Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-07
BOSTON'S SCANDAL.
The Hub Has a Police InveSti-
cation on Hand.
At Least Two Officers Charged With
Extorting Money.
Seems Quite Like Reading Of the Rottenness
Seems Quite Like Reading Of the Rottenness
in New York.

Boston, Dec 6 Policemen John j.
Ryan and Lewis G. Smith are on trial be-
fore the police commissioners, charged
with bribery and neglect of duty. The
charges were made by Hebrew residents
of the, West End. Harris Sampson tcsti-
fled toRCCping "A house of i'll rcputc at | 1
Mihot street, and that he paid Smith and
Ryan for protection. Witness said he
overheard Officer Smith tell Mrs Samp-
son, wife of the witness, that he would in
form her when any raids were to bc made,
or when special officers We're sent after
street walkers, Smith said he did not
want To tell the witness, as the latter had
/" big mouth. -
Officer Smith. the witness said, had beer
and cigars ut the house and food from his
store but never paid for them. Witness
produced pair Of gloves the officer left
in his store, when he (Smithl slept there
for f0ur hours one morning when ON duty.
Some men wanted to use the back room
of witness store for n gambling place,
and destroyed some of the witness prop
crty, and Officer Smith told the witness
if he attempted Co have these men ar
rested he the officer, would have nothing
more to do with him. Witness said that
Smith had not used him right afterward
aud he concluded to tell what he knew.
On cross examination, witness said his
real name was Harris Gittleson, but ho
changed his name to Sampson after he
failed in the rubber business in Englnd.
Witness said that Officer Smith put him
up to opening the house of i'll fame. When
witness was leaving the court he asked
protection, she feared that officers would
assault him. He was given in charge of
the superintendent of police,
After the recess SIMPSONS cross eXami.
nation was resumed. Witness said that
Officer Ryan came to his house with n
man who claimed to have been robbed
there some months before Ryan said,
according to the witness, you've been
fooling me. thought you kept square
house. - The mans statements about
the alleged robbery, witness said, anRercd
the officer, who throw him out Of the
house. shortly afterwards, so the wit
ness said, Officer Ryan came to him and
threatened TO put the witness in court If
he did not square matters. Witness said
he gave the officer 50 in an envelope and
he later gave him 81 not to oppose him in
starting obtaining dining room license.
Witness said the first man hc paid money
to while he kept the house of i'll fame
was Officer Smith, but afterward he paid
Ryan, giving money to Smith one week
and Ryan the next. His wife had seen
every payment made. Witness Sampson
sworc that he asked no one To testify
against the officers, but had been around
with Capt Wescott and asked several per-
sons to come before the board and tell the
truth. His memory was very faulty and
he could not remember the names of all he
visited for this purpose.
Witness was visited by people who
wanted $40 apiece to testify against the
officers, but he refused to give it. He had
been approached by persons who offered
him money to settle the case. Only three
Of the latter he could rcmembcr-Cohen,
n clothing dealer on Levcrett street, In
gals a grocer on Lcverett street, and
Raznovitch, Minot street They offered
him $50 or 800 10 settle the case. The
officers told him, he said, that he could
do practically as he wanted to, as Capt.
WCscOtt was a new officer on the district
and did not understand the business.
Mrs. Sampson, wife Of the complainant,
corroboratcd her husband, saying that
Officer Smith usually came into the house
about z. 10 A. NJ, staying till 4.15 She
denied that the Sperba and Ross girls lived
with them in their Cotting street house,
as her husband had previously stated.
John i. Rourke testified that Officer
Ryan entered saloon ut II Lcverett
street, ono evening and told Sampson that
he had better not talk about him, adding,
60 You are not dealing with Smith
After Capt. Westcott testified as to the
Continued on "a page.