New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-02
THIEVES TALK TO NINE.
'Lefty' Boyle Explains Hoo
"Graft' Game Is Worked.

District Attorney Jerome when he went before
the Committee of Nine recently to tell his views
regarding police reorganization, related some OF
the things told him by prisoners in the Tombs
about their relations with police detectives. By
his invitation yesterday Messrs Fox, Osborn
and Baldwin, Of the committee. went to his
office. in the Criminal Courts Building, and
spent two hours with him talking over the rev.
Citations Of the Crooks" Mr.. Jerome sent over
TO the TOmbs and had few Of the prisoners
brought to his Office one at a time. to let the
committeeman talk with them
One of the prisoners the man who recently
told the District Attorney that pickpockets who
worked certain streetcar lines were protected by
Central Office detectives condition that the
plumber was shared. He said the practice or
paying the detectives 90 per cent OF the pro-
ceeds OF robberies on the streetcars had been
going on for years. The thieves had certain
lines of cars. among them the 34th-st. line, on
which they operated without fear OF being
molested by the Central Office men so long as
they played fair and divided what they stole.
They did not dare to hold back any stealings.
he said. because every robbery complaint at the
Detective Bureau was a check them. They
had certain pawnshops where they pawned
stolen articles and If detective had special
reason for getting back particular watch that
had been "swiped" he could find it without
much trouble.
One of the prisoners was Lefty" Boyle who
gave evidence against Patrolman Lang. OF the
Charles-st. station about two months ago. Boyle
described the underground" route by which
thieves. who were protected by the police. sent
their share OF plumber to the detectives assigned
to investigate robberies in precincts.
He told that In one case detective was
watching him and a woman confederate try to
rob a drunken man who was known to have
81, 500 on his person. They were all in liquor
store together. The woman, whose assigned
man, could not find il because he was crafty
and had hidden it in his sock. The detective
finally arrested the man and took him to the
police station. where a search revealed the
money. Part OF the money was returned to the
man the next morning when he was taken to a
police court. and later. when he made a COM
plant about the loss OF the remainder the detec-
tive took most of it back to him In an envelope
saying 1t had been left with bartender.
Boyle is to be witness against Patrolman
Lang when the policeman is tried on an indict-
nent charging him with stealing $500 from
John Pritchett in saloon at 6th-ave. and 10Th
st.
Other self-confessed thieves who talked with
the committeeman in Mr.. Jerome's Office yester-
day were David Cohwan and Morris Greenwald
mitteemen of his discoveries In investi-
eating east side conditions. Mr. Jerome said
later that the committeeman had expressed in
terest IN the statements made by the crooks"
he had already told the Committee of Nine
The whole committee met In the afternoon, as
usual, at the City Club. but there was merely
a conference between the members no Wit
nesses being examined Mr.. Fox was late He
has hardly got over his Illness yet. and as soon
as he came in he ordered cup OF tea, and d.
rected boy to go TO the committee room and
ask IL the others would not join him In the same
beverage. The result of the invitation was not
learned.
The presidents of four police benevolent as
sociations' are to be examined to-day.