The New York herald., 1879-03-30
POLICE STUPIDITY.

THE "FINEsT" MAKE A MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY
OF HOW NOT TO CLOSE GAMBLING HELLs.
One of the peculiar features Of "the finest police
force in the world" received striking illustration
overwhelmingly. that in the majority of cases
when raids are made on gambling dens or i'm
moral resorts the offenders in ad-
vance notified Of the coming Of the police
The Offenders being thus on the alert
take good to the evidence against their
misdeeds. and when they brought before the
police magistrates they are generally discharged for
want of evidence. And then there is great outcry
on the part Of the police who say that they always
these people, but that they cannot be brought
to justice because the police Justices for mys
terious reason. invariably discharge them.
Great activity prevailed at Police Headquarters yes
terday morning. 1t was evident that something
unusual going on. The reporters Of the after
noon papers rushed over and were informed that q
grand raid was being made by Superintendent
Waling on the gambling dens In Ann street-Nos. /,
other-and that Detectives Dilks. Dusenbury, Woods
and Hogan had been detailed to capture the gam
blers1in broad daylight The four detectives pro
of the superintendent, and there everything seemed
in readiness to receive them. No. IA Ann street
the first object of their attack. The door open.
The detectives smiled but still succeeded in keeping
up serious face and pursuing the farce with some
thing like solemnity. They walked up stairs and
rested four men who were lounging ut the door and
about room and not even sitting at gambling
table. There was considerable excitement in Ann
street and they taken before Police Justice OF
terbourg. at the Tombs Police Court and that clear
headed magistrate made short work Of the detectives
who appeared US complanants. The men who were
arrested described themselves as William Harris No.
16l West Forty-eighth street. Edward Whitaker, New
5. Thompson. brooklyn. The following was the col.
loquy between Police Justice Otterbourg and the
detectives
A CURIOUS DIALOGUE.
whats the charger His Honor asked.
eve found these men on the premises and arrested
them It's gambling house, Your Honor. !" was the
What evidence of gambling did you nnd2'-
The detectives produced dealing box and some
"was any gambling going ons Did you see any
thingf''
"was anybody sitting around the tablef"
mo. SIR
WAS there any money on the table or in the
drawer?''
''No, SIR"
''Do you know who the proprietor isY"
''well. what did you arrest them for2'
I'VE were acting under instructions from the
superintendent
''was there anybody dealing cards?'
mo, SIR
Where did you find the dealing boxs"
'Are you prepared to swear they common
gamesters or gamblers?
'.what complaint have you to make?'
None. We were acting under orders from the
superintendent.
"What were these men arrested for?'
"The Superintendent told to go there"
By this time all the clerks of the Court were laugh
ing, and the thing regarded q first rate joke
''You are discharged" Justice Otterbourg said. and
the quartet of prisoners smilingly withdrew.
"This is pretty case" said one OF the clerks;
insead OF going there ut night and taking them by
surprise the police make grand display and go down
in broad daylight when the men are warned before
hand that they are coming And then they say it's
all the fault of the police magistrates"
NO COMPLAINT AND NO EVIDENCE.
There was no complaint and no evidence" Police
Justice Otterbourg said, when questioned by a re-
porter of the HERALD on the subject. at of
the most extraordinary raids heard Of II that
Is the way they think they will be able to catch
gamblers am afraid the gamblers will have good
time in New York for some time to come"
"But suppose the men had been gambling and
just risen from the taber
There might still be crcumstantial evidence
whether chips found. whether there was money
in the drawer or in the table, aud whether the pro-
prictor was known as q notorious gambling house
keeper. But here there actually not u particle
OF evidence on which to base legal prosecution.
and had no alternative but to discharge them at
once"