New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-26
FIND KNIVES ON ALIENS.
Ellis Island Inspectors in Ueapon
Crusade-Italians Freed.

Inc immigration authorities have been drawn
INTO the concealed weapon crusade which the Pm
ice department has been carrying on since the
TWO policemen were killed in Washington Square
a week ago last Sunday All iusuectore on T.lltg
Island 1t was learned yesterday. have been or
dered 70 keep a sharp watch for anything thar
might be classed deadly weapon As resr,lt
more than one foreigner has had his frs, conflict
With the laws Of this country through the finding,
IN his baggage or pockets Of an extra large knife
Some Of the most innocent looking pocket knives
when opened BY the inspectors have developed into
deadly dirks and have been conhscated as IN the
deadly weapon class. Few revolvers have been
found Foreigners. especially Italians have been
Informed by their fellow countrymen here that they
are under ban that part OF an Immigrants
household necessities is usually supplied upon arri-
val here. But dirks stilettos. sword canes and
Jabbing and cutting knives Of all kinds have often
been struggled into the country heretofore They
seldom get by the inspectors in their true form,
but Europeans have the concealment Of the char
acter Of deadly weapons down to a fine art and
even now, with the increased vigilance on the part
% inspectors, Fl has been found hard 10 detect All
cases OF this kind.
The b. the federal authorities came as the
result Of the discovery OF many newly arrived inn
migrants with all sorts Of weapons in their pockets
The authorities at Ellis Island said last night that
the Increase in vigilance the part the federal
authorities had been put in force on their own
Initiative. and that no prodding had been done by
however il was said that the attention. of the
island AUTHORITIES had been called 10 frequent vo-
lations of the concealed weapons law by immi-
grants with the smell Of the steerage scarcely out
of their clothing.
The decision ia concealed weapons case in The
I Special Sessions Court in New Brighton yesterday
staggered District Attorney Kenny Of Richmond
county. Justices Fleming. Ready and Forker were
on the bench. -Four Italians had been arrested on
, sunday night by Captain Gallagher. and were ar
I raiEned for sentence.
District Attorney Kenny was in court. and in
I formed the justices that two of the men mad set-
tos one long baded razor ana the fourth a
! loaded revolver After listening to the argument
Justice Fleming discharged the four men, saying
that IL was not unlawful to carry deadly weapons
/ If II could be shown that harm was intended
Unless n higher court oyerrues this decision the
Z Richmond police say, all their work has been IN
vain and there Is no carrying the crusade fur
: Their
The Justices tcd tho District Attorney In ex-
PLANTATION Of their action. that the complaints were
J faulty, and that the men should have been ac-
I cused under another section of the Penal Code
but they refused TO allow the prosecutor to amend
! the AFFIDAVIT
Mr.. Kenny told the police to make eli the arrests
they could. and he would press the cases in the
: County Court. II he could not get convictions in
/ Special Sessions.