The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-15
From the Philadelphia Record. Dem.

New YORK, June IA
TDOR some time puSt senatorial
L, committee has been at work in
vestigating the methods OF the
II police department of this city.
Senator l. Xow is chairman. and the.
probe has been put in so deep as to
show great corruption among police
commissioners and nearly all persons
attached to the force. Blaekmail has
been levied on every body that it has
been possible to get one cent from
Including So, 1S0, l47 Gl for salaries the
police of rnls city eXtort from the, peO-
pie the enormous sum of about Sl5, 000.-
coo.
The testimony brought ont by the
Lexow Legislative investigating COM
mittee. now in session here, shows that
the police, in nddition~to their~salaries
from the city. have had an additional
incom" contributed by the keepers of
disorlerly houses, saloons, gambling
houses. merchants and push-cart D 't-
dlcrs This extra income is called
"paying protection By those who pay.
By the public it is sometimes called
blackmnil. The police probably called
it requisites.
Wmle an accurate estimate Of the
income of the police from these sources
is impossible at this stage of the in.
vestig2iion, enough facts have been
made public To show that it WAS enorm-
oua There are, as shown hy the last
annual report OF the board of excise
5000 saloons in this city Most of
them keep their side doors open on
Sunday, and after legal hours at night.
TIE price for protection for Sunday
side door opening varies according to
location ana amount Of business The
average is believed TO be 80 n week
for each saloon. Police protection
would, therefore, cost the 3, 500 saloon
keepers. if ouly one-half the total
number Of saloons paid at this rate, the
following large SUN:
$500 saloons, at $40 a week each S35, 0OO
$500 saloons, j2 weeks, Sl,S2O,OOO
FLEECING DlsoRDERLY HOUSES.
Assistant Chief Clerk Dyllm4ter, of
the police department, estimates that
there are about $4,000 nband ne | wo-
men in the city. T4kinS the United
States census estimate Of five persons
~ "a hOhoCs LhE pOllNt tSlltudLt Ol INC
number of immoral woman. 45, 900.
shows that there must pe 1900 dis
orderly honses in the city. According
to the alleged police schedule devel.
oped in the Investigation, so-rallel
straight houses plid $500 initiation
fee, and fats $500. 1t is estimated
that the business is about equally dis
tributed between flats and houses. 20
that the average initiation fee is S4OO,
or $500 GOO for opening the houses
According 10 the evidence before
the Lr2ow committee, the keep
ers of these houses are required to pay
from $50 o 500 month, so that the
avcrog - monthly rate for police protec-
ton is $40, Ia addition to these fixed
charges for the projection" of disor-
derly houses, the testimony before the
Lrxow committee shows that there
were numerous extra charges, which
varied according to circumstances.
S"u.r times the man wanted an extra
$40 or $50 for some special favor Then
the palrOman on the post would occa-
sionally want S. or $40 The protec.
tion paid for seems to have included an
occasional raid, and when these were
made it was necessary to pay for extras
OF various kinds.
OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME.
The gambling houses, in the days
when they hourished in the Tender
loin" precinct and other sections OF the
city, are reported to have contributed
rather liberally to the aid of tho police.
Then there arc the policy shops. Tnese
two are estimated to DO worth $l65, 900
The minor sources of extra income are
numerous, but they are so diversified
that no specific or ad valoren rate of
protection can be fixed. Special rates
are levied for this Incidental protec
tion according to circumstances, the
main circumstance governing the
amount demanded being the necessity
of the victim and his willingness to
pay for protection. Fifty thousand
dollars is put down as low total for
the collections for sidewalk privileges
from merchants aud peddlers,
Witnesses have testified that it costs
$500 to get on the police force. The
appointments to the force will average
800 men year. II they all pay the
lee of $500 for their appointment they
add the nent little sum of 800, 900 a
year to the income of somp body. In
addition to all this, it is alleged that
some police captains anu sergeants.
etc. have paid $4,000 S.. 900 and So
900 for advancement.
AN ENORMOUS TOTAL
This brings up the total animal in
come of the force close to $l5, 900, 00O
divided rs follows:
From the city for salaries. ... S. 189, 137. GA
From disorderly houses. ...... s, FOO, 600 90
From merchants and pedders 81, 600 90
Gambling houses. .............. 1866 600 10
Total ............,......... Sl5,254. l47 764
1t would seem better to be police
man on the ground floor than mem
Der of the sugar trust.