The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-15
POOR POLES BLACKMAILED.
THE sHINDLE JUSTICE GoET1ING rs
TRYING To BREAK UP.
Court Set UP In n wiiiinmsburgh Concert
Hall for the Purpose OF IIunder-Mnny
Vtctimr-rrovocntion TO Make Ru.iness.

A Court Set Up In n wEiinrn.bureh Concert
| Hall for the Purpose OF PIupder-Mnny
Victimr-Provocntion TO Make Ru.ine csc.
Over In WilliamsburRh. on the north side.
near the river. Polish colony OF about 1900
| souls lives and thrives. The coonists are Of
peaceful deposition. and keep aloof from peo-
| pie OF other nationalitics around them. About
| one-half OF the men have families, and most OF
them work in the sugar reGneries along the
river front. They make no attempt to learn
the English language. and they do not bother
about the laws OF the country. beyond trying
TO keep out of trouble. This last trait made 1t
possible for half dozen sharpers of their own
race to swindle them outrageously by means
OF pretended court Of Justice. This court is
now taking good deal OF Police Justice Goet-
ting S time. and he has declared that he will
not stop Until he has rid the colony OF It.
The existence OF the court became known to
him only about four months ago although It
is said to have been In operation for a year or
more. and to have entaed suffering upon
scores offamilies. MANY Of whom have been
robbed OF their little bank accounts by its oper-
atoms When Justice Goetting first heard OF
the Polish court he tried In vain to obtain in
formation concerning 1t. Poles whom he ques-
toned professed not to know anything about
such place. Not until the magistrate in
structed the Polish Interpreter OF his court to
investigate the matter did he succeed.
In the colony are several saloons and concert
halls. 1t was In the concert hall back Of one of
these saloons that the court sprung into exist
enGe The organization OF the court included
bondsman. one or two clerks. and generally
two, special policemen. The business that
about, midnight on Saturday after a concert
and when most of the people had gone away.
Men who had been drinking enough to quarrel
upon prONOcatlDn were made tina victims. This ]
10 how the business began: Tho special po- |
hs Ss say
whack on the head with n club would follow |
and Would W. III IL. lead to fight which would be ex-
licclnen would call for the regular police. This |
ilrst act Of the scheme would end with the vie:
inia or veins being locked up on charges OF
The clerks p the Polish court would then
the prisoners and depet the hor re N tss
american prison. BY this means the clerks
the prisoners we're arraigned in the Lee Ave-
nue Police Court the next day the special po-
ToSiS ILL., Is taken 9 Shs concert haI xSsrs
Then the Matchmaking began The prisoners
were told that they stood a good chance Of go-
Ton ea aes thn sy
iriThtened the victims would DO glad to part
the IoaS hfy
their bank accounts; The money having been
paid over. the complaint against them would
be 1 abandoned by the special policeman.
only accidentally did Justice Goetting learn OF
it. He received his first hint in the case OF a
sr asa aa Tso had sd been
North Second street and Kent avenue. with a
stone match safe. After being releasedon bail
Fisluitta was summoned to the Polish court,
ment with money he would 60 to prison for life.
wife went among friends and col
ected about 500. which she gave to the Polish
.verything would 30 done to secure her hus-
bands release. She received also a paper
signed by Gale and several witnesses to the
received S45. Ind decided to withdraw the
charge against Pisquitta. Mrs. Pisquitta
showed the papers to Justice Goetting, and the
nearly resulted in the court being wiped out OF
, Justice Goetting told srs reporter yester.
lay that from what he had learned at least
lalf dozen men had become rich since the
Polish court was started.
" These cylinders" he said: went into the
men by the Wholesale. From statistics which
rave been furnished to me l am convinced ;
hat a, at least two hundred or more Poles have
asst year. and meny OF them have now not a |
lollar In the world could never understand
row it was that all. or nearly all. the Polish
n account OF tho absence of the plaintiffs,
When received the first hint OF there being a ;
,olish court or rather b ackmalinR. court In
.efore | went to work to root out the court !
Why: they had regular Judge. clerks. and ,,
peeial POLICEMEN. These swindlers had !
ieedine them for ali they could get. When {
hey didn't get any money they would make it !
o hot for their victim that the prisoner stood
o other chance than being convicted Perjury
com ed to be the rule of the SWndIars j