New-York tribune., 1901-01-09

The gloomy vice situation yesterday was en-
Ightened by important and one ludicrous
incident. The important one consisted of ad-
mission from District Attorney Philbin that he
had at last actually received from the Tam
many Committee of Five some tangible evil
dence against lawbreakers. The IudicrOUs one
was crawl by Lewis Nixon. who on Monday
declared in a formal statement that no leader
in Tammany Hall received any part OF the
protection money paid by gamblers Yester-
day he materially altered the thickness Of his
whitewash by saying:
do not mean TO say that there are not in the
Tammany. but I do say that these men are not
supported in what they do by the organizatlon ane
protection is shown 1 am satisfied they will be
dropped from the organization
This is as much as to say that Tamnany Hail
has never passed a formal resolution indorsins
the methods of the gambling commission
Neither has the organization at any time for
nalIy declared that Richard Croker is it's boss.
But he is, just the same. Any one who did not
know this might be led to think that the Com
mittee of Five runs the organization if he had
heard Mr. Nixon's reply to the following Ques-
tion put TO him yesterday:
Gould you and would you drop a district
leader of Tammany Hall if it should be shown
that he had been profting by the protection Of
gamblers?'
I'VE certainly would" replied Mr. Nixon
When Martin Engel was told what Nixon had
said, he asked with an air of mock wonder:
Nixon? Nixon? Who is Ntxon?" And then he
added. with a grin: Milky Nixon" Mr.. EngePs
language is not so chaste as it is expressive
Mr.. Nixson also said in his remarkable state
ment of Monday that in issuing it he had gone
upon the principle that when the gamblers who.
according to his theory. have been paying money
- A..lv
been turned over to Tammany, as they nad oeen
led TO believe it would, but had been 1elon1ously
retained by the gambling combine, they, tne
duped gamblers, would ''sqUeal" and make the
town hot for the deceiver5- one or these
wretched dupes. whose pOOlroom was doing
fine business yesterday, was asked why ne did
not turn informer. L got exactly what paid
for said he. Il have no kick coming, have /?
What do care where the money went as long
as the police don't shut up my place.?
When this was repeated to Mr.. NiXOn ne
made this somewhat mysterious reply;
L that point myself But issued my
statement for definite purpose, and 1t IS serv-
ing that purpose.
was. Neither would he disclose the nature OF
the evidence which his committee had placed
| in the District Attorneys hands. nor would ne
tell the names of the men whom ne hoped 70
have indicted Mr.. Philbin was equally ret1cent-
How soon do you expect the Indictment or
any of the gambling combine? Mr. Nixon was
| asked.
"Just as soon as the District Attorney can
| lay the evidence before the Grand Jury"
| Are the present guilty persons IN the Police
| Department wearing uniforms or are they
| higher uD?'
| Il won't say now The public will know in
time"
why was it necessary for your statement to
be such an elaborate defence Of Mr. Croker and
Tammany HaL?'
We'll, il wasn't exactly necessary Neither
Mr. Croker nor Tammany Hall needs any de-
fence. But since their enemies were constantly
intimating that both Mr. Croker personally and
the organization were profting by the gambling
combine I thought il was well enough TO
deny it
Mr. Nixon's attention was next called TO the
following sentence in his statement Of Monday :
Upon the LIST TO the 5th of each month men
NAV be seen going TO the house Of the man who
receives this money 10 pay their portions, though
the so a week and the S1OO a month are col
Iected in the districts He was asked whether
the man who received the offerings from the
gamblers was a member of Tammany Hall.
Il won't say now. he replied.
''Wiu he be indicted?"
Probably"
JOhn C. Sheehan and Police Captain Titus.
head Of the Detective Bureau. were among MI:
Philbin's callers yesterday afternoon II could
not be learned what they talked about with
the District Attorney.