Twenty years a detective in the wickedest city in the world

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Title:TwentyYearsaDetectiveintheWickedestCityintheWorld
Author:CliftonR.Wooldridge
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TwentyYearsaDetective
intheWickedestCityintheWorld.
CLIFTONR.WOOLDRIDGE.
CLIFTONR.WOOLDRIDGE.


TwentyYearsaDetective
INTHEWICKEDESTCITYINTHEWORLD.
20,000ARRESTSMADE

12,900CONVICTIONSONSTATEANDCITYLAWS
200PENITENTIARYCONVICTIONS

TheDevilandtheGrafter
AND

HOWTHEYWORKTOGETHERTODECEIVE,
SWINDLEANDDESTROYMANKIND
ANARMYOF600,000CRIMINALSATWARWITH
SOCIETYANDRELIGION

BYCLIFTONR.WOOLDRIDGE
TheWorld-FamousCriminologistandDetective
"THEINCORRUPTIBLESHERLOCKHOLMESOFAMERICA "

Aftertwentyyearsofheroicwarfareandscoresofhair-breadth
escapes,inhisunceasingbattlewiththedevilandthegrafter,
Mr.WooldridgetellsinagraphicmannerhowWildcatInsurance,
FakeMinesandOilWells,TurfSwindlers,HomeBuyingSwindlers,
FakeBondandInvestmentCompanies,BucketShops,Blind
PoolsinGrainandStocks,PoolRoomsandHandBooks,Fake
MailOrderHouses,ordinaryGamblingHouses,PanelHouses,
MatrimonialBureaus,FakeUnderwriting,FakeBanks,Collecting
Agencies,FakeMedicineCompanies,Clairvoyants,FortuneTellers,
Palmistsandothercriminalsofallclassesoperate,andhowtheir
organizationshavebeenbrokenupanddestroyedbyhundreds.
THEWORKALSOCONTAINS


DetectiveCliftonR.Wooldridge's"Never-Fail"System

ForDetectingandOutwittingAllClassesof
GraftersandSwindlers


COPYRIGHT,1908,
BY
CLIFTONR.WOOLDRIDGE.
ChicagoPublishingCo.,
83-91PlymouthPlace,
Chicago.


PREFACE.
In presenting this work to the public the author has no apologies to make nor
favorstoask.ItisasimplehistoryofhisconnectionwiththePoliceDepartment
ofChicago,compiledfromhisownmemoranda,thenewspapers,andtheofficial
records.Thematterhereincontaineddiffersfromthoserecordsonlyindetails,
as many facts are given in the book which have never been made public. The
authorhasnodispositiontomalignanyone,andnamesareusedonlyincasesin
which the facts are supported by the archives of the Police Department and of
the criminal court. In the conscientious discharge of his duties as an officer of
thelaw,theauthorhasinallcasesstudiedthemodeoflegalprocedure.Hisaim
hasbeensolelytoprotectsocietyandthetaxpayer,andtopunishtheguilty.The
evidences of his sincerity accompany the book in the form of letters from the
highest officers in the city government, from the mayor down to the precinct
captain, and furnish overwhelming testimony as to his endeavors to serve the
public faithfully and honestly. No effort has been made to bestow self-praise,
andwherethisoccurs,itisonlyareproduction,perhapsindifferentlanguage,of
thecommentsindulgedinbythenewspapersofChicagoandothercities,whose
reportersareamongthebrightestandmosttalentedyoungmeninallthewalks

and professions of life. To them the officer acknowledges his obligations in
many instances. Often he has worked hand-in-hand with them. They have
traveledwithhiminthedeadhoursofthenight,inhiseffortstosuppresscrime
or track a criminal, and have often given him assistance in the way of
suggestions.
Henowsubmitshisworkandhisrecordtothepublic,hopingitwillgivehima
kindlyreception.


TABLEOFCONTENTS.
Preface
7-8
Testimonials
11
BiographyoftheAuthor
27
GraftNation'sWorstFoe
51
The"Never-Fail"SystemtoBeattheGet-Rich-QuickSwindles
112
TheBestRulesforHealth
116
MatrimonialAgentsCoiningCupid'sWiles
119
TheGreatMistake.OurPenalSystemisaRelicofEarlySavagery 192
Vagrants,WhoandWhy
204
TheYoungCriminalsandHowTheyAreBredinChicago
230
WilesofFortuneTelling

246
WifeorGallows
267
ACleverShopLifter(FaintingBertha)
272
Front
284
TheCriminal'sLastChanceGone
288
BurglaryaScience
311
CellTermsfor"Con"Men
341
Panel-HouseThieves
348
GamblingandCrime
358
AHeartlessFraud
401
TheBogusMine
409
AGiantSwindle
418
Quacks
426
FabulousLossesinBigTurfFrauds
448
FakeDrugVendors
462
Bucket-Shop

471
On"SureThings."HowtoLearnTheirRealCharacter
482
HugeSwindlesBared
487
TheSocialEvil
500


SuppressManufactureandSaleofDangerousWeapons
GettingSomethingforNothing
WantAd.Fakers
MillionaireBankerandBrokerArrested
DoraMcDonald
MikeMcDonald

508
517
527
533
551
581


PUBLISHER'SPREFACE.
ThetwoarchenemiesofhappinessandprosperityaretheDevilandtheGrafter.
ThechurchisfightingtheDevil,thelawisfightingtheGrafter.Thegreatmass
of human beings, as they journey along the pathway of life, know not the
dangers that lie in wait from these two sources. Honest themselves, credulous
andinnocent,theytrusttheirfellowman.

Statisticsshowthatfour-fifthsofallyoungmenandwomen,andnine-tenthsof
thewidowsareswindledoutofthemoneyandpropertythatcomestothemby
inheritance.Everyyearthousandsoflaboringmenspendtheirhardearningsand
beggar their families by falling in traps laid for them. Thousands of innocent
girls and women, struggling for a respectable livelihood, fall victims to the
demonswhotrafficinhumanhonor.
TheGraftersspendmillionsuponmillionsofdollarsannuallyinadvertisingin
Americaalone.ThereisnotaPostOfficeinthelandwhereeverymaildoesnot
carrytheirappealsandthievingschemes;andtheycollecthundredsofmillions
of dollars annually from the trusting public. The State and National
Governmentsspendmillionsofdollarsayearintryingtocatchandcurbthese
grafters. Some of Satan's worst grafters are found in the church, working the
brethren;andhehasthembythousandsineverywalkoflife.
Theobjectofthisbookistoprotectthepublicbyjoininghandswiththechurch
andthegovernmentintheirworkagainsttheDevilandtheGrafter.Theauthor
revealsandexposestheGrafterwithhisschemes,histraps,hispitfallsandhis
victims. The reader of this book will be fortified and armed with knowledge,
factsandlaw,thatshouldforeverprotecthim,hisfamilyandhisfriendsfromthe
wilesoftheGrafters.
Itiswiththeconfidencethatthisworkfillsanimperativeneed,andthatitshould
be in the hands of every minister, every physician, every teacher and every
motherandfatherintheland,thattheauthorandpublishersenditforthonwhat
theybelievetobeamissionofgoodtotheworld.


WORDSOFCOMMENDATION.
FromChas.S.Deneen,GovernorofIllinois:
"ItiswithpleasurethatIamabletosaythatDetectiveWooldridge
hasconductedallhiscaseswithzealandintelligence."
J.M.Longenecker,formerState'sAttorney,says:

"Mr. Wooldridge has thorough knowledge of evidence and is an
expertinpreparingacriminalcasefortrial.Ihavefoundhimtobe
oneofthemostefficientofficersintheDepartment."
R. W. McClaughrey, Warden of U. S. Prison at Leavenworth, Kans., ExWarden of Illinois State Penitentiary and Ex-Chief of Police of Chicago,
saysinalettertotheauthor:
"Youwerenotonlysubjecttobribes,butalsofrequentlyatargetof
perjurersandscoundrelsofeverydegree.Youcameoutfromevery
ordeal unscathed, and maintained a character for integrity and
fearlessness in the discharge of your duties that warranted the
highestcommendation.Itgivesmepleasuretomakethisstatement."
J.J.Badenoch,Ex-GeneralSupt.ofPolice,writingMr.Wooldridge,says:
"Dear Sir—Before I retire from the command of the Police
Department,Idesiretothankyouforyourbraveryandloyalservice.
The character of your work being such that bribes are frequently
offeredbythecriminalclass,itbecomesnecessarytoselectmenof
perfect integrity for the purpose, and I now know that I made no
mistake in selecting you for this trying duty. It affords me great
pleasure to commend you for your bravery and fidelity to your
duties."
NicholasHunt,InspectorCommandingSecondDivision,says:
"I have known Clifton R. Wooldridge for the last ten years. As an
officer he is par-excellent, absolutely without fear and with a
detective ability so strongly developed it almost appealed to me as


anextrasense.IfIwantedtosecurethearrestofadesperateman,I
wouldputMr.Wooldridgeinchargeofthecaseinpreferencetoany
oneIknow,as,withhisbravery,hehasdiscretion."
Geo.M.Shippy,ChiefofPolice,ofChicago,writingMr.Wooldridge,says:
"Yourheartisintherightplace,andwhileIhavealwaysfoundyou

sternandpersistentinthepursuitandprosecutionofcriminals,you
were very kind and considerate, and I can truthfully say that more
than one evil doer was helped to reform and was given material
assistancebyyou."
LukeP.Colleran,ChiefofDetectives,says:
"Hisbookismostworthyandtruthfulandcommendable;andItake
pleasureincommendingittoall."

SHERLOCKHOLMESINREALLIFE.
FromTheChicagoTribuneofNovember25,1906.
"ChicagomaybesurprisedtolearnthatithasaSherlockHolmesof
its own, but it has; and before his actual experiences in crimehunting, the fictional experiences through which Poe, Doyle, and
NickCarterputtheirdetectivespaleintoinsignificance.Hisnameis
CliftonR.Wooldridge.
"Truthisstrangereventhandetectivefiction,andinthenumberof
his adventures of mystery, danger and excitement he has all the
detectiveheroesoffictionandrealitybeateneasily.
"Hehaspersonallyarrested19,500people,200ofthemweresentto
thepenitentiary;3,000tothehouseofcorrection;6,000paidfines;
100 girls under age were rescued from lives of shame; $100,000
worthofpropertywasrecovered;100panelhouseswereclosed;100
matrimonialbureauswerebrokenup.
DisguisedasaJEWINTHEGHETTO
DisguisedasaJEWINTHEGHETTO
"Wooldridgehasrefusedperhaps500bribesoffrom$500to$5,000


each.Hehasbeenunderfireforty-fourtimes.Hehasbeenwounded
dozens of times. He has impersonated almost every kind of
character.Hehas,inhiscrimehunting,associatedwithmembersof

the'400'andfraternizedwithhobos.Hehasdinedwiththeeliteand
smokedinopiumdens.Hehasdoneeverythingthatoneexpectsthe
detectiveoffictiontodoandwhichtherealdetectiveseldomdoes.
"WhenoccasionrequiresheceasestoappearasWooldridge.Hecan
makeadisguisesoquicklyandeffectivelythatevenanactorwould
be astonished. Gilded youth, negro gambler, honest farmer or
lodging house 'bum,' it requires but a few minutes to 'make-up,' to
runtoearthelusivewrong-doers."
The pictures which appear here are actual photographs taken from life in the
garbanddisguiseswornbytheauthorinseveralfamouscases.
"HECKHOUSTON"—STOCK-RAISERFROMWYOMING
"HECKHOUSTON"—STOCK-RAISERFROMWYOMING
InthisgarbtheauthormakeshimselfaneasymarkforthecrooksandgraftersoftheStock-Yarddistrict.
Thehold-upman—thecard-sharp—thebunco-steerer—theget-rich-quickstock-brokerfall"easygame"to
thedetectivethusdisguised.

ASSOCIATINGWITHTHESTOCKANDBONDGRAFTERS
ASSOCIATINGWITHTHESTOCKANDBONDGRAFTERS
DisguisedasanEnglishmanwhohasmoneyandislookingforagoodinvestment,Mr.Wooldridgeiseasily
mistakenfora"sucker."Thetrapisset.Heapparentlywalksintoit;but,inafewminutes,thegrafterfinds
himselfonthewaytoprison.

POLICY-SAMJOHNSON
POLICY-SAMJOHNSON
Thisisafavoritedisguiseoftheauthorwhendoingdetectivedutyamongthelowestandmostdisreputable
criminals. Unsuspectingly the crooks offer him all sorts of dirty work at small prices for assistance in
criminalacts.

WENEVERSLEEP
WENEVERSLEEP

Detectivesdisguisedastramps:"Iammadeallthingstoallmen,"saysSt.Paul.TheDetectivemustalso
makehimselfallthingstoallmen,thathemayfindandcatchtherascals.Tobeup-to-dateitisnecessaryto


beabletoassumeasmanydisguisesasthereareclassesofpeopleamongwhomcriminalshide.

POLICY-SAMJOHNSONSHOOTINGCRAPS
POLICY-SAMJOHNSONSHOOTINGCRAPS
Anillustrationofthewaythedetectiveemployshimselfinthegamblingdens.Itisoftennecessarytoplay
and lose money in these places that he may get at the facts. Observe that he is watching proceedings in
anotherpartoftheroomwhileheisthrowingthedice.

SHADOWINGONEOFTHEFOURHUNDRED.
SHADOWINGONEOFTHEFOURHUNDRED.
Someofthemostdangerousgraftersintheworldhobnobwiththeelite.Herewehaveourauthorinevening
dress,passingasamanofsocietyatabanquetoftherich,shadowinga"high-flyer"crook.

CRAPSANDCARDS
CRAPSANDCARDS
Thegamblinghouseisastationontheroadtocrime.Inproportiontopopulationthereare,perhaps,more
negrogamblersthanofanyotherrace.

ALITTLEGAMEINTHEALLEYATNOON
ALITTLEGAMEINTHEALLEYATNOON
Manyboysandyoungmenspendtheirnoonhourincultivatingbadhabitsthatleadtonightsofgambling;
andthencomecrimestogetmoneythattheymaygamblemore.

ARESTINGPLACEONTHEROADTOCRIME.
ARESTINGPLACEONTHEROADTOCRIME.
Thegildedsaloonistheclub-roomofthecrook.Herehehatcheshisplots;herehedrinkstogetdesperate

couragetocarrythemout;andherehereturnswhenthecrimehasbeencommittedtodrownremorseand
hardenconscience.

YOURMONEYORYOURLIFE
YOURMONEYORYOURLIFE
AGAMEOFPOKERFOR"ASMALLSTAKE"
AGAMEOFPOKERFOR"ASMALLSTAKE"


Thisisaclangorousstop.Manyaruinedmantraceshisdownfalltothedayhebeganinyouthto"bet"a
little"tomakethegameinteresting."

EmmaFord(Sisters)PearlSmith
EmmaFord(Sisters)PearlSmith
MaryWhite,FlossieMoore
MaryWhite,FlossieMoore
FOURFAMOUSNEGROWOMENGRAFTERS
As confidence workers, highway robbers, and desperate criminals they were the terror of officers and
courts.Togethertheystoleandrobbedpeopleofmorethan$200,000.00.Theywerefinallyruntoearthand
putinprison.Ourauthorfollowedoneofthemacrossthecontinentandback.

THEDESTINATIONOFTHEGRAFTER.
THEDESTINATIONOFTHEGRAFTER.
"Thewayofthetransgressorishard.""Besureyoursinwillfindyouout."Thepenitentiaryisfullofbright
menwhomighthavebeeneminentlysuccessful—anhonortothemselvesandablessingtomankind,ifthey
hadonlyheededtheoldadage—"Honestyisthebestpolicy."

WOOLDRIDGE'SCABINETOFBURGLARTOOLS.
WOOLDRIDGE'SCABINETOFBURGLARTOOLS.
AtthepoliceheadquartersinChicago,oneofthemostattractivecuriosistheabovecabinetofburglar-tools

andweaponstakenbytheauthorfromrobbersandcrooksduringhiseighteenyearsofservice.

TURNINGTHEBOYSFROMCRIMINALPATHS
TURNINGTHEBOYSFROMCRIMINALPATHS
ThisisaphotographoftheJuvenileCourtinChicago,whereboyswhocommitcrimesaretriedandsentto
theReformatory,insteadoftoprisonwithhardenedcriminals.Theauthorclaimsthatourprisonsystemis
fillingthecountrywithcriminals.

CliftonR.Wooldridgeportraitinsidebadge


CLIFTONR.WOOLDRIDGE
AMERICA'SFOREMOSTDETECTIVE.
Clifton R. Wooldridge was born February 25, 1854, in Franklin county,
Kentucky.Hereceivedacommonschooleducation,andthenstartedoutinthe
worldtoshiftforhimself.From1868to1871,heheldthepositionofshipping
clerkandcollectorfortheWashingtonFoundryinSt.Louis,Missouri.Severing
his connection with that company, he went to Washington, D. C., and was
attachedtotheUnitedStatesSignalBureaufromMarch1,1871,toDecember5,
1872. He then took up the business of railroading, and for the following nine
years occupied positions as fireman, brakeman, switchman, conductor and
generalyardmaster.
WhenthegoldfeverbrokeoutintheBlackHillsin1879,Mr.Wooldridgealong
withmany others went tothatregiontobetterhisfortune.Sixmonthslater he
joinedtheengineeringcorpsoftheDenver&RioGranderailroadandassistedin
locating the line from Canon City to Leadville, as well as several of the
branches.Theworkwasnotonlyverydifficult,butverydangerous,andattimes,
whenhewasassistinginlocatingthelinethroughtheRoyalGorgeintheGrand
CanonoftheArkansas,hewassuspendedfromarope,whichranfromthepeak
ofoneclifftotheother,withhissurveyinginstrumentsstrappedtohisback.This

gorgeisfiftyfeetwideatthebottomandseventyfeetwideatthetop,thewalls
ofsolidrockrisingthreethousandfeetabovetheleveloftheriverbelow.The
work was slow and required a great deal of skill, but it was accomplished
successfully.
Mr.WooldridgewenttoDenverin1880andengagedincontractingandmining
thefollowingeighteenmonths.Hethentookapositionasengineerandforeman
of the Denver Daily Republican, where he remained until May 29, 1883. The
following August he came to Chicago and took a position with the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul railway. In 1886, he severed his connection with the
railroad and founded the "Switchman's Journal." He conducted and edited the
paper until May 26th, when he was burned out, together with the firm of
Donohue&HenneberryatthecornerofCongressstreetandWabashavenue,as
wellasmanyotherbusinesshousesinthatlocality,entailingatotallossofnearly
$1,000,000. Thus the savings of many years were swept away, leaving him


pennilessandindebt.Heagainturnedhisattentiontorailroadingandsecureda
position with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad and had accumulated
enough money to pay the indebtedness which resulted from the fire, when the
greatstrikewasinauguratedonthatroadinFebruary,1888.Thestrikeincluded
theengineers,firemenandswitchmen,andcontinuednearlyayear.OnOctober
5thofthatyearMr.WooldridgemadeapplicationforapositionontheChicago
police force, and having the highest endorsements, he was appointed and
assigned to the Desplaines Street Station. It was soon discovered that
Wooldridgeasapoliceofficerhadnosuperiorsandfewequals.Neitherpolitics,
religion, creed, color, or nationality obstructed him in the performance of his
policeduties,andthefactwasdemonstratedandconcededtimeswithoutnumber
that he could not be bought, bribed, or intimidated. He selected for his motto,
"Right wrongs no man; equal justice to all." His superior officers soon
recognized the fact that no braver, more honest or efficient police officer ever

woreastarorcarriedaclub.
The mass of records on file in the police headquarters and in the office of the
clerk of the municipal and criminal court demonstrate conclusively that he has
made one of the most remarkable records of any police officer in the United
Statesifnotintheworld.Mr.Wooldridgehasseentwentyyearsofexperience
andtraininginactivepolicework.Tenyearsofthistimehewaslocatedinwhat
iscommonlyknownastheLeveedistrict,aterritorywherecriminalscongregate
andwherecrimesofalldegreesarecommitted.

BORNINKENTUCKY.
Mr. Wooldridge is therefore of Southern extraction. And in spite of the "big
stick" which this terror of the grafters has carried for twenty years, he still
"speakssoftly,"thegentleaccentoftheoldSouth.Butbehindthatsoftspeech
thereisadeterminedsoul.Thesmooth-runningaccentsoftheSouthareinthis
casethevelvetwhichhidesthegloveofiron.
The following are some of the deeds of valor, work and achievements he has
accomplished:

ANUNPARALLELEDRECORD.
20,000arrestsmadebyDetectiveWooldridge.


Hekeepsarecordofeacharrest,time,placeanddispositionofthe
case.
14,000arrestsmadeforviolationStateandcitymisdemeanors.
6,000arrestsmadeoncriminalcharges.
10,500oftheseprisonerspaidfines.
2,400oftheseprisonersweresenttojailorthehouseofcorrection.
200ofthesewereconvictedandsenttothepenitentiary.
1,000get-rich-quickconcernswereraidedandbrokenup.

60wagonloadsofliteratureseizedanddestroyed.
A conservative estimate of the sum contributed annually by this
highly civilized nation to "safe investment" and "get-rich-quick"
concernsis$150,000,000.
300poker,crapandgamblinggamesraidedandclosed;$1,000,000
lost.
200wineroomsclosedup.Thesewineroomswerethedownfalland
ruinationofhundredsofinnocentgirls.
185wildcatinsurancecompaniesraidedandclosed.
2,500,000 bogus securities and 10 patrol wagon loads of books,
papers and literature seized. These companies paid no losses, and
therewere,itisestimated,1,000,000personswhohadtakenoutfire
insurancepoliciesinthesewildcatcompanies.
They had sustained fire losses and were not indemnified. The
conservativeestimatedlossbythesewildcatinsurancecompaniesis
$10,000,000.
$200,000oflostandstolenpropertywasrecoveredandreturnedto
theownersbyDetectiveWooldridge.
129slotmachinesseizedandbrokenup;valuedat$10,000.
130 policy shops raided and closed: $100,000 would be a


conservativeestimateoftheamountlostbytheplayers.
125matrimonialagenciesraidedandbrokenup.
4,500,000matrimoniallettersseizedanddestroyed.
1,500,000matrimonialagencies'stocklettersseizedanddestroyed.
1,400,000matrimonialstockphotographsseizedanddestroyed.
500,000 photographs sent to the matrimonial agencies by men and
womenwhowereseekingtheiraffinitiesseizedanddestroyed.
40wagonloadsofmatrimonialliteratureseizedanddestroyed.

110turffraudsraidedandclosed:$8,000,000lostbythepublic.
$20,000 bribe was offered Wooldridge by the turf swindlers to let
themrun,butherefusedtotakeit.
105panelhousesraidedandclosed.
$1,500,000wasstolenannuallyfrom1889toOctober,1896.Atthat
timetherewere64uniformedofficersstationedinfrontofthepanel
houses.DetectivesWooldridgeandSchubertwereassignedtobreak
them,whichwasaccomplishedinthreeweeks'time.
100bucketshopsraidedandclosed;$5,000,000lostthroughthem.
July 31, 1900, Detective Wooldridge, in charge of 50 officers,
arrested 415 men and landed them in the Harrison Street Police
Station,anddismantledthefollowingbucketshops:
10and12Pacificavenue,25Shermanstreet,14Pacificavenue,
10Pacificavenue,210OperaHouseBlock,7Exchangecourt,
19 Lyric Building, and 37 Dearborn street. It was one of the
largest and most sensational raids ever made in Chicago, and
willbelongremembered.
73opiumjointsraidedandclosed;$100,000spent,andhundredsof
personswerewreckedandruinedbytheuseofopium.
75 girls under age rescued from a house of ill fame and a life of
shame, and returned to their parents or guardians, or sent to the


JuvenileSchoolortheHouseofGoodShepherd.
50home-buyingswindlesraidedandclosed;$6,000,000lost.
48palmistsandfortunetellersraidedandclosed;$500,000lost.
45spuriousemploymentagenciesraidedandclosed;$200,000lost.
40boguscharityswindlesraidedandclosed;$300,000lost.
38blindpoolsingrainandstockraidedandclosed;$500,000lost.
35bogusmailorderhousesraidedandclosed;$3,000,000lost.

34sure-thinggamblingdevicesraidedandclosed;$2,500,000lost.
33fraudulentandguaranteecompaniesraidedandclosed;$900,000
lost.
30fraudulentbookconcernsraidedandclosed;$1,000,000lost.
28panel-housekeeperswereindictedandconvicted.
15ownersofthepropertywereindictedandconvicted.
This broke the panel-house keepers' backbone and they never
recoveredtoresumebusinessagain.
Emma Ford, sentenced to the penitentiary April 5, 1902, for
fiveyears.PearlSmith,hersister,sentencedtothepenitentiary
June19,1893,forfiveyears.MaryWhite,May20,1893,for
two years. Flossie Moore, March 27, 1893, for five years.
Seventy-fivethousanddollarsissaidtohavebeenstolenbyher
ineighteenmonths.
$8,000bribewasofferedDetectiveWooldridgetoletFlossieMoore
slipthroughhisfingers.
$3,000 bribe was offered by the same woman for the address of
Sadie Jorden, who was an eye witness of the robbery of E. S.
Johnson,aretiredmerchant,aged74years.
28 wire tappers were raided and closed. These men secured the
quotationsfromtheBoardofTradeandpoolrooms,andhundredsof


thousands of dollars were secured from the speculators who were
victimized;$200,000lost.
27dishonestcollectingagenciesraidedandclosed;$200,000lost.
25swindlingbrokersraidedandclosed;$800,000lost.
23lotteriesraidedandclosed;$1,700,000lost.
$100 per month bribe to run his lottery was offered Detective
Wooldridge, April 21, 1900, by J. J. Jacobs, 217 Dearborn street,

who conducted the Montana Loan & Investment Co. He was
arrestedandfined$1,500byJudgeChetlain,June21,1903.
22promotersraidedandclosed;$1,000,000lost.
22saltedminesandwellcompaniesraidedandclosed; $2,000,000
lost.
20citylotswindlesraidedandclosed;$1,000,000lost.
20spuriousmedicineconcernsraidedandclosed;$300,000lost.
$30,000 worth of poison and bogus medicines seized October 29,
1904,asfollows:
$12,000 worth of spurious medicines seized by Detective
WooldridgefromEdwardKuehmsted,6323Inglesideavenue.
$5,000 worth of spurious drugs seized from J. S. Dean, 6121
Ellisavenue.
$2,500worthofspuriousdrugsseizedfromBurtisB.McCann,
6113Madisonavenue.
$500 worth of spurious drugs seized from J. N. Levy, 356
Dearbornstreet.
$2,000 worth of spurious medicines seized from W. G. Nay,
1452Fultonstreet.


17 women arrested for having young girls under age in a house of
prostitution.
16fraudulenttheateragenciesraidedandclosed;$100,000lost.
15 procurists of young girls for houses of ill fame and prostitution
arrestedandfined.
$8,000 bribe offered Detective Wooldridge, September 27,
1895, by Mary Hastings, who kept a house of prostitution at
128CustomHouseplace.ShewenttoToledo,O.,andsecured
six girls under age and brought them in the house of

prostitution.
Oneofthegirlsescapedinhernightclothesbytyingasheetto
thewindow.Thereweresixinnumber,asfollows:
Lizzie Lehrman, May Casey, Ida Martin, Gertie Harris,
KittieMcCartyandLizzieWinzel.
After Mary Hastings was arrested and she found out that she
could not bribe Wooldridge she gave bonds and fled. Some
monthslatershewasagainarrested,andthecasedraggedalong
fortwoyears.
Thewitnesseswereboughtupandshippedoutofthestate.The
case was stricken off, with leave to reinstate. It is said it cost
her$20,000.
Four notorious negro women, footpads and highway robbers,
arrestedbyDetectiveWooldridge,whosestealingsareestimatedby
thepolicetohavebeenover$200,000.Thefollowingarethenames
ofthewomenarrested:
5mushroombanksraidedandclosed;$500,000lost.
DetectiveWooldridgehasbeenunderfireoverfortytimes,anditissaidthathe
bears a charmed life, and fears nothing. He has met with many hair-breadth
escapes in his efforts to apprehend criminals who, by means of revolver and
otherconcealedweapons,triedtofighttheirwaytoliberty.
Hehasimpersonatedalmosteverykindofcharacter.Hehasinhiscrimehunting


associatedwithmembersofthe"400"andfraternizedwithhobos.Hehasdined
with the elite and smoked in the opium dens; he has done everything that one
expectsadetectiveoffictiontodo,andwhichtherealdetectiveseldomdoes.
Wooldridge,theincorruptible!Thatdescribeshim.Thekeenest,shrewdest,most
indefatigablemanthateverworeadetective'sstar,theequalofLecocqandfar
thesuperiorofthefictitiousSherlockHolmes,themanwhohastimeandagain

achievedtheseeminglyimpossiblewiththemosttremendousoddsagainsthim,
themanwhomight,hadsuchbeenhisdesire,bewealthy,bea"foremostcitizen"
astaintedmoneygoes,hasearnedthetitlegivenhimintheseheadlines.Andif
everanyonemanearnedthistitleitisCliftonR.Wooldridge.
ItisrefreshingtothecitizenshipofAmerica,richandpooralike,tocontemplate
the career of this wonderful man. It fills men with respect for the law, with
confidenceintheadministrationofthelaw,toknowthattherearesuchmenas
Wooldridgeatthehelmofjustice.
Thewriterofthisarticlehasenjoyedintimatepersonalassociationwiththegreat
detective,bothinthecapacityofanewspaperreporter,magazinewriterandantigraftworker.Theinsandoutsofthenatureofthegreatestsecretserviceworker
inChicago,CliftonR.Wooldridge,havebeentomeanopenbook.AndwhenI
callhimWooldridge,theincorruptible,IknowwhereofIspeak.
I have seen him when all the "influences" (and they are the same "influences"
which have been denounced all over the country of late) were brought to bear
upon him, when even his own chiefs were inclined to be frightened, but no
"influence" from any source, howsoever high, has ever availed to swerve him
oneinchfromthepathofduty.

CANNOTBEBRIBED.
He has been offered bribes innumerable; but in each and every instance the
would-bebriberhaslearnedaveryunpleasantlesson.Forthisman,whomight
beworthalmostanythinghewished,isbynomeansaffluent.Buthehaskepthis
name untarnished and his spirit high through good fortune and through bad,
throughevilreputeandgood.
Wooldridgedoesnotknowthemeaningofalie.Alieissomethingsoforeignto
his nature that he has trouble in comprehending how others can see profit in
falsifying.Ithasbeenhiscardinalprinciplethroughlifethatliarsalwayscometo


abadendfinally.Andhehasseenhishealthyestimateoflifevindicated,bothin

thehighcirclesoffrenziedfinanceandinthelowlevelsofsneak-thievery.

TREMENDOUSAMOUNTOFWORKDONE.
ButthemostremarkablethingtomeaboutWooldridgeistheworkhehasdone.
Considerforamomenttherecordwhichheadsthisarticle.Couldanythingshout
forththetremendousenergyofthemaninanyplainerterms?Therearemenin
the same line of work with Wooldridge, who have been in the service for the
same length of time, who have not made one arrest where he has made
thousands.
Twenty thousand arrests in twenty years of service, a thousand arrests every
year,onanaverage.Athousandget-rich-quickconcerns,victimizingmorethana
million people, raided and put out of business; thirteen thousand one hundred
convictions; hundreds upon hundreds of wine rooms, gambling houses,
bucketshops, opium joints, houses of ill fame, turf frauds, bogus charity
swindles, policy shops, matrimonial agencies, fraudulent guarantee companies,
spurious medicine concerns, thieving theater agencies and mushroom banks
broughttothebarofjusticeandmadetoexpiatetheircrimes.
That is the record of the almost inconceivable work done by Clifton R.
Wooldridge on the Chicago police force. The figures are almost appalling in
theirgreatness.Itishardforthemindtocomprehendhow anyonemancould
haveachievedallthisvastamountoflabor,evenifheworkedtwenty-fourhours
a day all the time. And yet it is the bare record of the "big" work done by
Wooldridge,asidefromhisroutine.

LIFEHISTORYOFWOOLDRIDGE.
DetectiveWooldridgefromMarch,1898,untilApril5,1907,wasattachedtothe
office of the General Superintendent of Police and worked out of his office.
During that time over 1,200 letters and complaints were referred to him for
investigationandaction.
April5,1907,DetectiveWooldridgewasrelievedofthisworkandtransferred,

andcrusadeandexterminationoftheget-rich-quickconcernsceased.
September20,1889,DetectiveWooldridgewasplacedinchargeoftwenty-five
pickeddetectives,whowereplacedinchargeofthesuppressionofhand-books


and other gambling in Chicago. He remained in charge of this detail for three
years.
OnDecember13,1890,attheresidenceofCharlesPartdridge,Michiganavenue
andThirty-secondstreet,whilethreedesperateburglarsweretryingtoeffectan
entranceintothehouse,DetectiveWooldridgeespiedthemandinhisattemptto
arrestthemwasfireduponbythetrio.Oneshotpassedthroughhiscap,clipping
offalockofhishairandgrazinghisscalp.Thenextshotstruckhimsquarelyin
thebuckleofhisbelt,whichsavedhislife.

NUMBERLESSHAIR-BREADTHESCAPES.
August20,1891,hemetwithanothernarrowescapeatThirtiethandDearborn
streets, while attempting to arrest Nathan Judd, a crazed and desperate colored
man.Juddthrewabrickathim,strikinghimoverhislefttemple,andinflictinga
woundtwoincheslong.
Judd was shot through the thigh, and afterwards was sent to the house of
correctionforoneyear.
Detective Wooldridge, alone in a drenching rainstorm at 4 o'clock on the
morningofJune23,1892,atMichiganavenueandMadisonstreet,intercepted
threehorsethievesandhold-upmeninabuggytryingtomaketheirescape.
Atthepointofarevolverhecommandedthemtohalt.Astheyapproachedhim
noattentionwaspaidtohim,ortowhathewassaying.Seizingthebridleofthe
horse,hewasdraggednearlyablockbeforethehorsewaschecked.Atwentypoundhorseweightwashurledathimbyoneoftherobbers,whichjustmissed
hishead.Anotheroneoftherobbersleapeduponthehorseandrainedblowafter
blowuponhisheadwiththebuggywhip.
DetectiveWooldridgeshotthismanintheleg;hejumpedoffthehorseandmade

good his escape while Wooldridge was engaged in a desperate hand to hand
encounterwiththeothertworobbers.Wooldridgeknockedbothsenselesswith
the butt of his revolver. They were taken to the police station and gave their
namesasJohnCrosbyandJohnMcGinis.Bothwerefoundguiltyamonthlater
andsenttothepenitentiarybyJudgeBaker.

SAVESWOMENANDCHILDRENINFIRE.