The New York herald., 1870-03-27
BLACKMAILERS AND BROTHELS.
Trouble at the Tombs-How Much it Costs to
''Fix" Case Close Of the Davies Inves-
tigation-D Dismissal Of the Case.

The allegations that floating about that the po
lice blackmail prostitutes was lifted from the vague
ness OF public rumor into kind Of judicial inquiry
ut the Court OF Special Sessions yesterday before
Justices Ledwith Scout and McQuade The court
was crowded In every part IN expectation that this
case would be heard, and among the officials present
was Mr.. Assistant District Attorney Fellows
On Saturday last Mr.. Spencer applied for an ad-
yournment OF the hearing, until yesterday, OF a
charge OF keeping dlsorderly house, against a
Mrs. Mary Davies, OF lat Wooster street. partly on
the ground tina. he might have an opportunity Of
proving dispr0ying this charge OF attempted black
mail. The al j0urnment was granted, and yesterday
1t came for 1nal hearing. The disposition OF the
case and tie evidence adduced leaves the truthful
ness OF the charge certainly in considerable doubt
Mary Green examined Dy Assistant District Attor-
ncy Blunt was the first witness sworn. She said
l reside at 167 Greene street; know the prisoner
al the bar, Mary Davies u IL cruising" house, .
house OF prostitution, where grlS bring men; /
have seen men go In there; fighting went on twice
while / was there; there was plenty OF noise, but
no dancng was Kept open until one O'Clock IN the
morning.
Cross-examincd by Mr.. Spencsr-It Is one block
from the defendants house where / llve;I went to
i've at aeiendants house last September and left
the lst OF March; 1t was December when c0m-
plant against this house was heard before Justice
Cox; did not near the sergeant say that when an
other Justice on the bench ne would have the
defendant arrested again; came here from house
Sergeant klllalee, OF Jefferson Market Police
Court sad-I know the premises ia Wooster street;
on the 9th Of March warrant was Issued by Justice
0th Of March, about hafpast eleven O'Clock at
night, went, with some officers, to this house and
arrested all the parties found IN the house; among
them was Mary Davies; when arrested her she
said she was very SICK. and said 10 me. "l' give
back TOOK her to ia ON house and
when there she became very sick, and asked me not
to put her in the box; l allowed her TO SIT in my
room; while she was there Cousel!or Steiner came
TO the court and went Into the room; from the time
put her into the room until the time took her out
.Cross-examlned by Mr.. Spencer-I know Ida VIII
linms; don't know whether she has been arrested
or not; never said that when another Judge got
on the bench would have her pulled again.
Detective Oicer Dunn said that hc had been In the
district since last Christmas oil he knew was that
the house was on the police books as house OF as
This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Spencer said he moved at this point for the
dismissal OF this complaint for the prosecution had
utterly failed to prove the truth OF their complaint.
Assistant District Attorney Blunt said that Mr..
Spencer said last Saturday that the sergeant and the
counsel, who was IN court had offered to c0mpro-
mise this case with the defendant on the payment OF
Mrs Davies sald:--On the 9th OF March the SER
geant and some police officers came to my house
and made some arrests; the sergeant took me "
sergeant said to mo, "This affair w0n't amount to
much II you'll give me fifty dollars 1T won't amount
to anythlng;i Mr.. steiner came to me, and after
some talk / told him had not been doing anything.
Mr.. Steiner replied that ne could have 1t fixed up
ior % me m ior s7, as ms ieeI would be extra; dc.
sick whilst she was at my house; she went to the
hospital and paid the expenses whilst she was
there; was taken previous TO this arrest before
Justice Cox for keeping dlsorderly house; he dis
missed The complaint; had there witness
named Ida Williams; saw her last night she went
out and mas not come home; don't know where
she -, whether she has been arrested or not;
after the dismissal OF that complaint the sergeant
said that he would pun us again before another
Judge; ne said that TO me and To Ida Williams.
Cro3s-examined by Mr.. Blunt-I have lived at the
same house five or six years, and never IN any
trouble; the house Is in the Eighth ward was not
sick nor did tell the sergeant was sick; was
locked up In the cell at the station house; the SER
geanL visited me about seven O'Clock the next morn
ing; he took me from the cell to the Police Court
and took me into side room; he then told me If
would give him fifty dollars he would fix it up for
me: refused to give II to him, ana told him had
done nothing for which l ought to pay; counsel
Steiner came to ME afterwards and said that
seventy-1ve dollars would fix it, ANA that his fees
would be extra.
Judge Ledwith called Mr.. Steiner, who stated the
circumstances as already given, but SAID that he
offered to defend Mrs. Davies Tor fifty dollars lie
stayed In the room about half an hour, and The SER
geant was not there all the time. He never offered
10 give the sergeant any part OF his fees
Judge Ledwih The Court discharges yoa, Mary
nu,