New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-09
PANIC DURING RAIDS
Burn Racing Sheets as Police
Enter Alleged POoIrOOmS.
BATTER INTO TWO PLACES
Patrons Say They Thought Re
sorts Were Backed by
Politicians.

Spectacular raids on alleged pOolrooms
one in the Bowery. near Grand street,
and the other in city Hall PlaCe-were
made early last evening by Inspector
John DAILY. of the I'd Inspection District.
and score OF detectives. The smashing
of iron bound doors and iron screens and
the cowing of several hundred patrons Of
the two places by the detectives with
drawn reviewers We're some Of the feat
ures In the raid on the City Hall Place
resort the burning up of alleged evidence
brought the excitement to its highest
pitch and nearly resulted in a panic
When the detectives forced their way
into the latter place they found it
crowded with yelling, panicstricken men.
who were half smothered by the smoke
and flames which were pouring from
great sheet iron can. As the detectives
rushed into the house rolls OF paper, al
legged by the detectives TO have been rae
ing sheets, were thrust into the big can.
Oil was poured on the paper and note
books and the contents of the can were
set on fire
The scores Of men who found them
selves locked I'm the large room on the
second floor, from which they sought 70
escape after the firing Of the oil soaked
paper. yelled and beat upon the doors.
which were speedily forced by Inspector
Days men.
Telephones. some racing sheets and
other supposed evidence were secured in
both places. and eighteen prisoners were
taken to the Mulberry and Elizabeth
street stations Many others said 10
have been patrons of the alleged pool
rooms were allowed to go.
Were Assured Of Protection.
The detectives said that many of the
habitues Of the resorts complained 10
one another as they were leaving after
the raids that they had been assured the
places had ample protection and were
backed by powerful politicians.
For more than a week Inspector Days
men have been obtaining information
about the two places Some of his de-
tectives had been able to gain entrance.
and, coming and going as they chose,
their identity was not suspected by the
proprietors.
Yesterday afternoon the inspector. be-
Heving he had all the necessary evil
dence. obtained a number Of warrants
for the arrest of the men alleged to be
running the places
In the Bowery building. where fully
one hundred and sixty men were found.
the man alleged 20 he the proprietor,
who said he was Joseph Bennett.
twenty-six years old. was arrested.
Here were also arrested Isaac Berger.
of No. go East 18th street: Samuel
Waterman. Of No. 49, Division street.
and six others. They were charged with
being common gamblers and with viO-
lating Section 9SG, amended penal laws.
which makes gambling a misdemeanor.
with penalty of one year in prison on
conviction.
At the City Hall Place house the fol-
lowing We're arrested: The alleged pro-
prietor. who said he was Ambrose Swan
zey. thirty years old. of No. - James
Slip: Moses Blum. thirty-two years old.
Of No. 49, Madison street. and Fred
Burns. thirty-seven years old. of No. -
james Slip. The two last named and six
others arrested at the same time were
charged with the same offences as those
taken in the Bowery.
Used Crowbars and Axes.
With crovbars and axes the squad If
detectives descended on the Bowery
building as darkness was approaching.
Sergeant Cooper and several plainclothes
men were inside at the time When they
heard their fellow officers battering at
the ice box" doors they drew their re-
on the top floor from boiling.
The raiding party entered through the
rear windows of the top floor after they
had climbed a fire escape and torn off
the iron screens that protected the win
dows. The arrests were quickly made
and every scrap Of paper that could be
used as evidence was gathered up
Many Of the men were playing stuss and
craps while waiting for returns from the
races.
~ the city Hall Place resort the raid
ing party found three locks on the street
door, but il was soon forced. At the
head Of the stairs there was an ice box
door. reinforced with iron strips and
braced on the inside. This was smashed
and third door, leading into the alleged
poolroom, was attacked. II was then
that the alleged burning up Of evidence
began.
Detectives CIooran and FeIIs. who
we're inside. drew their revolvers and at
tempted To stop the panic But the
scores in the big room believed that they
had been caught in a fire trap. and there
was a wild fight To reach the locked door
leading to the hall. The sitting smoke
was pouring from the big can. which was
hidden behind "a partition, So that few
knew the real cause Of the fire.
II was while the fight TO reach the door
was becoming desperate that the raid
ing squad broke through. one of tn
detectives slammed the metal cover on
the red hot can and put out the blaze