(SUE: This page was not numbered, nor did 1189 have any information online. I used 1189 as a working number.)
[illegible marginalia]
The Municipal Court of Chicago
Nov. 20, 1922.
Prof. H. H. Laughlin,
Cold Springs Harbor.
Dear Mr. Laughlin -
I have delayed answering your letter for a few days in order to make inquiries about the black list of disqualified bondsmen.
It appears that the name of a surety who has no intention to defeat justice may get on this list, as for instance when the accused is fined, whether present at the trial or not, and no effort is made by the City Prosecutor to collect the fine from the surety, if it be a city case. This accounts for a certain number, and is really due to laxness on the part of a city official.
Probably also there may be a few who intend no offense whose names go on when the amount of their previous bonds equals the value of their property.
It is not possible to say how many fall into each class. Probably most of them have bad bonds forfeited and unpaid, or have been detected in perjury, or some other irregularity which induces a judge to act. I am sorry that I cannot be more explicit.
Very sincerely yours,
[signed Herbert Harley]