Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-12-30
ILLEGAL METHODS TO vINDI-
CATE LAW.


/ The city of New York has been hav-
/ ing a somewhat excited discussion in
the courts and newspapers on what
constitutes legal gambling raid. For
many weeks the noted gambling resort
Of Richard Garfield was besioged by the
| police Officers of the law were UNI
able to enter the place because they
could not obtain the evidence with
which to obtain search warrant.
Garfield merely kept his doors shut
and the police we're unable to break
and enter Finally ladder was raised,
q window smashed. and entrance gained
but without result. as there was no
gambling paraphernalia. or gamblers,
except Garfield. in the place.
Now comes the question OF whether
the raid was conducted according to
the laws OF the State. Raids on
gambling places In this city have CIV
en- rise to diverging views which lend
interest to the New York affair and to
the comment of such a conservative
paper as the New York Sun:
Judged from the net results, the
prime object of the raids on certain al
legged gambling houses on last Monday
night was to establish the fact that 1t
was possible for the police TO get into
house occupied by one Richard A,
Garfield, according to common report
the most important gambler in the
world But the question of prime i'm
portance in this particular raid is:
Was II conducted according to the law
of the State?
IAN the published reports tell us
that although the police were armed
with a search warrant. they made no
demand for admittance before they
forced their way in by smashing win
dow. The inspector who had charge of
the police makes a most remarkable
answer. He says: Under the circum-
stances. think | had better not dis
cuss that question
Under what circumstances? II he
acted within the law, why should In
spector Brooks not say SO, and at once?
Are the circumstances to which he
refers, such as will make II possible for
the man whose house was invader to
recover damages in a civil action at
law?
"The question should be answered by
somebody. but more important still is
II to know whether the Western detec-
tive on whose affidavit the raid was
based really did get into the alleged
gambling house, as his sworn affidavit
says he did. or whether he was swear
ing to an imaginary state Of facts.
Garfield, or some one speaking for him,
says that the man never crossed his
threshold. The story Of just how he
got into the place, told by friend of
his, has many of the earmarks OF a
tale OF the Imagination. II the police
have been misled by the statements OF
romancer, seeking cheap notoriety,
1t is time that they and the public
knew II.
Gambling is a violation of the laws
and the Constitution OF the State OF
New York. 1t has no defenders, ex-
eept those who profit by 1t. But II a
gambling house can be raided under
an illegally executed warrant, issued
upon false or misleading deposition,
there is nothing to prevent the home
of the most reputable citizen being sim
ilarly invaded. Raiding OF the brass
band-Parkhurst style never did this
or any other town any good. In such
cases. reaction is always great.
"Vindication OF the law by illegal
methods only degrades the law"