Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-26
CHIEF TAKES BIG
FUND OF POLICE
Bingham and Jerome Find $82,-
600 of Doodle Intended to
Boost Platoon Scheme.
LARGE SUM FROM OFFICERS
Books Confiscated Showing the
Collection of $4,000 From
1000 PatroImen.
HUGE ROLLS OF BANK NOTES
district Attorney Forces Officers of As
ISOLATION to Disclose the Secrets
of the Mortuary Fund.
HUGE ROLLS OF BANK NOTES

Police Commissioner Bingham,
District Attorney Jerome and AS
sistant District Attorneys Ely and
Tinker last night searched the
headquarters of the Patrolmen's
Benevolent Association for traces
of rumored corruption fund, said
to exceed $4,000, which was
raised to defeat the police bill at
Albany. After much difficulty a
safe in the headquarters in Maen-
nerchor Hall, 9th street and sd
avenue, was opened and book was
found which showed that the pa
trolmen had raised what they
called the "mortuary fund" to
which nearly seven thousand pa
trolmen had contributed $50 each.
This search followed conferences
in the district attorneys office
which had occupied the greater
part of the afternoon and evening
At those conferences Policeman
Mclaughlin, president of the pa
trolmen's organization, and Peter
McEntree, one of his six secre-
taries of the association, were
questioned. That led to the desire
to see the books.
NEW YORK, March 26-Whle search
ing last night for evidence Of
police Doodle fund, collected to buy the
passage of three platoon measure through
the Legislature at Albany, Commissioner
Bingham and District Attorney Jerome and
the latter's assistants, Ely and Tinker,
discovered $50, 900 in cash. This is more
than half of $4,000 recently collected from
T. patrolmen who We're assessed so
apiece.
Most of the money was discovered in
private box in the Lincoln Safe Deposit
Company's vaults. One bundle had S3i, OO0
another S33 900 and a third $4,000 in bills.
There was also a quantity of loose bills
making $4,000 in all. An additional $1,000
was found in the home of Policeman
Thomas Mclaughlin, president of the Pa
trolmens Benevolent Association, in 135th
street.
There was found also the list of col
lectors three to each precinct. In the pres
ence of the district attorney and the COM
missioner, President Mclaughlin was forced
to open the safe of the association in Maen-
| nerchor Hall, seth street, near Sd avenue,
last night.
Lobby Will Mourn.
In all the history of crooked legislation
and corruption funds in this state and city,
cash in such enormous amount as this has
never been uncovered The lobby in AL
bany will go into real mourning for the
.mortuary fund that has been so rudely
exposed to the killing light of day.
Months ago policemen began to raise
Doodle fund to force their pet three pla toon
| measure The assessment was to be $50
apiece 1t is said that it was to be known
| as ''mortuary fund"
In addition to the vouchers and reports
! from the several precincts found in the pc
| licemen's safe last night, the following
memorandum referring to the case of Po
liceman George W illett of the Elizabeth
| street station, who had refused to pay his
assessment:
| This man. George Willett, who refuses,
| am told has failed to make good for the
| salary BILL the defeat of the reorganiZa
| ton bill or for any of the assessments that
have been collected from time to time to
enable your committee to secure better
| conditions.
I'm spite of this he is always we'll taken
care of by the superior officers of his pre-
cinct. He pleads poverty, but am told that
he has between $500 and $1,000 in the bank.
MARTIN CAHILL."
| Cahff, who was until recently in the
| Elizabeth street squad, was given a detail
| in the corporation counsels office. Futile
| efforts were made to find him last night
Mr.. Jerome then sent for Wilett.
| Policeman Pleads Poverty.
| Willett went to Maennerchor Hall, which
had the appearance of a chamber of jus
| tice. He told District Attorney Jerome and
| the commissioner that he was poor man.
500 in debt, with a boy seventeen years
| old and six girls, all younger.
There were several conferences in the
| early evening participated in by Jerome,
Bingham. Ely and Tinker and President
Mclaughlin and Corresponding Secretary
Peter McEntee of the Policemens Associa-
ton Mclaughlin and Tinker told this
| story:
| 1t had been the rule on the death of a
| member of the association to give his
! widow $3.50 On November g last, when
| the defeat of Hearst for governor was as
| sured a special meeting of the association
was called and this amount increased