James accomplished the end of his heart's desire. It cost him $900 and
his health, for he was in the clutches of consumption when the cottage
was finally paid for. Fearing lest the fruit of his life-work should
be swept away by fire, James took out an insurance policy in one of
Dr. S. W. Jacobs' Wildcat Insurance companies. The house burned down
and he was not indemnified. With his wife and six little children
James was forced to take shelter in a chicken coop, where they were
living when the broken-hearted father came to Chicago as a witness
against Dr. S. W. Jacobs.
Twenty-five thousand dollars was tendered to an attorney to bribe
Wooldridge in the case.
The breaking up of the drug ring, however, was a delicate task.
It was strongly backed financially, and it was aided and abetted
throughout the United States by political rings galore. Chicago was
the headquarters.
A ten thousand dollar bribe was offered Detective Wooldridge, October
29, 1904, by the spurious medicine concerns to return their goods and
stop the prosecution; this failed. Then false and malicious charges
were filed with the Civil Service Commissioners against Wooldridge,
which was taken up and the trial lasted nineteen sessions.
Detective Wooldridge was exonerated by the entire board of
commissioners, and complimented by the press and public-spirited
citizens.
Detective Wooldridge secured four indictments against the above four
men, which was returned by the Cook county grand jury May 25, 1905. J.
S. Dean turned state's evidence and assisted the prosecution.
J. H. Carson promoted and run eighteen different matrimonial agencies.
He was arrested eighteen times. He offered Wooldridge a bribe of $100
per month not to arrest him. This failed and he brought suit in the
Superior Court against Wooldridge for $5,000 damages, thinking this
would stop him. The next day after filing the suit he was arrested
again, and was finally driven out of Chicago.
From $10,000 to $20,000 has been offered at a time for his discharge
or transfer by these get-rich-quick concerns. Every political pressure
was brought to bear, but to no avail.
Ex-Chief of Police Francis O'Neill, in his annual report of 1905,
states that Detective Wooldridge accomplished more work in breaking
up the get-rich-quick concerns in Chicago, in the year 1904, than the
whole Chicago police department had in its lifetime. He did equally as
much work, if not more, in the years of 1905, 1906 and 1907.
The day is never too long nor the night too dark for Detective
Wooldridge to find time to succor or save a young girl who has gone
wrong or strayed from the path of rectitude.
Detective Wooldridge, without fear or favor, for many years
inaugurated crusades and waged wars against the hosts of criminal
enterprise. Whenever a man or concern could not show a "clear bill
of health" he forced him to "disinfect, depart, or submit to the
quarantine of the county jail."
By vigilance and hard work he succeeded in obtaining good results.
Units, scores, and legions of fraudulent concerns have been exposed
and driven out of existence. Owners of others, anticipating exposure,
did not wait, but closed their places and fled. Many headquarters of
contraband schemes have been raided and their promoters arrested,
fined, and forced to cease operations. During that time retributive
justice has been visited upon countless heads that were devoted to
devising criminal schemes.
Detective Wooldridge permits no creed, color, religion or politics to
interfere with him in his sworn duty. He wants and exacts the truth,
and a square deal for himself, and accords the same to his fellow men.
He has never been known to wilfully persecute any man or to lie or
strain a point to convict him, neither will he suffer the same to be
done by any man if he can prevent it.
Wooldridge's motto is equal justice to all--be sure you are right,
then go ahead.