kaufman & Josephs attempted to open on June 9, found detectives at the front door. That day Lingle was murdered.

2) Police from the State's Attorney's office raided the Biltmore Athletic Club. Next day Lingle told an official: "That raid put me in a fine jam. I told these fellows to go ahead and run. Of course, I didn't suppose they were going to go like a house afire." That was three days before the murder.

More far reaching than those two cases was evidence that Tipster Lingle had received $85,000 in payments or loans from racketeers and public officials, the latter including Chicago's Corporation Counsel Samuel A. Ettelson, Alderman Berthold A. Cronson, City Civil Service Commissioner Major Carlos Ames.

The Lingle disclosures confirmed, rather than aroused, public suspicion that newsmen are subject to temptation into "rackets," mild or strong. With few exceptions, newspaper publishers look with complaisance upon the favors openly bestowed upon sports writers by promoters of this prizefight or that ball game. Many a publisher shuts his eyes to the inducements offered financial reporters. In rarer instances, such as that of Jake Lingle, when the reporter has intrenched himself solidly among racketeers, the reporting job becomes secondary to the extrajournalistic activities, the racket all-absorbing.

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