The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-11-12
BYRNES In THE TOLLS
Schwaffer Tesiifas to Giving the Ex-Supt, Of
Police Money for Protection
TO RUN A KENO GAME ON BROADWAY.
3yrnes Told the Witness thnt HE was
King There, nnd After Tint lIe
tnmc ns Regularly for His share of
the Proceeds from the GnHnc ns Did
the Landlord for HIS Rent.

New York. Nov. 11.-Christian w.
Sohwafier testified before the Commits
sioner Of Accounts to-day that lie had
given cN-Supcrlntendcnt Of Police
Thomas Byrnes Il quarter of the re-
ceipts from Il keno game which lie ran
at No. IN Broadway. The witness
also Sworc under oath that his partner
had informed him that he had paid
blackmail To ex-Irire Commissioner
Scannall. who at he time II was said
by the witness had Just been let out OF
prison and went around To gambling
places collecting tribute from the pro-
prietors. The name OF Police Inspcc-
tor Mclaughlin was also dragged In
by the witness. who sworc that he had
paid him protection money.
Schwaffcr did not testify readily. At
one time he caused IL smile by re-
marking, why. Byrncs came as rcgu-
lurly after his money as the landlord '
lie frs, met liyrncs about 1872 or
1873. tlc had just been made captain
of the Fifteenth precinct.
The witness said 'tlc passed by
one night when ] was on the stoop
tious. You are keeping open here in II
way that don't like. want to let
you know that mn king here
Then the witness told llyrncs that
he would see him in day Or two.
Schwafer then went to see Police
and Nichols told him that he would
tell Syrnes hat If he closed Schwaffcr
up that he would have 10 close up
every house in the precinct. He did
not tell Byrnes what NichoiS aaid.
Later he saw Byrncs and told him
that he would give him II quarter of
the profits from Il keno game that he
was running. ByrncS made no oD1ec-
tion and he gave him his quarter. fie
met Byrnes personally and paid him.
III. l,..t.t
He paid him as long as lie ran the
Keno game. which was not SO very
many years
Ibid he come rcgulariy|.
"wcll," said the witness, "he came as
regularly as the landlord" There was
no go-betwccu and Schwnffcr thought
That ByrneS was the only police ulii-
cinl with whom there was no Eo-he-
tween. He ran the keno game Nfteen
months and paid Byrnes regularly
When he stopped the keno game nc had
to pay the police for allowing him to
run his other games. He was in the
gambling business twenty or twenty
five years and he paid the captains in
nearly the prccints In which lie ran
games. The police captain who did not
want money was n rarity. ne NEIL
toned the names Of three police cap
tuins who didn't send to him for money.
Witness gave the names Of n couple of
wardmen who had collected money
from him for their captains. EN-snspec-
tor Mclaughlin had sent for him one
time and told him he wanted money.
Mclaughlin got check for 5000 and
a hundred dollars besides. The police
official then got half. Witness said
that his partner, Jack Mann, told him
he had paid ex-Fire Commissioner Can
nell 500 us collector for police black
mail.
Commissioner of Accounts Terry then
read a letter addressed to Schwaffcr.
dated December IL. 1898. asking him
as Il friend not to give testimony, as il
would be bad for the writer, and to
leave the city until matters were settled.
The letter also says:
do not hesitate to ask for money, If
you are in need" The letter was sign
ed r. s. p. u. o. BoX, 1l4G.
The witness said he had received the
letter about the time the I.eXow Com
mittce was nj work He said that he
had acted on the suggestion and goun
to discover who had sen: II. He used
every means consistent with n quiet
inquiry, hut failed 10 find tho author
The witness said that he had trouble
at 11G6 Trondway. \ man who had
run up against his game quit $500 loser,
and complained to Williams.
Williams sent for witness and he
turned over 800 of the 1920 to the Cap
tain. That was the only time he had
said that when the police wanted to
make believe that the gambling "joint"
was closed. he got the tip in advance
and put the paraphernalia on the roof
end when they called, the rooms were
vacant He said that Byrnes' share OF
the keno game was between $500 and
$500 n month