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.