The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-18
TRYING CAPTAIN WILLIAMS.
WHAT HE KNEW amour THE GAMBLING
ROOMS IN BROdDWAK

James Kearncy, an athletic ex-policeman,
with blue eyes and light-brown moustache
was complainant against Capt Alexander s.
Williams before the full Board OF Police Com
missioners yesterday morning He testified
that on tho evening OF March g. he lost 81. so a.
play in gambling house 1 237 Broadway. He
went from the gambling house TO the Thirtcth
street police station and told his story to acting
Sergeant Wallace. who was at the desk. Ser
geant Wallace referred him to Capt Williams.
When the Captain came in he repeated his story
TO him. Capt Williams asked him. the witness
continued:
" Did you ever win any money in a gambling
house and complain Of that2"
The witness said he had not
Well, there is tho door. Got through IL.
When you win $500 or $500 come hero and com
plain and I'll pull the place"
TO ex-Unitcd States District Attorney Bliss.
ono Of Capt. Wiams's lawyers. Koarney tcsti
fed that he had not thought Of making COM
plnint against the Captain until he happened to
read of other complaints made against him.
This was why he delayed making tho complaint
until March II. Tho money he lost was his
own. The way he came to know that 1 237
Broadway was gambling house was that a
friend Of his Thomas Murphy had told him IL
was He was n ear driver on the Third avenue
line for several years. but had been out Of en-
plOyment over four months On Dec. %. 1873
he was sentenced to the pcnitcntiary on
Blnckwel's Island on conviction Of assault and
battery Ho had not been put of the police
of being absent without leave. Mr.. Bliss sought
to draw from the witness that he was at
avenue. on the evening Of Murch 10. This was
prior TO the time he lodged his complaint
against Capt, Williams. The witness said he
-" We're you not there with Michae Dunn ?"
uhC complainant In another case against Capt.
.."W6at Is it you arc. trying to provc2" asked
Mr.. MncLean counsel to the Commissioners.
Bliss replied. We want to snow That S his COM
plnint was got up by MCMILLAN a detailed ON,
Ger Of one Of the Commissioners Of this Board
on redirect examination, Kearney said that
when hc entered Capt. Williams's station to
make complaint, colorcd man came in--the
same that he had seen IN the gambling house.
The colored man nodded TO the Sergeant at tho
desk. the Sergeant nodded toward the Captain 5
door, the colored man went to the door and nod
ded TO the Captain, and the Captain nodded to
the colored man. Then the colored man went
Mr.. Bliss. I'm Offering n record OF Kearncy's
seemed to have got a chance to gamble before
the eNpirati0n OF h i torn OF three months. Mr.
Knnrney explained that he WAS pardoned out.
Sergeant Wallace testified that when kearney
visited the police station lac said lie did not
want the gambling house pulled; that all he
wanted wis t. get his money back. He saw no
coored man present at the station NJ the time.
though he would surely have seen him had he
Then Capt, Williams was called to tho stand.
I lI~l NNM JNll's h'Uilfft ~ Af~llll'u AT
~ o'clock, IN my police station. was standing
at the desk. He told M tunt be hul lost $3.50
at 231 Broadway and asked him " h" would
make n complaint. lie said il wouldn't do him
wanted his money back. Tiol him wouldn't
coll 'rt any mans gambling debts. There
wasn't any colored man IN the police station
that night unless he were prisoner IN tho
get through it. ! arreste! the alleged keepor
Of that gambling house; and BE- was tried in the
General Sessions on Fob. I. Idiln't suppose at
this time that there WAS any gambling going on
- why didn't you" Mr. MacLean asked put
1.23l broadway in your official list Of reputed
gambling houses IN Janu4gy last - ,.,.
charge that he failed to enter certain ganb ing
house upon his official lis and wen meet IT,"
hc GSmmssl21'r@ aaW W,i,;d the qufI,t n9
res;ed the proprietor and he was under bail
This closed the case. The Commissioners re-
served their decision.
Tho next complaint was by Charles Williams.
H. IL nervous dnrk-compleXioned curly
lived in l27th street. between Sixth and Sew
enth avenues. and WINS nm upholsterer. On tho
evening of March 10 he lost eight dollars in the
same gambling house l.237 Broadway. When
he went t. the station il was after o'clock. The
Captain was undressing. After hearing his
story, he said, tho Captain asked: Do you
want your money back or the place pullcdI"
''he witness snid that he wanted his money.
NO" Cant. Williams replied. I'm damned
II do, any such thing you know rs g kin
questioning Of Mr.. Bliss the complainant testi-
fed that be had been awtness before the Police
Commissioners only once before, although he
had been present. but not called TO the stand. on
another occasion. The witness knew one 4.
Abrams, hut he had never told him that he got
tlO for testifyng in the Fitzpatrick case.
Mr.. MacLean asked Mr. Bliss what he was try
want 10 show that this man Is one OF your
professional Witnesses"
A. One OF my professional witnessesf" Mr..
q one Of the professional Witnesses OF this
city" Mr.; Bliss said with an ops2l9getic bow.
james KearneX but he had known Moynihan
along time. He went straight home from the
Levy. who was sleeping at his house He did
not say to Levy that the money he had lost had
been made easy and lost easily. nor that he was
going % make complaint against Capt, VIII
lams. Levy did not say to him that he had bet
ter let Capt Williams alone. that he was bad
I'm telling you the truth" said the witness
themselves that is none OF my business / am
an honest man, Look at these hands" lhold,
ing w. 1T2 Gf ,p PATS e. s99T tI 1hH3
that he had no regular employment rs nm up
hosterer. but done odd jobss in uptown houses.
Superintendent Walling testified that Charles
Williams made complaint before him, about
March 10. against Capt Williams Tho Super
intendent had asked him whether he told the
Captain he wanted to make .c9mpnint against
did not but wanted his money bach. Then
ent's answer. Mr. Williams told the Superin-
tendent he would make n complaint then and
an officer was sent with him to the Police JUS
tire. who refused. however. to grant warrant.
Capt. Williams testified that the complainant
had told him he did not wantthe house pulled"
ii" capt. Williams did not think that gambling
was going on nt that time in that house.
Mr. Abrams testified that Charles Williams
told him he had got 80 for t'stifyng against
FiizpHirlrk. Abrams said You'll get into
trouble by testfylng n what isn't true" Mr..
Williams replied that Fitzpatrick had drawn a
pistol on him. and made him promise 10 testify,
officer Leyy testified that when Charles Will
lams returned 70 his house from the interview
with Capt. Williams he said: q" I've been
down 70 Cant Williaus's precinct. where have
lost $40. am going down to mike n complaint
in a few days. i've cot no more To- say"
Mr.. Bliss moved that the charge made by
Churlcs Williams be dismissed ut once. in view
OF the testimony given by Superintendent Wal
linz but the Commissioners determined to re-