The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-17
THE PREVENTION Of CRIME.
MEETING YESTERDAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE IN.
vRsTIGATIoN COMMITTEE

MEETING YESTERDAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE M
vEsTIaATIoN COMMITTEE.
The Assembly committee appointed TO investi.
gate the condition oil crime IN New York city, Is
increase ami the means to check IT, met yesterday
afternoon In the Aldermen's old meeting room Ia
the City HAIL The following members OF the COM
mlttee were present:-Messrs. Campbell, Nc
Gowan, Dessar Hess and Hustled. Mr.. Campbell
was IN the chair. Jonn r. Townsend acted as
counsel for the committee. Proceedings began,
after three O'Clock. BY the
EXAMINATION OF MR.. WILLIAM A.. MARTINoT,
VINO gave evidence substantially as follows Am
priva'e detective, having IA ONCE at No. 800
Broadway; served some time IN the police fore e
Ger IN the army; served In the police una er Cap
talns Williamson, Matssll aud Burden; my duties,
were, among other things, TO suppress gamb-
ling hou-es ana houses Of prostitution; a
gambling or panel house cannot exist forty EIGHT
known 70 the police; believe no panel house could
b. opened without the protection or knowledge
houses in me precinct 10 Captain Burden, vet
afGerward found them running. The witness
here accurately defined
WHAT PANEL HOUSE rs.
Panel houses, ne SAID, have existed within
three weeEs-0ne at No. 10T West rweuty-fourta
street. kept by John Hogan; one in No l2s West
Twenty- sev enth street run by Nenis Hay: one &c
the corner or TwentY-Uurth street and Sixth
avenue owned oy James smith; one az No 437
sixth avenue, directed by Lover Joe,n and others
at toe corner OF sixth avenue and Twenty seventh
street, No. lO4 West Tweuty-seventa street,
ana Nos. 40 and 46l sixth avenue; before OEen-
lag these houses the prOprietors must make .'ar-
rangemen tsh with the Captain and police of1cers
OF the district IN whlcn tney are located; Cap
tam Burden was well aware OF the existence OF
these houses IN MS district; as general rule the
pr0prletOrs oil them paid tue Captains S15 per
week. Or mar Of all tney could Make Tie VIII
ness gave Otner testimony Of similar character In
regard to sneak thieves, gambling houses. &c.
Mr.. Townsend read communication rom the
Fifteenth Ward Clrizens' Protective Association.
THIS document set forth mat auieL law
ABIDING CT zens and property owners were
tand arel greatly damaged, morally as
Wen as materially from the bad example
existence OF houses oil prostitution, gambling nens
ana such like places that are we'll known 10 the
pOtce, who no ever make no efiort TO put stop
u tne crylng-out evil complained OF. The docu-
mcnt, wDicn was originally addressed 10 District
Attorney Phelps. under date " December ~ 1873,
bears the signatures OF ninety-six respectable
citizens, many OF them proprletors IN the Fiji
teenth waru. saws that Zine
low, pIsEEPCTABLE CHARACTERS
lately indicted Tor immoral ana leWd practices
(wn0se names ana addresses are Kept on the
books OF ne Fifteenth police prectncU. nave again
returned 10 manY.of the houses from whence they
had been expelled, and stu continue TO disturb
ana seriously nJure the good people Of the neigh
borhood.u
ii seems that this formidable representation
was not given much consideration bY lhe District
Attorney, ami on the Atm Oh April, 1874, the 9TH
zens' Association once again addressed MI.
Phelps, who, two days aiterward, IN a note OF
three lines, expressed MS Willingness 70 receive
a delegation from the organization. On tue sth
OF May, 1874, the pficers OF the Citizens Associa-
ton addressed 4 third letter 70 Mr. phelps upon
the subject OF their grievances ana asked 10 20
before the Grand Jury. This, 1t seems, they sub
sequently dld, ana carried tue mater 20 Albany,
(cnlenyl, tie present committee was appointed.
After reaaIng the papers above alluded 10 the
committee agreed 10 adjourn untll next Iuesday Y,
at three O'Clock p. NJ. when they Will again as
semUle In the same place