New-York tribune., 1903-02-01
GEN. GREENE DISPLEASED
WARNS CAPTAIN L4NTRY
Jerome Says an Object Lesson Has
Been Giuen TO Househoiders.

Disapproval of Captain LantTy's method Of
warning householders in his precinct to keep
their doors closed against thieves expressed
yesterday by Commissioner Greene The Com
missioner displeased. too. because Captain
Lantry had not asked for advice before adopt
ing such unusual method.
Il want the captains to understand that they
cannot take such unusual action without ad-
vice from headquarters" Commissioner Greene
said. Captain Lantry's men had no right to
enter those houses in the manner described IN
the newspaper reports of this morning If one
Of them had been shot do not how the per-
shooting him could have been punished.
General Greene sent a letter to Captain Lam
try marking it as being sent through police
channels apparently TO give an additional in
timation that reports on such departure from
regular police methods were to be made off,
cially, not through the newspapers This letter
said:
Your action yesterday. as reported in this morn
ng's papers, in sending plain clothes men to enter
pose of showing that these residences can be easily
entered by burglars, is not approved for the foi-
First-sueh action, If iustiaable; viii in no case
receiving the approval of head of the detective
bureau or of the chief Inspector of poneeM M ,o,,ca
to see that the doors of houses are properly pro- pro.
for this purpose and their action should be limited
TO giving notice TO the occupants 9y ringing h @ une
protected condition Of the house but without en-
While it is desirable that the owners of resi- Isl
dences should have their attention called TO the
doors open their houses can easily be entered by
sneak thieves. vet the method adopted by you TO
call attention to this in excess OF your au-
thority and It is not approved,
No charges are TO be made against Lantry.
Captain Lantry said yesterday that he had acted
entirely his own responsibility, and he hao
given out the reports he received from his men
because he did not want any mystery made OF
the case Hereafter he said, the patromen on
post would ring bells and warn occupants OF
houses when the doors were left unlocked.
The Corporation Counsel has been careful IN
advising the police to adhere closely to the
Criminal Code in entering suspicious places.
Forcible entry into houses without warrants
has not been advised. 1t Is held that ponce
man has no more right than a thief has to enter
private house without asking permission OF
the occupant. 1t might be the duty Of a police
man to go into such house unlimited to pro-
tect person against violence or to save lives
in case of a fire. but ordinarily a policeman
must get permission before entering any dwell
ing.
District Attorney Jerome said yesterday tnat
he thought Lantry acted properly in warning
people TO be more careful about keeping their
doors locked against burglars. but ii was not
proper to advertise certain houses as beihg
easily accessible to thieves.
Inquiry at several houses in the list given out
by Captain Lantry Friday night did not
sustain the reports Of his plain clothes men as
to the ease with which thieves could have gained
entry into those houses. Occupants OF the
houses said yesterday that the detectives were
admitted through inner doors after they had
passed through outer basement doors and had
Iung bells or had pounded on the doors TO at
tract the attention of the servants. Then they
had spoken of the danger of leaving the outer
doors or area gates unlocked. They were told
IN several instances that the outer gate of the
area had been left unlocked purposely, because
one of the servants had gone out and was ex-
pected to return and that there was no possi-
bilitr of thieves entering without being seen by
the other servants.