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cars and the crowds at the i^aite county fair for their loose change.Marshal Platt told Burke he would think the proposition over, but in so doing' he neglected to inform Burke that he would think it over with some of his friends directly interested in Burke’s attempt to an easy but unholy living. Not twenty minutes after the conversation with Burke Officer Platt had made arrangements for a conference with Mayor Krost. John Tobin, manager of the Gary Southern Traction lines, and the city clerk. Here he1 recounted Burke’s proposals to him and a statement of the facts was made in writing so that Platt’s non-complicity in any of the future operations of Burke’s should he attempt to hand over the promised $200 to Platt for his acquisence to the pickpocket operations.No further approach was made the marshal until the first day of the fair when Burke informed the officer that his men would be “up to see him’* that afternoon. Platt, however, failed to wait for their appearances and went, forthwith to the fairgrounds to spring the trap on Burke and his gang.The officer did not have long to w-ait as Burke's men were extremely busy. H6 espied Lyons and Davis, the Chicago “dips”, at work and as he was wacthing them Burke came up and asked Platt if they were not “good men, slick at the business, and if he had ever seen anything better. Platt replied in the negative and in less than ten seconds had two of the slickest rogues in the country in his custody. Burke’s protest were loud and long, he telling Platt that the men were “his men” and asking the officer if he had gone crazy.”Platt refused to hear the protests of Burke and although the latter protested that he did not know the two men, he was at the door of the county jail just as soon as the official had landed the two dips in the jail yard. The testimony of Alebrt Maaek, John Rohde. John Tobin and some others would have been conclusive enough to convict Burke without the plea of guilty of the two confederates, ajid it would have been a sorry case for any lawyer to handle after he had been confronted with but one-half of the damaging testimony.The fates and an honest and efficient officer seemed to have been Burke's nemesis this time, and the good luck and bravado arid bluster which seems to have followed him to success in other trials, was most conspicuous by its absence at the big “stir” in the circuit. court.The wily Burke, realizing the strong chain of evidence against him, saw the
Newspaper Details
Hammond Lake County Times
Hammond, Indiana, US
Thu, Sep 28, 1916
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Lake C.
IN, USA 07 Nov 2023
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