The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-11-12
BYRNES TOOK BLACKMAIL
0UARTER OF RECEIPTS OF 4 KENO
DEN GIVEN no HIM is CAPTAIN.


@. w. Schaeffer Testified That His Partner
Had Also Paid Money to Ex-Fire Com
missioner Scannell-He Did Not Testify
Readily, However, and at One Time
Caused Smile.
New York, Nov. lie. w. Schaeffer
testified before the commissioners of ac-
counts this afternoon that he had some
years ago given ex-Superintendent Of
Police Thomas Byrnes (then captain) a
quarter of the receipts Of keno game
which he ran at No. 1872 Broadway The
witness also swore that his partner had
informed him that he had paid black
mail to eX-Fire Commissioner Scannell,
who at the time, it was said by the wit
ness, had just been left out of prison
and went around to gambling places col
lecting tribute from the proprietors.
The name of ex-Poice Inspector Nc
Laughlin was also dragged in by the
witness, who swore that ne had paid
him protection money.
Schaeffer did not testify readily. At
one time he caused smile by remark
ing; why, Byrnes came as regular af-
ter his money as the landlord
Witness said he first paid Brynes
about 1872 or 1873 Byrnes had just been
made captain of the fifteenth precinct.
Witness said:
He passed by one night when was
o nthe stoop and said: You seem to be
presumptuous. You're keeping open
here in way that l don't like. l want
to let you know that l am king here"
Then the witness told Brynes that he
would see him in day or two. Schaef-
fer then went to see Police Commission
er Nichols, whom he knew, and Nichols
told him he would tell Byrnes that if he
closed Schaeffer up that he would have
to close up every house in the precinct.
He did not tell Byrnes what Nichols
said. Later he saw Byrnes and told him
he would give him a quarter of the
profits from keno garne that was run
ming Byrnes made no objection, and
witness gave him his quarter. He met
Byrnes personally and paid him. He
gave him between s., 900 and $4,000. He
paid some as ne ran the game
When he stopped the game witness
said he had to pay the police for allow
ing him to run his other games. He
was in the game twenty or twenty-five
years and he paid the captains in nearly
all the precincts. The police captain
VINO did not want money was a rarity.
He mentioned the names of three cap
tains who did not send to him for
money. Witness named a couple Of
wardmen who had collected money for
their captains. Ex-Inspector McLaugh-
lin had sent for him one time and told
him he wanted money. Mclaughlin got
check for $500 and hundred dollars
besides. The police often got half of
what he made. Witness said his part
ner, Jackman, told him he had paid
ex-Fire Commissioner Scannell $10o as
collector of police blackmail
Commissioner of Accounts Terry then
read a letter addressed to Schaeffer,
dated December Is, 1894, asking him as
a friend not to give his testimony as
it 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 signed III. S. p, P.
O. Box 1,146."
The witness said he had received
the letter about the time the Lexow
committee was at work. He said he
had acted on the suggestion and gone
out of town. When he returned he tried
to discover who'had sent it. He used
every means consistent with quiet
inquiry, but failed to find the author.
The investigation was then adjourned.