New-York tribune., 1902-12-29

i
by some people of Yonkers without understand
! ing the facts in the case. The second set OF IN
| dictments remained after the first set had been
| quashed. and the twelve men may be tried on
them if the police will furnish proper evidence
POLICE HAVE POOLROOM GUARDS
'"The people of Yonkers naturally resent the
running of the poolrooms there Mr. Young
| said the other day TO Tribune reporter They
must not imagine. however, that 1 am IN the
| least disposed to help the booksellers During
| this year three pooroom convictions have been
| had which is three more than were ever OBJ
| tanned before in westchester County The
I county judge has imposed heavy fines. which
| have been paid. Some indictments have been
| quashed my motion. because there was not
sufficient evidence to convict. They were quashed
| in open court by the county judge. who fully
| agreed with me as to the fnsufficiency of the
evidence. and after my acquainting the officials
at Yonkers with the insufhciency of the evidence.
| Attempts have been made to secure other In
| dictments on too slight proof. and they have
| properly failed.
The recent grand jury made presentment
| charging the police commissioners OF Yonkers
with negligence. and this presentment was made
! after hearing had been accorded all interested
| parties. The foreman Of that grand jury is a
| substantial citizens of the city of Yonkers- BY
| that presentment it appears that the police OF
Yonkers are known to all the guards at the
| poolrooms. and hence the persons running them
| have warming The commissioners have refused
! to the Chief of Police any outside help The
grand jury believed as I do, that Yonkers can
| be cleared of pooIroOns in short order.
1.-The fact that three men have been convicted
| in eight months. in spite Of lack Of intelligent
| effort on the part of the police commissioners
| of Yonkers is a matter of credit to the Chief OF
| Police. If not to 1 am anxious and ready to
! do my duty. ] have been. but evidence is re-
| quired to convict When it is furnished to my
| office there will be convictions I neither a
police officer of Yonkers of It's
mssoners of police. I not believer in In
dfctments which cannot result in convictions"
Since the raid Calls poolroom there has
been some spasmodc action by the police. but
| not of a kind TO interfere seriously with the
operations of the booksellers 1t has been of the
kind indicated by District Attorney Young-at-
tempting to get indictments on insufficient evil
dence- An unusually suspicious case Of that
kind was brought to the attention of the grand
| jury of Westchester County few weeks ago.
| and led to the investigation by that body. Cap
! tain Woodruff. who is non1fnaITy the Chief OF
Police of Yonkers. was called before the grand
! jury, with several of his men. He admitted that
he knew Of the existence of the poolrooms. but
said his could not get the proper evidence.
because they were known to the booksellers
Asked why he did not outside detectives to
get the evidence. he said he had requested per-
mission to use them of the police commission.
ers, bur they had refused it The commission
ers have admitted the truth of that assertion.
and have said lack of funds prevented hiring
outside detectives AS a result of the grand
jUry's investigation the following presentment
was filed with the Supreme Court at White
Plains just before Christmas:
CHARGE AGAINST COMMISSIONERS.
To the Supreme Court OF the State Of New-York;
hem [ng diTectsd to egeS Violations Of Section S Of
the Penal Code. relating to poolseng. particularly
1t appears that within the last year a consider,
able number of arrests have been made by the
police of that city for this crime.
In indictments have followed, and
these indictments is necessarily slow in the county
court, the defendants invariably demand a sep
In spite Of the arrests made and proceedings had
tions Of this law still continue in the city Of Yon-
kers much the same as before, ,.,,- ,,.- 49,
condition and inability suppress the evil with
RhoRn RS snd SO ana6e TO e1dence and
forms US that he has suggested to the PoliSs com
but such aid has not been FURNISHED to him
it must be done BY the local authities. Arrests.
ugns order furnish little relief to the community
If the poOlrooms are allowed TO continue business
| rests The local police should ard We believe can.
with proper help and vigilance nee pursue the VIC.
these Illegal acts in the CITY of Yonkers will be I'M
We therefore desire to present this memorandum.
Ana reqge5t 1n 5nns o9pg Of tbe c3v or
Yonkers.
Captain Woodruff gruf1y declined to talk
about the police method of dealing with the
poolrooms when a reporter found him at Police
HEADQUARTERS a few days ago. He expressed
unconcern about the finding of indictments Z
which would not hold water. Some of the citi-
zens who have been most earnest in prodding
the police to action have said they believe the
captain is personally honest. but is held back
by the Mayor and the police commissioners A
few of the men under him are said to be dis
posed to make short work of the pooIrooms II
thev had a free hand while others are said to
be in full sympathy with the booksellers. Sensi-
BILE people who are familiar with police methods
saw that the excuse of being able to get
proper evidence is nonsense that the police are
we'll informed about every poolroom In the city
and that they could close every OF them
promptly if they wished
THE situation here is perfectly plain" said
a well known lawyer of Yonkers Saturday.
THE pooIrooms and attendant gambling places
are run with police knowledge and permission.
Just as they have been allowed to run in New
York under Tammany administrations No
body knows exactly who is paid for permitting
the law to be violated and ignored. but many
suspect and the feeling in Yonkers is rising to
a pitch where there is going to be ex-
plosien."
ONE OF WORST PLACES UNMOLESTED-
"A very suspicious circumstance said well
informed business man. lis that one of the worst
pIaces has never been molested by the police.
although it is in North Broadway. right in the
business district. and has been running con-