New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-07
CHARGES BY MR.. COMSTOCK.
GAMBLERS SAID TO HAVE BEEN WARNED.
A SERGEANT AND POLICEMAN IMPIICATED-A RAID
BUT ONLY ONE ARREST.

GAMBLERS SAID TO HAVE BEEN WARNED.
BUT ONLY ONE ARREST.
Anthony ComstOck charged the police Of the
Thirtieth Street Station yesterday with inform
ing the inmates Of the gambling-house at No. 1O2
West Thirty -second-st of his intended descent
upon the place, by which the alleged proprietor.
Albert j. Adams, and seventeen Others escaped
arrest Mr.. Comstock made the fol-
lowing statement to q reporter of THE TRIBUNE:
AZ had secured warrants for the arrest of
six men, including Albert j. Adams, the proprietor
OF the gambling den at No. 102 West Thirty second
st. Adams is now under indictment, and has been
indicted before several times. went to the Thir-
tieth Street Police Station and inquired for Captain
Williams but was told that he was not III. l then
handed Sergeant Westervelt, who was In charge,
the warrant for the arrest of Adams and i've other
men. The sergeant went into the back room aud
had O conversation In low tone Oh voice
with an officer there. This oincer hastened
to the door, and after leaving the sta
ton started on the run toward Daroer-
shop. told one of my officers named Dram to fol-
low him. He did so and reported that the ofncer
entered the barbershop waited there an Instant as
if looking for somebody. ana then came out and ran
on to an engine-house. A moment later he came
out and ran on to liquor-shop. The officer had
been al the liquor shop only an instant when the
| bartender having on his white apron. ran to the
gambling-house and flushed the game. Seventeen
men came pling out of the gambling house, leaving
| John Mccormick to take care of the property. He
carried the red and black layout to the roof and
| padlocked the exit. Then he packed 1,243 checks
| into q tray and was attempting to carry them
away when he was arrested. We also secured l,l9O
checks in the safe, roulette wheel trunk and
table. together with three fine slate black boards
and all the furniture IN the place. including Her
ring safe. The trunk was full OF policy and en-
| velope hooks. There were four games carried on
here-policy. the envelope game. red and black ana
roulette. No faro was played in this place, but we
| captured two nickel faro dealng-boxes and two
paoks of cards. After Dram had seen the officer
alarm the place he returned to the station and told
| me the facts. Captain Williams passed the officer
| coming tow ard the station. The Captain was on
one side of the street and the officer on the
| other Neither spoke TO the other in passing.
told Captain Williams that had heard that war
| rant could not be- served gamblers IN his pre-
cInct. that wanted to prove that 1t was not ttue
| and that Of his officers had gwen the entre
matter away and alarmed the gamblers so that they
| escaped arrest Captain Williams replied IN gen.
era way saving that ne dd not beeye I'm taI in.s
was Henry H. Shill, patrolman No. l,79l. lie was
in full uniform at the time that he ran ont OF the
|
| The facts that have given you TO superintendent
| Walling. | shall also present statement TO the
| Grand Jury. MIR, Dram IL one OF my pest men
and have reason to believe lhpnc'tly "h-' no '''"
| me"
The reporter went to the Thirtieth Street Station
| and inonirrd for CAPTAIN Williams and Sergeant
! We.trrvrlt Sergeant King who In charge,
said that both officers were out but were expected
! IN very soon. Sergeant Westervclt came IN niue
while afterward and having been told OF the charge
| made by Mr.. Comstock, said had the
desk when Mr. Constock came here. lie told me
| tuat he wanted some men I" ASSIST nun
| IN serving a warrant upon Adamys gambling
| house 7 asked why he did not wait Till eyenng.
| as was customary, because then there was better
! chauc. 20 catch the game IN operation. MI Com,
,iock said that he wanted to serve the warrant at
once SC that he might take the prisoners to court IN
the afternoon before 1t closed l sad DO yId yea
| that he did / ordered the men IN the back room
| tu get on their citizens dress and go with Mr Com
| stock. They were playing dOinln0es; hlter walt
| ing n reasonable time went TO Inc PACK room 10
| see why the men were waiting. Olhcer Shli said :
| You have broken up our game of doinlnoes' Al
terysrd the officer asked mo IL he could go out TO
| tbe barber shop aud / told him that he conld.
| Nothing else was sald by either OF u.s. here
were other men IN the ROOM and # had said any
| thing 10 Officer >hll they would have heard ~.
| Here ia Oficer Shlll now you eau ask him about
the matter . - =. , 90, -, II, .
| "l did not even know that the Sergeant mad n
| warrant for any body's arrest. How could notify
| them Of what knew nothing ahoutf told The
| sergeant that he had broken up our game OF dnml-
| noes and asked II might go over 10 the barber
| shop; | wanted 10 find "A man..
ibid you 20 TO tho liquor-shopp asked the re-
porteri It'll. a.. H. o,a
asked ii O man that wanted to see was there, an-
| swcTud the officer. $500, 49,,
Shortly afterward Captain Williams camein When
informed OF Mr. Comstocks charges. he treated the
matter very lightly, AMI said =" MI C0nstOck
| would bs suspicious OF "A man If he was cucasod In
ice believe that Mr. Comstock himself is au hon
est man, but place no dependence whatever lpun
tho men whom he employs did not pnss Ollcsr
Sh as stated IL IL like mo 10 pass one OF my oii-
| Ger. and not know TT MI ComstOck said To me
that he had warrant 70 serve hil u'ked mo ii he
could have some inen. shid lou can DuEo ~
the mon you want Ghc men keep 10 SUIT of elLl-
zsns' clothes in their bed rooms. Some OF them
sleep n the top of the house aud the brlef delay
! was orcasioned by their changing their clothes.
Al length four men appeared ready to go with Mr..
| Coustock. | asked HIN how many ho proposed to
arrest. lie said sI. | then said: You need more
men, and ordered two more officers to hurry aud
20 with Mr.. Comstock lie made the descent and
| secured n double truck load of property from the
| gambling house. There is part OF IT," and the
Iaptain pointed to heap OF gambling fdrnltufe IN
| the corner of the station, 4" anu nave gOt maD
sitting the safe around at the place "nat more
| does he want Io is only seeking n0t0riety. lie
| asked me for the namo Of the officer who went out
Of the station and his number, and gave them Io
| him | an Informed that ono oil Comstocks men
| WAS around ut that place before Comt0ok came
| IN the station This man was bT8ndishlDg ro-
| yolyor and u cub. and j don't wonaer that the
| psople in the house we're alarmed and 1an away
| Conlstock did not say word To me ABOUT oelgeah'
Westeryelt or sven hint that the Sergeant had done
anything &c thwart his plans. Comstock has been
| decslyed. He is suspicious by nature ana his sus
| pIcuns nave run away with his good Judgment"
The gambling den was ia u low wooden Duiialhg III ~
which to the unsophisticated public appeared to DC
| a cigar store. Mccormick who was arrested
wa, taken to Police Headquarters last night, ana
William Bennett appeared as his bondsman. NO
| Police Justice was at Police Headquarters and the
| ii ban hucl the station