New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-02
COULD BE LEARNED

r,o common report that policemen have levied
',,,,ou On the keepers of disorderly houses for
p .,,o them to carry on their illegal business
t., a great measure responsible for the APP
I.r,onr Of the Lexow Committee. Hitherto,
YER The Senators who have been conducting
y" ,,vsstiga lion into the methods Of the police
..,s ctv have directed their attention TO other
,a.os which have been alleged. On yesterday.
,na session held in the County Courthouse.
- .rhisct Of the relations between the police
,ha nroprletors OF dsorderly houses WAS
s"-..hed and the testimony was certainly as
or,ant as any that had been given at any
,-svous days hearing.
Tho ANTIQUITIES besetting the path OF such an
,-,rrv as that of the Lexow Committee are
.n.,ally marked when this branch of the work
'-.,.sred upon Nearly every consideration I'M
-. the person who has paid such tribute not TO
~ ohout Il. Fear is the most potent cause Of
..,s disinclination 10 speak the truth and the
-,o,s truth. People Of this character generally
scant regard for the sanctity Of their oaths.
a.a,, has. therefore. been long time since any
has testified TO paying the police money for
0.o,nc,ion in his or her criminal occupation.
ONE EXCELLENT WITNESS.
r..,.rdav John W. Golf. counsel Of the COM
- introduced three witnesses by whom he
--..o,sd 70 fasten the crime of extortion upon
.n..rnen Two Of these were women and they
.aa highly unsatisfactory statements. One
,..,, IN wholesale denials. The other attempted
a. likewise. but was checkmated by Mr.. Goff =
IL Information concerning what she had told
:. ntbars she had paid $500 for protection. she
admitted.
Tho man who had made such payments was a
..,,,sl witness. OF course. he had to admit that
81 had kent dlsorderly house but his appear
.ros was not at all in keeping with his calling.
us is veteran Of the war and wore Grand
Army hutton. more's the pity. His story. If true.
,,-ows food Of nghC on the methods OF this
kind Of backmail.
The witness. Charles Prien. was proprietor OF
n,scs IN Bavard-st. for five years and half.
and IN that time paid $4,000 to the various ward
ds,sct,ves who collected the assessments" He
s.vs names and dates and other details. To
,rdsa f-orn his testimony, this blackmail has
ha.n reduced 10 a strictly business basis in the
Eleventh Precinct. the station OF which Is In
Elirdge-st. At first he had to pay s25 month
HIT this sum was soon increased TO sou
THE INITIATION FEE.
Than he told OF an interesting tradition pre-
served On the East Side 1t is that whenever a
now cap,ain takes charge Of the precinct each
kssnsr OF a disorderly house shall as token
Of Joyous welcome pay a good round sum. Cap
tains were changed frequently in the Eleventh
80 Pren had to pay 5000 in single Twelve
month This payment in honor Of each new com
noandng officer was known as an Initiation fee'
and In the case Of Prien 1t amounted TO sooo IN
nearly every instance Besides. the witness said
he paid SIS or 500 eaca year as Christmas
gift"
Prien said that he understood that the same
tax was imposed on all the other houses in the
precinct He named half dozen in his block.
He could not swear that any captain received the
money but knew that he gave II 70 the ward
men, who are always in intimate association with
The captain 10 whom they owe their appointment.
The hearing will be resumed on Monday.
After the adjournment Of the days proceedings
Mr. Goff expressed his qualification over the evil
dence he had produced.
1T Is the first time" said he "in the history
Of this city that evidence has been produced
showing that the police took brides"