New-York tribune., 1901-11-24
CHURCHILL THEN AND NOW
RECORD OF THE ACTING CAPTAIN WHO
Is CAUSING PANIC AMONG
DEVERY'S FRIENDS.

the Fifth-st station, one Of the red light ols-
tricts east Of the Bowery. His sudden blazing
forth after obscurity of eighteen years -
regarded mystery by many police officials
He has about the task of cleaning up the
district in which Captain Diamond, at present
under suspension and awaiting trial on lndlcI-
rnent, has been the police commander and IN
which Bissert Diamonds convicted wardnlan,
protected vice. The selection Of Churchill for
such task is regarded a blow at Deputy
Commissioner Devery. Churchill made himself
conspicuous in part by a raid an alleged
pooroom in the Germania Assembly Rooms IN
the Bowery, supposed to be controlled by Dew
ery's friend. Frank Farrell, on Friday after
noon
Churchill is q handsome man Of middle age,
who looks younger than he is. He has been &C
cused Of vanity. He is over six feet high with
the build of athlete. He has square jaw
a reputation for fearlessness, and a good COM
mand Of language both polite and profane His
record for fifteen years, before he became ser
geant, that of a policeman who was ener-
getic enough to get into trouble occasionally. He
on trial before the commissioners many
times, but was fortunate to escape conviction
on several charges and to get off with light
fines other charges.
Ever since he has been on the police force
Churchill has been a close friend of Frederick
Assembly District, and of Thomas L Hami-
ton. Mr.. Gibbss lieutenant in the district. They
have spent many evenings in company To MT
Gibbs's friendly Offices Churchill has owed MS
appointment and promotion in the police force
For years Churchill served in the district in
which Mr. Gibbs is a political leader. and he
became known Familiarity in the district as the
college cop although he had not been col
lege man. but because. it was affirmed, Of one or
CTibbS'S
ties as a conversationalist
When Mr. Hamilton was Police Commissioner
he caused Churchill TO be promoted to the rank
of sergeant and assigned to duty in the West
Twentieth-st. station. That was three years
ago. and Mr.. Gibbs might have obtained
| ChurchilFs promotion to a captaincy II MI.
Hamilton had not been turned out of office by
Mayor Van Wyck TO make the promotion or
Deyery possible. When Devery was in power
he bounded Churchill. apparently to annoy MT
Hamilton and Mr.. Gibbs Churchill was trans
ferred fifteen times in three years. being sent
repeatedly into The Bronx. Queens and to
Brooklyn.
I served in every borough except Richmond,
Churchill said yesterday, and for time / was
transferred frequently that every time there
was call on the telephone from Headquarters
I expected TO hear Of another transfer. 1 never
did anything TO offend Devery. and We were
brought UP as boys in the nelghborhood,
but I was always a black Republican. and he
was the same kind of Democrat. don't owe
him any goodwill. considering the trouble and
expense he put me 70 in transfers
When Churchill was ordered some days ago
70 leave the West Sixty-eighth-st, station and
report for duty IN East Ftfth-st. acting cap
tain he surprised. not account OF the
transfer but because Of the apparent promo
ton Involved in It He went 70 see Conmis-
sioner Murphy and asked why he had been
made acting captain
"To do police duty" said Murphy.
DO you want tc clean up the precinct
Yes"
And go the limit in suppressing vice."
That's what I mean, and I'll hold you re-
sponsible."
The man who had been jumped from place 70
place until he said he felt like kangaroo de-
cded that Devery's friends in the precinct might
as we'll know Immediately what TO expect He
sent word TO the keepers Of dives In that part
OF the Rowerv known as Thieves Paradise
including Suicide HaI' and "Eat-'ern-up
Jacks that the excise law and every other
law was 10 be enforced strictly. The message
caused panic Several proprietors OF vicious
places went to the police station 70 ask II
Churchill really meant it They seemed 10 have
a suspicion that initiation fees increased
monthly payments for police protection would
be required.
John McGurk came 70 see me- and tried 70
chuck a bluff" Churchill said yesterday. and
told him he must keep his Bowery dives within
the la go 0 jail Another dtVekeeper came
and said he had spent S3.U'p in opening ms
place. 7 told him he was sucker. / have tod
the divekeepers that they'll have to go out or
business at midnight tonight. They must close
and keep closed on sunday l have told some
OF the divekeepers that If they Try any funny
business with me III club their heads off and
send them to jail I think they'll keep closed
I have learned of Jhrty-two disOrderly houses
! in the precinct. They were all closed last night
and I intend to keep them closed. Women VINO
have fredueuted those houses VIII have TO keep
under cover The police will arrest them II they
parade the streets in the precinct.
I don't know how many poolTooms Frank
Farrell has been running in the precinct | am
going 10 keep all the poolrooms here closed l
have no fear of Devery. and acting under
the orders Of Commissioner Murphy
Churchill spent part OF yesterday trying 70
pass the Civil Service examination for promo,
ton: He is an applicant for a captalncy ana
his work of reform may put him IN line FOR pro-
motion under the next administration, even II
he fails TO obtain a prize from Commissioner
| Murphy He was No. the eligible list last
wear when fourteen captains were appointed
The election OF his friend MI Hamilton. TO the
office of County Clerk may have been one reason
for his favorable treatment by Commissioner
Murphy since the election !.
Acting Captain Churchtn ana thFee OF oti ms a.
= m Yesterday. They found all the resorts
| closed, both upstairs and down except hs- ons
| ctbrrchIu said ne would make arrest II thaI
nieCe was nor closed up. and everybody was out
in less minutes. The bartender plo>7
Police Commissioner Murphy was asked II he had
ANYTHING to say about the crusade Wfllcn a. IL
| Cantain Churchill Is making on the East SIDE Tie
aTo 7 don't want 10 talk about it. as the news
ras done bv the Committee Fifteen the news
papers would print columns ABOUT r. nut as dopr ~
Ira nolice who are doing il, the newspapers uoii
Uspf il There is no talking about II, -,
! He was told that Acting Captain ChurchLll n s,Iu
rc;nct and was asked would compare his rt
port that made by his predecessors no coD-N
! rF ~ ind