New-York tribune., 1903-03-02
FREES 1875 PRISONERS.
Magistrate Crane Reb"kes Captq'"
German for Raids.

sEaxfstrnta Crane was speechess with astonish-
rnent Yesterday when Captain German. OF the
Mercsr-st. station. marched into Jenerson harke'
court with the 15e prisoners he had gathered IN
his Saturday night raids. The raids were made by
Captain Gornsn. under the personal direction
Of Insuector Eibert o. Smith. The places raide0
were the Hotel Lencx, at Sixth-aVe and 1hlIo-s'r:
where sIxty-Hve prisoners were made; the ho'ei
Vesuvius at Thompson and Bleecker sts.' Wnere
fifty were taken and four alleged disorueFiS
hoUseE-Nos 1So and 1Se Macdougatst., four prison
ers: No lS7 West Third-st., two. and NO II" "eS'
ThiFd-st., seven
There was barely enough room In front OF tne
bench for the prisoners to squeeze in.
.svyhat did they dor Magistrate Crane aeheo
Of Policeman Sullivan who assisted Captain "0'-
man in looking after the prisoners
''They were inmates OF the disorderly places VIC
raided" was the reply. ''They were singing anu
dancing and in company with women
.WeII they were not inmates" shouted ths
,srtstratc With some heat. THAT sort Of thing
doesn't 90 here These people do not look IKE the
best i'm the world. but there is nothing 10 snO"
that they were committing a crime. "hat charge
do you make against these prisoners?
no charge sir answered Sullivan
What" shouted the magistrate. "Whaf ~eES
fhev arrested for anyhow? This Is outrageous.
81 am trying to suppress vice in my precinct
spoke up the captain. 1T is the only way can
do It unless you suggest another Fay
You cannot suppress vice. f% 1t has eNsteo
trate Crane This whole thing is entirely un-
necessary. There are simpler ways of closing such
places as were raided last night than the methods
adopted
Just before the prisoners were turned out man
who said he was Curt Hamei, of No. 1Oo2 Jenersoh-
ave. Brooklyn, stepped forward and said he wanted
to talk the magistrate. There were tears IN MS
eyes and he shook from head to foot like man
who had undergone an ordeal. , ,.
81 happened to be near the L.enox Fotel IdSt
night. and while I was waiting for a car thouenI
for home I went into the cafe of the hotel ana
iIst as was ordering drink the place was raioeo
The police came into the cafe and asked one U!
them If / could not get a drink. and ne Sdlo
into a patrol wagon and taken to the police sta-
ton What am I to say to my wife, who is wait
ing I9r me e. ogt +t uero rov, ~ the foSrtroonn
MAGISTRATE Crane asked the captain what ne had
to say. and he mumbed out something Whicn no
one seemed TO understand. Magistrate CTane was
angry, and with a sweep OF MS ndno oeGldieu Sii0
prisoners free. - <
A great shout went up in the courtroom from
prisoners and spectators. and with sucn e&claId.
tons as Did yer get left? and Mike. go Set
yer gun the bulrs-eyes twisted" they filed out or
the courtroom. c,-
Before he adjourned court Magistrate Crane
called Captain German to the bridge
''Captain." he said. when you want TO make a
raid come and will give you warrants ior
the arrest of the propretorS. Once you arrest the
proprietors OF questionable and disreputabe places
there viii be such no more / don't blame you for
wanting TO clean up your place should say II fs
commendable. Let me add that II is the biggest
kind of a mistake TO make wholesale arrests Ihey
do more harm than good
Il will be governed by your advice. said the cap
tain. bowling. 'just as long as you are on the
bench -
again. Captain German left the courtroom with
greater dispatch than when he entered II.