The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-06
How Panel Thieves Were Pro-
tected in the Eighth Ward.
THE CROOKED" POLICE BUSINESS EXPLAINED.
Testimony of Sergeant Groo Before the
Police Commissioners.
A VERY BLIND DETECTIVE

ing in the Police Department has been the cause
OF an activity at the Central once seldom II evel
before witnessed. Yesterday was typical day o
this activity. From ten O'Clock in the morning
until SIX in the afternoon the Board OF Commits
Bioners with the exception OF General Smith, who
pleaded other businessl sat in the court room try
ing cases. The most important one on the docket
was that OF Captain williams OF the Fourth pre-
clnct, which occupied the greater part or the
time. Yet it showed at the adjournment very 1T
Tie progress, and from present prospects two OF
three further sessions must elapse before the
guilt or innocence OF the defendant on the dam
aging charges preferred is established.
Shortly after ten O'Clock the case was called.
Counsellor Mclean answered for the prosecution,
and Captain Williams, fortified behind dozen
large volumes OF police botters announced his
Intention TO personally conduct the defence.
he'folowing charges and specifications, based
upon the testimony given before the Legislative
Committee on Crime, were then read, 10 which
the defendant entered plea OF "Not guity.n
/ hereby charge Captain Alexander :. williams OF the
Fourth precinct with conduct un6ecomng an eheer;-
SPECIFICATIONS
,sI P this 70 IT, aS 9s m ana a9Tag the years
EIghth precinct and during the same time patroiman
procurement Of tine said Alexander 5 Williams detailed
to special duty IN said precinct and commonly called
precinct detective ana was continued III SAID service
during the year last AFORESAID
under his III aints and reports
o. roooeres e0n b PSn9l houses ana OF me ex-
ported to the said Josiah c. 1erwilhger and
officers, ana directed that such should be
tered the botter That during years last above
% Of ber ee
AT the station house. and among them the following,
NovExRER %, Is7a-Report Of two young men from
Philadelphia robbed OF $40 each IN panel house at 70
70 Greene street Case referred 10 said Ierwlser No
FEBRuAIY 4 is74-Report of panel house opened AT No
sS Mercer street. that 50 was gwen 10 SAID 4erWhger
FEIE1ARY 10 ls74.-RepOrt Of man robbed Of $50 in
panel house No lS Mercer street Case given to Terwi
FrnRu1RY q Is54 Report Of robbed Of $40 in
Terwliger NJ arrests wsl e. made roat in
panel he use No Jas Mercer street Case given 10 said
1erwilpger. No arrests were made
and e5sn IN Dane house 10 4s Mercer street Case re-
eh iIs Of Bayd of No
t2s broadway, ROBBED OF slo IN panel house No LAY
make complaint against me parties II arrested but the
was given TO Terwger 10 work up and no arrests
MARCH s ls7A-Report by a man who declined to give
that robbed OF SIC in panel house No
143 Mercer street Case was givea to and no
M4Fsa - IsA1Rsgort Of man robbed ed. Of :'5 81. in
pge aoois o S arrests tsS we're made
M1Rcn IL, Is74-Report OF man from Cleveland,
street Case was gwen 70 Terwiilser, Who arranged
W. ne maH 20 60 meme eT SnS sVO "oa DC sent am
MARCH 70, is71-Report that Franklin Lewis of
at No los Wooster street Case gwen 10 Ter~lhger
10
MHRca a, is7i-Report of man nom Chicago who
robbed of $50 in panel house at No. los Wooster
That said Alex ande- $ Williams informed Of each
mn lawful acts and omission Of duty by said Terwrer
IN not making arrests OF the guilty parties and eyadng
against take other measures 70 discipline and punish
IS Seeond-That the said Alexander S Williams during
the years last aforesaid had full knowedEe and in
the said Eighth precinct to wit premises 10 g Green
were kept and used for many months during those
years by ewd women for the purpose Of robbery and
neglect and disregard OF his fny IN the premises
any any Hp proceednSs wnateSer 10 punish the offending
parties or 70 break up ana close the and
criminal GEORGE ". WILLING, superintendent
The first witness called was Sergeant John X.
Groo, OF the Seventh precinct, who testified
Twas formerly a sergeant in the Eighth precinct
under Captain williams; received positive orders
rom Captain williams TO always refer all reports
OF robberies in panel houses and all reports OF the
existence Of panel houses in the precinct either
10 the Captain or TO Detective Terwiliger; unless
countenanced, neusss OF THIS character could not
exist twenly-iour hours In the precinct before
they would be broken up the places named IN
the SPECIFICATIONS were not included IN the list OF
disorderiy houses submitted 10 Headquarters IN
1873; they were not entered on the DlOtter at the
EtarlOn house because OF the Captains imperative
orders TO the contrary; nave no positive knowl-
edge that money was ever paid by the keepers OF
these places TO either Williams or IerWihger, out
have understood so.
The Witness then reclted the places already
mentioned as the ones OF wnicn no record mad
been made By him, under the Captains iDstruc-
tons
Groo continued One night while on patrol
duty, was accosted by Mr.. Corkrane, a Police
Headquarters newspaper reporter WAC informed
me that a man nae been ROBBED OF a watch ana
chain in the panel house No. 143 Mercer street;
Immediately afterward ne pointed OuL TO me the
victim; walked up Broadway with Mr.. CorKrane,
and he pointed out the girl VINO committed the
robbery also few DAYS afterward Captain VII
Hams asked me about the case, and In strong Ian
toll al na Tf nj no IA
cInct and wanted me 20 attend 20 my own bust
ness; asked the captain what coarse should
pursue in cases where ] was Informed OF panei
robberles; se replied that he dio not want TO
break up panel houses ust then.
CaptaIa Williams mere undertook the crcss-eX-
animation, taking up each individual case men,
uOued In the specifications and closely pressing
the witness as TO the dates, circumstances, &C.,
asking in each case similar questions, and snow
ing by the station house olotters that the witness
was incorrect as regards the dates. The afidavit
made by Gro0 sets iorth That on November %,
1875, several men were sent up from the station IN
civilians clothing 70 arrest street walking fe-
Dloster showed tha5 on the DAY IN question but
one arrest Rad been made ana tnat was Tor Intox-
Each case was taken Up ana the entries on the
blotters examined, by wnicu " appeared that Ia
every instance wnere Sergeant Groo stated tnat
he had received information OF panel roDoeries,
while at the desk, ne nad stated incorrectly.
The Sergeant explained the discrepancy by say
ing tnat he was not positive as 10 the correctness
OF the dates. lie might have received the tnforma
ton in each case while on parol GUY or while on
The witness admitted IN each instance 20 Aave
violated the rules or the department winch re
CURED entries or roDherle9 20 be made on the
botter, and pleaded as MS Justification the direct
orders 81 ms superior 0nlcer, Captain Whlams.
The witness denominaJed the police business o
the Eignth precinct under Williams captaincy as
"crooked" throughout. lie lGrool had ialled e
DO MS duty because he care not DO 70. For the
SAM reason be noQ alled 20 report the doiags o
Captain Williams 20 tne superintendent or ans
Of the Inspectors, lie was positive That he re
ported 20 captain WlulamB every case OF robbery
mat came TO mas KnuWle4ge. The memoranda OF the
dates made at the time ne was compelled TO admit
were Incorrect, es the ,Otter the best evl-
dence. Had he known az the time that all the
facts would be mace known Ia the future a. they
nave been he would have been accurate as 20 al
the dates and accompanying circumstances.
AT she close OF tae discrimination, when
lasted until Aafpast i've p. NJ, Captain Williams
ssEed permission OF Tie Board 20 20 into the
character or the witness, when was granted.
In answer 80 numerous questions on this point
Sergeant Groo stated that ne nad been dismissed
III IA. M lnr Il H..