New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-26
HOW MR. HEWITT CLOSED TIE DIVES.

HE SAYS HIS THREAT TO REMOVE THE POLICE
COMMISSIONERS WAS EFFECTIVE.
A published letter by ex-Msyor Abram ;. Hewitt
WAS read with interest BY officials at Poh@ Head
Quarters Yesterday over his own signature MI
Hewitt declared that he had caused the dives anu
gambling houses in the city TO be ciosed duiihs i'
term ,f Office as Mayor BIZ Threatening 10 feii"''
the Police Commissioners from once II such ph'o''
we're not closed. but that within thirty day, m'e'
his term OF Office expired the places were reopen'N
and they had been allowed to flourish since ueh
lie added 81 never was able t. procure evidence
that the police we're subsidized by these nauhs VI o
but | had no doubt Of IT, and nave none "'"
because there Is not captain on inc loIoc ""' "
ignorant of the violations OF law When '"eS W.
In his precinct. and who could not 'o'o w
disreputable establishments II he saw III To 90 S"'
Few q, the notcs officials cared to be quoted yes
t.r,av reparlinc the letter but they said Mr. Hewitt
,o mistaken ~ he thought the police hsd Deeh IT'S
active IN irving 70 suppress ganlDhhs "'"
other haunts o. vice in the city since nc c'"''u -"
Mayor than during his term OF ONCE iheS S"" ''','
that they never knew OF q threat pN MI Ho"' W
remove the Commissioners il they fniied 10 c",e "p
sncb places President voorhis OF the romeo boS'Ii
I'D .Nr Hewitt earnestly desired to purify the
evI resots I'm the city and he sent TO the Ioi''o
poard n great many complaints when were III
yestigated Lut ! do not remember tha' "c "''" '
threat 10 remove the Commissioners II INC s''"p'''e
places and dives not closed Inc p"oc n"''
made many arrests at such places ana there mas poc
M change in the work of the police since MI he"''
ceased to be Mayor. The police cannot Walk INTO any
place turn everybody out, take the Keys loch 'ne
Mace up and declare that it must be Kept c"'eI.
although some persons seem 10 ihVe Nu.M drin a,
alsout the powers of Il police captain ENdeh,e 'al
90 otained and arrests can be made by the police IN
the efort TO Close Il dive, but IL the rector {" IN"
Mace can escape being fined or lmpriaohtd LOT "s
dr"ndnct he NAV successfully defy the police f1r !,
time As to the talk about the p0i"e benz Sno'unHIu
nv dive Keepers | will say that the Ponce NoIini,
soners ready to place any pohce captain ON u hd
and 10 punish him II II can he shown uai Ne ks hi
amv such dealing, with vioIatoIs Of the law
t,uNor Grant said Yesterday Wheh MI, licM-
if closed his term Of Office. he stated that he hd ~
dncd the number Of concert saloons or dive bN re
fising TO license such OF them a. he believed iHpfpPI
! have since materially reduced the number wht
Mayor Hewitt had licensed. and some of them were ths
worst in the city. The records Oh 'F HdH'i ~
will corroOTate this" , 49,, a.,
The Mayor directed a clerk to prepare ir'ofu Oi lr'
Concert saloon" or dive" licenses granted by cN
Mayor Hewitt and himself but II was not cohpf.sN
when the ofhce was closed YESTERDAY. IL Wa> prom
i.ed for today. Mr.. Grant also SAID ne aeiesu VIII
Mr. Hewitt that such places could not be nalhlaneo
I'm violation law without the knowledge 81 inc Po"oc