New-York tribune., 1909-12-05
NO. 300 A HAS BEEN"
DESERTED BY POLICE.
Nee Headquarters Christrned
by First arrest.

With thousands Of mourners. No. 500
Mulberry street. the ivy covered home of
the New York Police Department for many
Years. passed away quietly yesterday. For
the last few years the old building hsd
tried 10 retain its prestige. knowing. how
ever. that a few BLOCKS away rival was
being built THAT would eventually take its
Place and leave it deserted and bare, an
other one % the has beens."
Old NO. soc" has seen many strange
sights. and IL its walls could only talk
they could ill volumes and straighten out
many tangle that has been a nine days
wonder. II has seen the disgraced man.
dismissed from the force his hopes of fame
IN the Police Departm mt gone. depart. and
the newly promoted man enter, his new
Uniform glittering and lis head erect. Com
missioners and chiefs have come and gone.
and the old building has probably felt like
the reporter who remarked to a Commis-
sione- after Il stormy interview:
Commission. l will be on the Job when
you are gone and forgotten
But the old monument reckoned once too
often. Commissioner Baker was the man
10 DO IT, and although he may go on the
first OF the wear he can az least say that he
cast "Old 500" aside and not it him. Alone
anu NtS'ilcu oUo slpOu At5ltENdS anu
watched the last wagon drive away. but il
must have had the consols tion that many
Of the oldtime policemen turned and gave
last sorrowful look at the building that
for nearly half century has We'd with
Scotland Yard as the most famous OF police
department homes
While few think that II shows class TO
be arrested. Antonio Gimin!e. Of No. 1S
Elizabeth street: Eugene AlvanO OF the
Puritan Hotel, and Leonardo POrceli, Of
Port Richmond, Staten Island. must have
a little feeling OF pride. The first two were
the last prisoners to be srrigned in cid No.
800 before the building was officially closed
while Porcelhs smiling cOuntenanCe was
the first TO face Lieutenant Schoenich in
the new building at Centre and BrOome
streets.
AS Gimini- entered the rear door of the
old building in charge Of Detectives MCGEE
and jeremiah Mcmahon. Alvano entered
the front door with Detectives Guarmer
snd Cora. Both were charged with carry
ing concealed weapons and both prisoners
claimed the distinction of being last. urged
on by their captors. but hOnors were even,
il was decided.
Commissioner Baker gave his last inter
view in the building yesterday morning.
was arrested for shaking down a candi-
date for patrOman's job. The Commits
siOner said that other arrests would proba-
bly, follow Later. with his deputies, he
departed for his new official home.
Perhaps the man who looked with the
most regret on the moving was George W.
Hopcroft. who entered the building when il
was built. in 1865. as secretary 70 Superin-
tendent Of Police Kennedy He has been
there ever since. and for years has been
\ deputy clerk I'm the complaint bureau.
At u-0 o'clock yesterday morning the
last telephone message came into the build
ing from the traffic squad. asking for the
owner OF thirteen packages OF receipts
marked Assistant Treasurer Of the United
States and signed William Loeb. jr"
The first report 10 come into the new build
ing was the effect that Hermann Schroe-
der. a homeless man. had been found sick
and destitute at Pearl and Park streets so
Hermann. IN spite OF his troubles, has some
call TO fame.
At midnight the new building was taken
over officially. all the commissioners being
on hand with a number OF their friends and
other visitors