In Sullivan's office the detectives found great quantities of
advertising matter. This matter was thoroughly gone over in the search
for evidence against the grain and stock broker. Pile after pile of
Sullivan's "red letter" circulars were found.
Sullivan's "red letter" was issued daily, and printed in red ink.
The circulars were written in a manner characteristic of all the
advertisements, printed matter and correspondence to patrons.
In telegrams to patrons and the "red letters" Sullivan often made the
proposition that he would make good all loss sustained by patrons
while they were making purchases upon his advice.
The detectives were somewhat surprised when they saw at the top of
the circular in bold, red type that "four exclusive offices for lady
speculators" were being operated in Chicago, one in South Chicago and
one in St. Louis. The addresses given for the Chicago offices were 225
Dearborn street, 159 LaSalle street, 260 Clark street and 84 Adams
street. Women speculators of South Chicago had the opportunity of
making their purchases at 9138 Commercial avenue.
Wooldridge was asked by the press what justification he had in making
the raids, and by whose orders they were made. He said that he raided
the Lincoln Commission Company at 115 Dearborn street, May 14, 1903,
which was conducting a turf investment company, and found that George
T. Sullivan was operating the same in connection with his bucketshop;
that George T. Sullivan and 60 inmates were arrested, and eleven wagon
loads of books, letters, papers and records taken to the Harrison
Street Police Station. Wooldridge said that he had evidence to indict
them on 50 charges, and he intended to deliver the goods, and he would
not be pulled off by any man in the State of Illinois.
Wooldridge immediately took steps to get his evidence in shape.
He called on John Hill, Jr., who had charge of the Board of Trade
quotations and who was an expert on bucketshop methods.
Wooldridge, Hill and two clerks went to work gathering evidence for
the trial; eleven wagon loads of books, papers, letters and records
had to be gone through, which was done in the most careful, systematic
manner.
They worked from 2 p. m. until 12 o'clock and the evidence gathered
was placed in a vault.
After they had secured something to eat in a nearby restaurant and
taken two hours' sleep, they resumed their work, which was carried
on until 7 o'clock Sunday morning. This evidence which was secured
was locked up in another vault for safe keeping. After they had eaten
their breakfast they resumed work again and worked until 6 p. m. This
evidence gathered was placed in another vault. After they had eaten
their supper they resumed work again and worked until 1 o'clock Sunday
night, when they succeeded in going through every scrap of paper which
was seized in the raid. This evidence gathered was placed in another
vault.
The placing of this evidence in different vaults was for the purpose
of preventing George T. Sullivan or any of his friends from securing
it on a writ of replevin.
Wooldridge slept until 5 o'clock, then went to the residence of
Charles S. Deneen, State's Attorney. Arriving at his house and finding
that he had not arisen from bed, Wooldridge pulled up a settee which
he found on the veranda and placed it in front of his door where it
would be impossible for him to get out of his house without first
awaking Wooldridge.
Wooldridge laid down and went fast asleep and was found there when
State's Attorney Deneen was making his departure next morning for
his office. Wooldridge, upon being aroused from his sleep, told Mr.
Deneen of the raid made and the evidence gathered and showed him some
10 or 15 telegrams from reputable Board of Trade men who were worth
over $20,000,000 collectively. The substance of the telegrams was as
follows:
"Officer Clifton R. Wooldridge: We are informed that you
raided George T. Sullivan's bucketshop. You have done your
duty and been criticised and assailed for doing it. My name
is ---- and my attorneys name is ---- and we are at your
service night or day, without any expense to you."
Mr. Deneen asked Wooldridge how soon he would be ready to present his
evidence to the Grand Jury. Wooldridge replied that he had two cases
already prepared before he made the raid and would be ready in six
hours with a number of additional cases.
Mr. Deneen told Wooldridge to accompany him to his office, which was
done. He called Assistant State's Attorneys Albert C. Barnes, F. L.
Barnett and Howard O. Sprogle and instructed them to assist Wooldridge
in preparing the cases for the Grand Jury and give him a clean road
just the minute he was ready. They were further instructed to give him
all the assistance and advice he should need in the matter.
The special complaints were drawn, the telegraph wires became busy and
at 10 o'clock Wooldridge and witnesses went before the Grand Jury and
George T. Sullivan was indicted for keeping a bucketshop and common
gaming house.
George T. Sullivan was also active from Saturday until Monday morning.
He had prepared writs of replevin and warrants for larceny for
Wooldridge and officers who were with him.
Wooldridge was called up over the telephone by Sullivan's friends and
offered a bribe of $5,000 if he would release and turn over the books,
letters and records which were seized in the raid, so Sullivan could
resume business. This offer was refused by Wooldridge and the matter
reported to the State's Attorney.
Sullivan then resorted to sending various friends and powerful
politicians for the paraphernalia seized. Still Wooldridge turned a
deaf ear to their requests and entreaties.
Wooldridge was a very busy man at the County Court Building on Monday.
Before the George T. Sullivan bucketshop raid and the indictment
before the Grand Jury, Wooldridge had the case of J. J. Jacobs,
manager of the Montana Mining, Loan & Investment Company, which was a
lottery, on trial before Judge Chetlain.
While in the courtroom he was informed by officers that they had a
writ of replevin for the goods seized in Sullivan's bucketshop; that
they also held warrants for Wooldridge and the officers who were with
him, but if he would surrender the goods seized they declared the
warrants would not be served and there would be no trouble.
Wooldridge called on the State's Attorney and informed him of the
demand made upon him. State's Attorney Deneen called the officers in
his office and told them that Wooldridge was there in attendance in
the court and he would not permit the warrants to be served on him
until after court adjourned. Further, he had instructed Wooldridge not
to turn over any of the property.
Sullivan during the meantime had learned that there was an indictment
against him by the Grand Jury and withdrew the order for serving of
the warrants. He was indicted, convicted and paid a $500 fine.
After the police had secured the evidence, his books, letters and
records were returned to him. He tried to start up in business again;
also to get other parties interested with him who had money, but in
this he failed. He was forced to refund $150,000 to his patrons who
had advanced money to him to speculate in grain and stock. He expected
financial assistance and hoped to resume business, but nothing
materialized.
There were thousands of other creditors throughout the country who
were not so fortunate in obtaining a settlement. These creditors
combined and forced him into bankruptcy.
He was then cited in the United States Court for violating a federal
injunction.
He quietly folded his tent at night and left Chicago without leaving
his address. He was next heard of in England six months later. All
traces of him were lost until, in August, 1907, at Pittsburg, Pa., he
was arrested for running a bucketshop.
George T. Sullivan, of George T. Sullivan & Co., brokers, with
offices in the Bijou Building, Pittsburg, and was arraigned before
Magistrate F. J. Brady at Central Police Station, charged with a
misdemeanor and violating a city ordinance.