The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-05

MIR. TROUT does not ODJecJ W the eApeh-
diture which has shut up Canfields place
sent AL Adams to Sing Sing and so on. but
what he is worked up about is the hundreds
OF bills from plainclothes policemen and
small-cry detectives for money expend e d
almost by the barrel in finding proof OF
the existence of disorderly houses.
The bills of this sort show that police
men have thought nothing of going out
O nights in couples and distributing public
money in amounts ranging from $40 to
$40 and more in one resort. In many in
stances this costly form OF sleuthing has
been followed by no prosecution and in
others the keeper of the resort has been
fined merely nominal sum. 1t is these
bills that Mr.. Grout is loath to pay, but
he realizes that he will eventually have to
pass them. Other Comptrollers before him
have made a similar fight, but they have
always been ordered by the courts to pay
up. Referring to this point yesterday Mr..
Grout said to Sun reporter;
1.-The courts have upheld such expen-
ditures, which have been customary, not
only under the present, but under past,
administrations for, generation But
past incumbents of the Comptroller's Office
have rebelled against them and have re-
sisted them in the courts as have done,
and there seems to be no recourse except
to pay them. If the newspapers would
publish them, however, just as they, come
IltIt, tt'IuUW q u'fhtHty l "IClLci
public sentiment would countenance such
payments Of public money. The records
here are public records. and whoever
chooses has the right to inspect these bills.
am only anxious that they should not be
ministration Of the Police Department
and District Attorneys Office
There Is, however. one difference be-
tween the bills rendered in former ad-
ministrations and this which Mr.. Circuit
I Sl..k.
through the stack Of vouchers presented
during the terms of Mayors Strong and
Van Wyck found that in those years the
police detectives were very moderate in
their charges. They were content TO drink
beer and whiskey and to ride in street
cars. But now they drink mostly cham
payne and smoke twenty-five-cent cigars.
They no longer use the street cars. It's
cabs now. with very. often an honorarium
of S. to the cabnlc's for the introduction. >
Then there are tips for doormen and SER
wants and treats all around.
A city official who has examined some
of the police bills declared yesterday that
it was outrageous that the city should
be compelled 10 pay for what. it seemed
evident were merely nightly carousals
on the part Of the plain-clothes men.
Said he
-The bills prove that the police detectives
have made it practice OF visiting only
the respectable Cir such term may he
uSPQD lncRal HOUSES. lHty nave gone 10
houses where there have lived only two
or three mature inmates AID houses
against which there were no complaints
and which could be entered only by an
introduction They have spent large
amounts Of money in collecting evidence
against this class of house, while the
pikers.' badgers women who rob men
and who haunt the streets, are allowed
to infest the city in even larger numbers
than ever This is tho class of criminals
the Police Department ought to devote
itself to running down, instead Of en-
couraging its men 10 lay out $40 and $50
at a time for champagne and cigars and
in dragging 10 the courts women who,
however guilty, hide themselves away in
such a manner that the public sense of
decency is i.o: shocked"
One Of tho bills lying in the Compt rollers
Office is the one incurred by that picturesque
slcutli. Joseph jacobs, about whose won
dcrfui ap!ncss n. Disgusting himself so
many tales were trld not long ago. Jacobs
sworc that 10 80, into Canfcld's. Can
field sworc hc G.;!i'l. Since then there
has. l,"cn n great deal of curiosity as to
the amount cs rloiov IL cost him TO get
into Canaeid's. Iii, vouchers do not show
Just wha, he won or dropped in Canfeld's,
or indccr., that I've waE ever inside the
place: but this is the bill he has sent in
for securing evidence against Canfield's,
Rig Franks. 1Gn West 1hirty-frst street;
Fnrrclls. ~ West Thirty-third street.
Ludl,m's. l<5 West Fortieth street; Fosters,
81 Wcst Fortv-arst street, and Wakeley's,
sixth avenue and Eorty-SecOnd ri rect.