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Reporter Harry Thompson Brundidge of the St. Louis Star entered a grand jury room in Chicago last week, remained three hours to elaborate on his printed stories that many Chicago newsmen, like the murdered "Jake" Lingle of the Tribune, are actually, racketeers (TIME. June 23. et seq.). As he emerged Reporter Brundidge was met by a hostile group of Chicago newshawks. What had been his testimony? Reporter Brundidge was sorry, he could not answer. Then Reporter Hilding Johnson of the Herald & Examiner asked:
"Were you arrested in Kansas City for stealing a suitcase?"
Brundidge: I've heard that story for 20 years and the next man who asks me that question will get a punch in the nose.
Johnson: Well, I'm asking it now.
Brundidge did not reply. He returned to St. Louis where several nights later his office was ransacked. It was said that several Chicago newshawks had been assigned the job of digging up "lowdown" on his past.