Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-23
President Whitman at Head of . Number of Sensational
 Swoops To-Day
SERGEANT OPPOSED
And the Temporary Officer Took Charge of the Station in the Upper District For His
 Prisoners.

7 New York, March 23.--A most sensational series of raids upon al legged violators of the excise law was made early to-day under the personal direction of President Whitman of the board of city magistrates. To accomplish his purpose, the magis- trate forcibly seized the West Forty seventh street station in the upper Tenderloin, temporarily deposed the sergeant in command, directed the arrest of several alleged violators Of the excise law and then held an i'm promptu session of court in the po- lice station Two men who were found in charge of saloons where it is alleged liquor was being served after hours, were held in $2,500 for further hearing, and the magistrate declared that he would appear per sonally to press the charges against them when they are arraigned. In the course of the police station court session Magistrate Whitman de- clared that the two men who were arrested told him that they were per- mitted to keep their places open after hours because the captain is fixed" Captain Daly. who con-. mands the West Forty-seventh street station. was at his home when Magis- trate Whitman made his descent upon the station house. The captain was notified of the action and called the magistrate on the telephone. You tell Captain Daily that I won't talk with him." said Magistrate Whitman. "Tell him don't want to have anything to do with him." After he had completed his nights work Magistrate Whitman issued a state ment in which he said:
 I'm sick and tried of this busi- ness of seeing prisoners arraigned in my court charged with violating the excise law by ofiicers who say they saw nothing sold and saw no one in the place. I'm sick and tired of the whole business and I'm going to smash it or go out of business. I've got the goods. l tasted the liquor they sold me. One man told me he owned the precinct. and anoth- er that the captain was fixed.
 ''I was out late last evening. hav- ing been playing whist with num- Der of friends. and was walking down Sixth avenue, when at Forty ninth street and Sixth avenue, I saw a saloon wide open. l went inside and saw five or six persons inside. asked the barkeeper for whiskey, which he served to me without ques- ton.
 "I asked the barkeeper if it wasn't rather late to be doing business. after hours. He replied that it was all right A man whom I took to be the proprietor stood beside the bar keeper and he said:
 I've own this precinct
 That's interesting l said. and I tasted the whiskey. paid 25 cents and 10 cents was returned to me.
 How do you do it?' I then asked and the man behind the bar replied that the place ran all night.
 When I went outside l noticed a plain clothes man standing few doors away. watching a suspected place, and going to him [ asked him why he did not raid the saloon. He replied that he was under instructions not to do SO. told him the place was not a hotel: that l. had just my self bought drink in the place. but his only reply was that he was un- der instructions not to interfere. asked him to what precinct he was attached and then walked on. All this happened about 1885 o'clock. took out my watch several times.
 T then walked toward the station house and at 41th street and Eighth ayenue-this was about 1:f0-l found another saloon wide open. walked into the place and asked for whiskey. It was placed before me without the slightest question. At the time a man whom I took to be the proprietor stood beside the bartender
 How do you do it." I asked him, and his answer was:
 We are fixed with the captain You must be stranger in New York"
 T then went to the station house ordered arrests and convened court I'm rofuu fo smzsh this thing or rc out of business. don't want sensa- tionalism. I don't want notoriety but I feel that something must be done, and as president of the board of the city magistTafes feel it is up to me. .