The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-07
GODDARD SOCIETY HALTED.
DRAMATIC RAID or ITS YOUNG
MEN CONDEMNED.
Court Discharges Sixteen Prisoners They
Arrested In Two Raids-NO Proofs
Obtained That Any Of Them Was I'm.
gagged In the Commission OF Crime.

Capt. Goddards Anthology Society was
sharply criticised yesterday 10y Magistrate
Iighe In the Adams street police court
In decision in which he disc harged sixteen
men arrested in two recent raids by capt,
Goddard's agents. The Magistrate de-
olared that the arrests were Illegal, that the
agents acted without the least authority
OF law In entering the places where policy
was alleged TO have been played ana that
they were nothing bat trespas>ers.
The first raj vas on oct 3 IN a candy
store at $40 II .ison avenue, Brooklyn.
Sup. McEarlan', several If his agents
and two p,licemen from Manhattan were
the raiCing party. The policemen were
told TO keep in the background because
they were taken along only a. u bodyg lard
and the glory of the capture belonged 10
the society. The agents rushed into tn
store and found several men sitting around
peacefully reading newspapers. They were
called upon TO surrender Il, jhepnril Of get
ting filed with cold lead. The invaders dis
played no warrants. There was a protest
and fight in the store, but il was soon
over. The agents found some policy sips
and then arrested George Hunt, George \
O'Brien anu John Henderson on the charge
OF interfering with officers III the dist barge
of their duty. Charles Abbot was AR, sted
charged with violating the policy law III
beng IN possession OF the laiaI hCrnalia.
Hunt = alleged offence consisted in grab
bing a baseball bat and eN IutInS a Il, sire
TO use ii on the youthful sleuths. The
agents gave out story to the new spaIeTs
TO tie eNsot that they ovcrpof cred "a crowd
Of gamblers despite the lranuIshing Of
clubs and lifted bali bats. Tie prisoners
were held the next day for examination.
On Nov. 80 tie sane agents IaiIed n
store at i3s II g street and arrested twelve
men thew found in the place. They de-
clared they had found some policy slips Ia
drawer in the store. Two # the prisoners,
Marx Wilson and David Michel were
charged With having Possession Of the
slips. They were also held for examina-
ton. c. ". Blarey, Council for The God
dard society, appeared for the prosecution
The prisoners we're oil represented by
eN-Judge Troy and Luke ID. Stapetcn.
The la, We submitted briefs to tie effect
that the arrests Wese Illegal AS the agents
acted without warrants and in neither
place saw any law viola ed.
In his decision yesterday the Magistrate
said:
In the case q Wilson, aside from tie
illegally Of TIE arIest, vii h / tbs case
seems to he fatal. there is 10 ,Ni .cioc thai
Wilson was In control of tie premises al q
lis cortel I, or r. any manner had Posses
sion Of the articles taken theretrom.
an Mitchclls case there IL 10 proof
that felony had i fact been COMM ted
and the evidence l. tulany | suf;I, irlt
10 establish the commission &C a'y crime
The same hi z apl lies to Al bot AID al
the others arrested. IlCv are l., arCcd ="
Magistrate 1iyle raj aitervard. tie
cases were poorly IA Clcd 10y tie GoGCal
society and there vas lot the siyl test
proof that these mo nWi ted auy Crin"
or that thew Were / lossession Of thir
rararher. ala
There was no evidence to show anvone's
ownership of tn RI res. These agents
acted without any au' horitv. They went
into the places, saw crowd Of men don &
nothing and on the presumption that som"
crime had been committed Illegally ar
rested them citizen has the right to
make an arrest. but only when he knows
that felony has been committed and Wheu
he knows Who did IT, These agents are
from a polirenan's in this respect, that
when a policeman has reason to belicv"
that felony has been committed h" can
make arrests on suspicion without war
rants. A citizen has not the slightest
right to do so
This is the second judicial blow given to
Capt. Goddard's society Recently in Gem
eral Sessions ia Manhattan V hen District
Attorney jerome asked for a suspended
sentence In the case Of a man charged with
having n policy slip in his possession and
who pleaded guilty, LAWYER Bauey OBJ
jected. The prisoner on the advice of hi,
counsel then changed his plea and al
though he had admitted in the presence Of
the jury just befor" that that he vas guilty,
the Jury promptly acquitted him.