The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-12-27
A"cLEAN BREAST.
Policeman schn,ittbcrser Makes Startling
Disclosures to the I.exow Conlmfstee-1n-
spcctor Williams. "l:ooe.Ie."


Disclosures to the T.exow Commistee-1n-
spcctor Williams "IsooaIe."
new YORK, Dec. oo-The Lexow
committee investigation was resumed
Friday morning. Capt. Max Schmitt-
berger. of the Nineteenth precinct, was
called. Capt. Schnitt berger said he
came forward voluntarily to tell the
truth. before his examination began
all the other with esses were excused.
He detailed his service on the force,
which began January %, 1874, when he
was 90 years old. There was no civil
service then. lie was sent to the
''Tenderloin, and remained on patrol
there for three years, and got to know
the precinct very we'll. Some of the
policemen there then were favorites,
he said. Such were excused from duty
from time to time.
Mr.. Moss asked the captain if he
knew of instances of patrolmcn under
his command who violated the rules Of
the department and deiied his author
ity. The captain replied that he did
not.
The witness said, however, that he
had heard of men vino stated that their
pull would be sufficient to get them
clear of violation of the law. These
men generally belonged to political
clubs.
Can you state why, under Special
officer Price, so many disorderly houses
were allowed to rur?"
''Becausc they paid for protection
"Who was the man to whom the pro-
lection money went dircctly?'
Capt. Williams.
would it be possible for those places
to run openly without the liberation Of
the captain?"
No
The captain said he was aware of the
practice of collecting money from the
| squad.
Bob Vail told me, said he, that he
collected for Capt. GaStlin, and said /
was Il fool if did not do the same
''IIow much money did Vail bring
YOU
About $3.50 a month for two
months.
did you give Vail anything?"
Eyes, sir, twenty per cent"
"Who succeeded Vail?"
Cannon.
Did Cannon collect the same as
Vail?''
Yes. sir gave him also 20 per
cent.
clad YOU any conversation with any
official about the money!
YES, sir; ! had with Inspector
Steers He told me as there WIS hard
ly any money in the precinct he did
not expect anything from me. lie said
he asked and was transferred to the
Twenty-ffth precinct.
Did You pay any money!
NO, ! made Cannon my confidential
man to make collections in the pre-
cinct. l got Cannon transferred from
the steamboat squad. The only source
of revenue III the precinct was the
policy shops and the bohemian Liquor
Dealers association. There were ten
policy shops in the precinct, and told
Cannon they should each be assessed so
a month. A man named Parker ran the
policy shops. The Bohemian liquor
dealers paid $50 month. paid Gan
non 90 per cent"
Did You give any OF that money to
any police otiicial?'
Yes. sir
''To whom:"
$40 Inspector Williams"
The captain said he gave Williams
during the nine months he spent in
the Twentv-seventf district about one
thousand eight hundred dollars. 1t
was the custom of the captains of the
precinct to pay the inspector Of their
districts
The witness said he was transferred
to the ninth precinct Charles street,,
but made no collections there, remain
ing only month. Then he went to
the Twenty-second and remained until
! Decem Der, 1893.
How much did you collect in the
Twenty-second?"
There was about 500 or 5000 a
month collected from all sources.
Had You any special order regard
ing the protection Of certain disorderly
houses?'
YES, sir: when l was appointed l
called upon Commissioner Martin at
headquarters. He mentioned houses
on Forty-sixth street, and said might
let them alone until the schools were
built. When the schools were built he
said to put them out.
son another occasion" continued
the witness, Martin sent for me to
come TO headquarters. | had sent
Officer Casey to the house of woman
named Sadie West. The citizens had
complained about the house. The
woman told Casey she was friend OF
Commissioner Martin. and it was better
to see him before he would do anything.
The officer told me, and the next day
received message from head
quarters from Martin. went to see
him, and he asked me did send man
around to Sadie Vests. I said did, as
had received complaint about the
house Martin said l should warn the
officer and apologize to the woman the
next day. l protested, but he SAID
should do rs was told. / sent around
Casey, and he had to apologize to the
woman the following day for raiding