Daniel A. Gilbert

Daniel A. Gilbert
Gilbert, c. 1920
Personal details
Born(1889-08-31)August 31, 1889
DiedJuly 31, 1970(1970-07-31) (aged 80)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseElizabeth Courtney
Children1

Daniel A. Gilbert (August 31, 1889 – July 31, 1970) was an American police officer and politician who was active in Cook County, Illinois's law enforcement from 1917 to 1950, and referred to as the world's richest police officer due to his net worth of $360,000. He unsuccessfully ran for Cook County Sheriff with the Democratic nomination in 1950.

Entering the workforce at age 11, Gilbert was elected secretary-treasurer for his local affiliate of the Baggage and Parcel Delivery Drivers Union and later controlled multiple Teamsters locals. He became a police officer for the Chicago Police Department in 1917, and rose to captain by 1926. State's Attorney Thomas J. Courtney selected him to serve as chief investigator in 1932, and Gilbert held the position, with a brief interruption in 1935, until his resignation in 1950.

Jacob Arvey had the Democratic nomination for sheriff given to Gilbert in 1950, despite opposition from U.S. Senators Scott W. Lucas and Paul Douglas. Gilbert's testimony before the Kefauver Committee was leaked and Gilbert's defeat was blamed for other Democratic losses on the ballot, including that of Lucas.

Early life

Daniel Gilbert was born on August 31, 1889,[1][2] and was the oldest of eight children.[3] He was given the nickname "Tubbo" due to his large size.[4] He married Elizabeth Courtney, with whom he had one child.[5][3][6]

At age 11 Gilbert claimed to be 14 so that he could become a wagon boy for Marshall Field's and became a member of Local 725 of the Baggage and Parcel Delivery Drivers Union.[3] He was elected secretary-treasurer of Local 725 in 1913,[7][8] defeating incumbent Henry L. Deike, who was shot during the campaign.[9] The police questioned Gilbert, M.J. Ross (the president of the union), and Charles Applequist,[10] but they were exonerated for the shooting.[11] George William Bliss stated that Gilbert controlled seven Teamsters locals by 1938 and that union leaders reported directly to him.[7][12]

Law enforcement

Gilbert applied to be a police driver for the Chicago Police Department in 1912, and listed his birthdate as August 31, 1885, due to the age requirement of 24. He gave his actual birthdate when he applied again in 1914, but his first submission remained his officially recognized birthdate. He later had it officially changed to 1889 to avoid a forced retirement.[2][8] Gilbert became a police officer on April 6, 1917, and was promoted to sergeant on May 6, 1922, lieutenant on August 2, 1924, and captain on January 25, 1926.[13][14] In May 1920, Gilbert and W.H. Beehan arrested 12 people and recovered $12,050 (equivalent to $189,137 in 2024) worth of property, the most for both categories that month in Chicago.[15] From 1931 to December 5, 1932, he served as a supervising captain.[16]

Commissioner James P. Allman reorganized the police department on July 30, 1932. The uniformed division was separated and divided into six districts, each with its own supervisor, across Chicago. Gilbert was made supervisor of the 5th district.[17][18]

State's Attorney Thomas J. Courtney selected Gilbert to replace chief investigator Pat Roche starting December 5, 1932.[19][8] Commissioner James P. Allman appointed Gilbert to replace Ira J. McDowell as head of the uniformed division on Chicago police department on April 4, 1935, making him one of the highest-ranking officials.[20] However, Gilbert returned to his position as chief investigator on July 13.[21] Gilbert was the head of the police investigation into the kidnapping of John Factor's son,[22] for which Roger Touhy claimed that he was "railroaded" by Gilbert,[23] and the manhunt for John Dillinger occurred during his tenure.[24]

Political boss George E. Brennan was a friend of Gilbert and he was a pallbearer at Brennan's funeral in 1928.[25] In 1940, Oscar Nelson, the Republican nominee for Cook County State's Attorney, claimed that Gilbert met Frank Nitti in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the previous year and played golf on a daily basis; Gilbert denied the allegations.[26][27]

Newspapers referred to Gilbert as the world's richest police officer.[28][3][7] His salary as chief investigator for the Cook County state's attorney was $9,000 (equivalent to $164,808 in 2024) per year.[7] Gilbert claimed to have received his first stock tip in 1921, and his net worth rose to $98,000 by 1929 (equivalent to $1,794,578 in 2024), but fell to $15,000 (equivalent to $274,680 in 2024) after the Wall Street crash of 1929.[29] A report conducted during Clinton Anderson's tenure as United States Secretary of Agriculture showed that Gilbert was profiting from grain market speculation.[8] Gilbert claimed to have earned $10,000-12,000 from gambling in 1936.[29]

On November 15, 1938, Gilbert was among 63 people and 34 companies indicted for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act by conspiring to fix the prices and create an artificial scarcity in the ice cream and milk industries.[30][31] Gilbert pled not guilty[32] and the charges against 43 people and 14 corporations were dismissed on July 13, 1939, by Judge Charles Edgar Woodward.[33][34] The charges against the remaining people and companies were dismissed on September 16, 1940.[35]

Theodore Dalpe filed a $50,000 (equivalent to $1,130,263 in 2024) lawsuit against Gilbert, John R. McWhorter, and six investigators on November 21, 1939, claiming that the defendants had assaulted and detained him without probable cause from January 28 to February 1, 1938. Dalpe was convicted on April 4, 1938, for receiving stolen property, but the Supreme Court of Illinois reversed the decision on June 30, 1938.[36] Dalpe's wife Bernice filed an additional $50,000 lawsuit against the same defendants on January 25, 1940, claiming their furs and jewelry were illegally seized and that she was beaten and held for 12 hours without food.[37] On November 5, 1941, a jury awarded Dalpe $1 for the charges against McWhorter, but the other defendants were found not guilty.[38] The defendants for Bernice Dalpe's lawsuit were found not guilty on June 24, 1943.[39]

In October 1940, Elmer Williams's magazine Lightnin' published an article which accused Gilbert of being a part of an organization stealing fur clothing. The state of Illinois filed criminal libel charges, which was rarely used, against Williams.[40] Gilbert was cross-examined for hours.[41] However, Williams was acquitted on June 6, 1941, after the jury deliberated for 20 minutes.[42]

1950 sheriff election

Political boss Jacob Arvey pushed for Gilbert's nomination as Cook County Sheriff.
Gilbert's defeat was blamed for causing Scott W. Lucas to lose in the concurrent U.S. Senate election.

Democratic boss Jacob Arvey had the Democratic nomination for Cook County Sheriff given to Gilbert and later stated that he blundered by doing that.[43] U.S. Senators Scott W. Lucas and Paul Douglas opposed his nomination. Lucas wrote that Paul Douglas attempted to persuade the Cook County machine to select somebody other than Gilbert.[44] On January 19, 1950, Gilbert was given a year's leave of absence as police regulations prohibited police officers from taking part in political campaigns.[45] Gilbert was in California from August to September 13, as he was attempting to recover from hay fever.[46][47]

Vice President Alben W. Barkley endorsed Gilbert,[48] but Douglas refused to campaign for him[49] and the Chicago Sun-Times, which usually endorsed Democrats, endorsed John E. Babb instead.[50][51] Arvey was concerned by the lack of newspaper support for Gilbert.[52] Gilbert spent $45,000 (equivalent to $588,112 in 2024) of his own money putting up billboards.[53]

The Republicans initially nominated J. Malachy Coughlan, but selected John E. Babb after Coughlan died on August 25, 1950.[54] The Chicago Crime Commission offered to host a televised debate between the two candidates,[55] which Babb accepted, but Gilbert declined. Higher on the ballot, Lucas declined to debate Everett Dirksen, his Republican opponent.[56] The two candidates met for a radio broadcast moderated by Kermit Eby on November 5.[57]

During Gilbert's testimony at Estes Kefauver's committee in 1950, he estimated his own net worth at $360,000 (equivalent to $4,704,896 in 2024), claiming that it was due to investment tips from friends and sports and election gambling.[58] He admitted during the hearing that his gambling activities were not legal[59] stating "Well, no. No, it is not legal. No." when asked by Rudolph Halley.[60] Journalist Ray Brennan was able to gain access to the confidential transcripts of the committee hearing after posing as an office manager. A story on Gilbert's testimony was published by the Chicago Sun-Times on November 2.[60]

A July 1941 sheet showing $24,480 (equivalent to $523,329 in 2024) in bribery payouts by the gambling syndicate managed by Jake Guzik, Murray Humphreys, Nitti, and Edward David Vogel listed $4,000 going to an individual named "Tub". Gilbert's political opponents attacked him, citing the closeness of Tub and his nickname Tubbo.[61] Babb also attacked him for the 1,038 unsolved murders in Cook County.[62]

Gilbert's defeat was alleged to have caused other Democratic candidates to have lost due to voters using straight ballot tickets. Lucas lost reelection in the concurrent U.S. Senate election and the Republicans gained control of the Sanitary District.[59] Arvey stated that Gilbert's defeat had affected other Democratic candidates and retired as chair of the Cook County Democratic Party.[28] This was the only time that Gilbert ran for elected office.[7]

Later life

Gilbert resigned as chief investigator a day after losing the sheriff election and retired from the police department a few days later.[63] He received a job as security chief at Arlington Park, which was owned by Democratic-aligned businessman Benjamin F. Lindheimer.[64] His brother, Maurice Gilbert, held the same position since 1948, while on leave from the Chicago Police Department due to bad health and business reasons.[63]

Gilbert was injured on February 9, 1960, after a tree fell on his golf cart while he was golfing in Palm Springs, California.[65] He suffered a heart attack in July 1963,[66] was hospitalized at Wesley Memorial Hospital in July 1964,[67] and his wife was made conservator of his estate in November.[66] He died on July 31, 1970, at Wesley Memorial Hospital.[3] His funeral was attended by Arvey, Richard J. Daley,[7] and Joseph D. Keenan.[68]

References

  1. ^ Birthday 1936.
  2. ^ a b Retire 1948.
  3. ^ a b c d e Death 1970.
  4. ^ Barnhart 1999, p. 86.
  5. ^ Marriage 1909.
  6. ^ Courtney 1983.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Grossman 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d Birth 1949.
  9. ^ Shooting 1913.
  10. ^ Question 1913.
  11. ^ Exonerated 1913.
  12. ^ Bliss 1954.
  13. ^ Promoted 1922.
  14. ^ Career 1935.
  15. ^ Record 1920.
  16. ^ Peterson 1952, p. 261.
  17. ^ Reorganize 1932.
  18. ^ District 1932.
  19. ^ Roche 1932.
  20. ^ Head 1935.
  21. ^ Return 1935.
  22. ^ Kidnapping 1933.
  23. ^ Touhy 1957.
  24. ^ Dillinger 1934.
  25. ^ Boss 1928.
  26. ^ Nitti 1940.
  27. ^ Deny 1940.
  28. ^ a b Arvey Retire 1950.
  29. ^ a b Kefauver 1951, p. 59.
  30. ^ Milk 1938.
  31. ^ Milk Names 1938.
  32. ^ Not Guilty 1938.
  33. ^ Dismiss 1939.
  34. ^ Dismiss 2 1939.
  35. ^ Final Dismiss 1939.
  36. ^ Dalpe 1939.
  37. ^ Dalpe Wife 1940.
  38. ^ Jury 1941.
  39. ^ Bernice 1943.
  40. ^ Fur 1941.
  41. ^ Examine 1941.
  42. ^ Acquit 1941.
  43. ^ Barnhart 1999, pp. 86–87.
  44. ^ Deason 2002, p. 42.
  45. ^ Leave 1950.
  46. ^ Hay Fever 1950.
  47. ^ Return 1950.
  48. ^ Barkley 1950.
  49. ^ Peterson 1952, p. 256.
  50. ^ Sun 1950.
  51. ^ Sun 1952.
  52. ^ Support 1950.
  53. ^ Own Money 1950.
  54. ^ Peterson 1952, p. 259.
  55. ^ Debate 1950.
  56. ^ No Debate 1950.
  57. ^ Eby 1950.
  58. ^ Merriner 2004, pp. 156–157.
  59. ^ a b Peterson 1952, p. 263.
  60. ^ a b Deason 2002, p. 45.
  61. ^ Tubbo 1950.
  62. ^ Murder 1950.
  63. ^ a b Peterson 1952, p. 264.
  64. ^ Barnhart 1999, p. 87.
  65. ^ Golf 1960.
  66. ^ a b Conserve 1964.
  67. ^ Hospital 1964.
  68. ^ Funeral 1970.

Works cited

Books

  • Barnhart, Bill (1999). Kerner: The Conflict of Intangible Rights. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252025040.
  • Kefauver, Estes (1951). Crime in America. Greenwood Publishing Group.
  • Merriner, James (2004). Grafters and Goo Goos: Corruption and Reform in Chicago, 1833-2003. Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 0809325713.
  • Peterson, Virgil (1952). Barbarians in Our Midst: A History of Chicago Crime and Politics. Atlantic Monthly Press.

Journal

Newspapers

Web

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