Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-06-21


law YORK, June 13.-For some time
81 Senatorial committee has been at
81 investigating the methods of the
ice Department of this city. Senator
ow is chairman, and the probe has
& b put in SO deep as TO show great
uption among Police Commissioners,
nearly all persons attached To the
y BE-. Blackmail has been levied on
x ybody that it has been possible to
one cent from. Including So, 1884,
q Ga for salaries the police of this
extort from the people the enor-
y Is sum of about $l5,000,000.
he testimony brought out by the
4 ow legislative investigating commit.
now in session here, shows that tho
8 ce, in addition to their salaries from
N city, have had an additional income
Il tributed by the keepers of disorderly
y scs, saloons, gambling houses, mer-
4 nts and push.cart peddlers. This
= ia income is called "paying protec-
y by those who pay. BY the public
sometimes called blackmail. The
ce probably called it perquisites.
SQUEEZING SALOON KEEPERS.
lille an accurate estimate OF the in
Il ne of the police from these sources is
h possible at this stage of the investi-
+ on, enough facts have been made
Il lic to show that it was enormous.
4fre are, as shown by the last annual
3ort of the Board of Excise, 1000
lpons in this city. Most OF them keep
4ir side doors open on Sunday, and
ser legal hours at night. The price
! protection for Sunday side.door
'ening varies according to location and
Mount of business. The average is be-
Ned TO be $40 a week for each saloon.
plice protection would, therefore, cost
n $500 saloon keepers, If only One-half
~ total number of saloons paid at this
~, the following large sum:
II 500 saloons, at $10a week each, s35, 900.
900 saloons, 81 weeks, 81 ,S2U,0O0.
FLEEoING DIsoRDERLY HOUSES.
Assistant Chief Clerk Delamater Of
d Police Department estimates that
y re are about 40, 900 abandoned women
n the city. Taking the United States
"A us estimate of five persons to u
$lse, the police estimate of the num-
4 of immoral women, 40, 1000, shows
n there must be 5000 disorderly
3uses in the city. According to the
Heged police schedule developed in the
y estigation, so.called straight houses
Id $500 initiation fee, and flats 5000.
4 is estimated that the business is about
yually distributed between flats and
fuses, so that the average initiation
II is $500, or $3,600,000 for opening
Il houses. According to the evidence
Ii lore the Lexow committee, the keepers
X these houses are required to pay
pm $50 to 500 a month, go that the
&erage monthly rate for police protec-
+ ia is $75. In addition to these fixed
|arges for the "protection" Of disor-
*rly houses, the testimony before the
&Gow committee shows that there were
8merous extra charges, which varied
*cording to circumstances. Some times
y ward man wanted an cAtra $40 or
h for some special favor. Then the
8trolman on the post would occasionally
\ ant IS or $40. The protection paid for
ems to have included an occasional
VI ID, and when these were made it was
!tcessary TO pay for extras of various
bids.
OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME.
4Ihe gambling houses, in the days
NJ ben they flourished in the "Tender
N NJ precinct and other sections of the
Ny, are reported to have contributed
ther literally to the aid of the police
!. len there are the policy shops. These
\ o are estimated to be worth $165,000
De minor sources of extra income are
meIous, but they are SO diversified
Hat no specific or ad valorem rate o.
,fotection can be fixed. Special ratei
Ne levied for this incidental protection
#cording to circumstances, the mail
Hcumstance governing the amount de
banded being the necessity of the victim
a his willingness to pay for protection
NJ fly thousand dollars is put down as
Nv total for the collections for Sidewalk
Y lvileges from merchants and peddlers
Witnesses have testified that it cost
n 100 to get on the police force. Tn
IA pointments to the force will averag
"A men a year. If they all pay the fe
" $500 for their appointment they ad,
Ne neat little sum of 100000 year L
Ne income of somebody.
N In addition to all this, II is allegel
lat some police captains and sergeants
r., have paid $4,000, $4,000 and $500
n advancement.
AN ENORMOUS TOTAL.
This brings up the total annual in
:qme of the force close to $4,000, 900
iiTided as follows:
sfom the city Tor salaries. ........S 5,l8s, l47t
'fom saloons. ...................,. l,S20,00U.t
sfon dlsorderly houses. S,lUO,O00.t
rom merchants and peddlers..... 5O,Ul0.t
"a In bling lOuHeA Ig,'unn