New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-24
WILLIAMS ON THE BRINK.
HE MAY BE INDICTED BY THE GRAND
JURY THIS WEEK.
AND THEN MANY OF THE "CLUBBERs" VICTIMS
WILL BE HAPPY-THE CHARGES AGAINST
HIM IN 1857 AND WHAT COMMISSIONER
PORTER SAID OF THEM-WIIL
THE INSPECTOR BE CALLED
BY THE LEXOw
COMMITTEE?

COMMITTEE?
II Is expected that before the week is over the
tall and majestic" form Of Inspector Alexander
5 Williams. the helmetted person whose memory
will be perpetuated by a club. and whose chief
claim to fame consists in ridges the scalps OF
hundreds of people. raised there during the hero
ic" moments Of the Inspectors career-it is ex-
pectcd that this mans six feet odd OF long-time
mlsappliei bone and muscle Will darken the door
of the Grand Jury room. And then every man,
woman ana child who has been mercilessly
whackcd by Mr.. Williams will walt for the mills
to grind They will get their collective ears close
to The ground In ths vicinity Of City Hall Park,
and when the mill starts. with one mighty shout
they will make the welkin ring.
Inspector Williams has been before the Grand
Jury more than once. and each time he has
emerged smilngly conscious of a battle won.
This time II will be different Already he has
given unmstakable evidence Of having lost some
of his mperturbablity. Besides. times are not
as they used TO be. There IS businesslike as
pect to the work of the Lexow Committee we'll
calculated to make even Mr.. Williams wonder
whore he Is 'at."
Inspector Williams did not visit headquarters
yesterday. Muberry-st. was exceedingly quiet.
Passers-by looked up al the historic pile with a
the jig -is-up-at-last" glance In their weather
eyes. Inside of headquarters Captain Schultz
held undisputed sway AL day long. as Superin-
,endent Byrnes omitted his Sunday visit. II
was rumored yesterday that Inspector Williams
would fight his way through IL possible, and
that he had already engaged counsel one or
whom was said 10 be Ehu Root who defended
Mr.. Williams when ne was tried in June. 1887.
It was also said yesterday that Inspector Will
...fI ,I,t call M
her of powerful friends he has made while a
member u the police force. Some Of these are
prominent in the 400" He Is also a thirty
second degree Mason and this fact. IL is thought.
viii bring 10 his side number Of powerful
friends Just how far back in his record the
Grand Jury will go is problematicaL In 1887, as
has already been stated. williams was tried by
the Commissioners on charges preferred by
Superintendent Murray. At that time Frames
NJ Scott was Assistant Corporation Counsel. ad-
vising the Board Of Police: Frank Moss was
counsel for the complainant. and Captain Will
Jams had Elihu Root To protect his interests.
The trial was based on a presentment of the
Grand Jury OF May. 1888. This presentment was
signed hv T.. Thurbcr, foreman. and charged
CAPTAIN Williams AMI another with having been
informed by Anthony Comstock of the existence
Of gambling houses in their precincts. and that
they made no attempt 10 close the establish
ments Their dismissal from the police force by
the Police Board was recommended
The Commissioners then were Messrs tltz
John Porter Noorhis French and McClave. The
vote stood: For conviction. Porter and Noorhis
For acquitta French and McClave This dead
lock could not be- broken. and finally. instead OF
being punished. Williams was actually promoted
to Toe an inspector.
General Porter wrote an opinion on this case.
I'm which he declared that he had carefully eX-
amincd all the evidence and found that very 1T
tie in rebuttal Of the testimony for the prosecu-
tiou was presented by Williams. whose almost
sole defence was hi~ own statements
IN concluding his opinion Commissioner Porter
SAID:
The fact that these houses OF illrepute do exist.
and have existed I'm various parts OF the Nine,
tecnth Precinct. and that Captain Williams ana
his force have long known that they existed. ana
have rarely interfered with them Is sufficient 10
warrant the conclusion that they are permitted TO
carry on their nefarous business II not protected
I'm IT, Let ms matter psr coiSlucIe" va, IA,
this failure s either the result or ignorance wiful
neglect wlful blindness silence. There IL in
nv mind but one conclusion to be derived from the
Evidence In this trial-that Captain Williams Is and
has been negligent of his duty to the extent as
charged in the complaint.
And still Williams held on and laughed a the
poople he had dubbed. and dubbed them more.
II il believed by those who have watched the
course of the District-Attorney's Office of late
that williams will be indicted whether he goes on
the stand before the I.cxOw Committee or not.
and It Is highly probable that he Will be one Of
the first witnesses called on Wednesday,