New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-15
MAYOR ACTS
In EXCISE CASE
GETS AFTER JEALOUS
POLICEMEN. e.
Orders Cunningham and Kee-
nan, Uho UOrh in off
Time, To Be Tried. IS

t"t u " Ot II fttu. -
Mayor Gaynor directed Police Conn
missioner Baker yesterday 10 prefer
charges against Patrolrnen Thomas
Keenan, and Charles r Cunningham.
who while off duty on Sunday. made
several excise arrests in The Bronx
In his letter TO the Commissioners III.
Mayor took occasion to say that he had
been slowly gathering evidence that
liquor dealers were paying money for
so-called protection on Sunday and that
he was preparing to put a stop to a.
This can be done. he declared. and at
the same time the liquor law can be en-
forced in safe and orderly manner
as well or better than it is enforced
anywhere else in the state"
Cunningham and Keenan, were the men
who made several excise arrests in This
Bronx on Sunday, January so. while N
plain clothes and OFF duty They were
members of the mounted squad at ths
time. and the next day they were trans
ferred to patrol duty on the lower E:as.
Side at the request of Inspector Flood
keenan, was sent 20 the Madison street
station and Cunningham vas assigned
TO the Eldridge street station.
The ease was reported TO the Mayor
at tho time. and he later had talk with
Inspector Flood regarding IL
In his letter to the Police Commis-
sioner the Mayor said that if every pa
trolman were allowed to make indis-
Criminate arrests for violation of the ex-
else and other laws while off duty and
i'm other than his own precinct. the way
to extortion of money or bIackn1aiI by the
members of the force would be without
limit
Charges Against Patrolmen.
The Mayor calls the attention of The
Commissioner to three affidavits, which
he says are to the effect that Keenan,
and Cunningham had obtained money
of several liquor dealers as pretended
loans, which they have never paid back
Several weeks ago the Mayor had a
talk with representatives of the Liquor
Dealers Association, when he told them
that in the future they must not pay
any money for so-caIIed protection He
Intimated that he would do away with
the plain clothes method of spying on
saloons and that the law would be en-
forced in a reasonable way against all
alike. Since then the Mayor has had a
/ special corps of investigators looking
into the question of protection. and he
intends 10 make things lively for any
/ member Of the force who is caught ac-
cepting money'for protection.
/ The Mayors letter to Commissiopsr
! Baker follows:
NJ attention is called to the fact that
Patrolmsn Thomas Keenan,. of the 9TH Pre-
cinCt and Charles r Cunningham, of the
9Th. both of which are in lower ManhaJ-
tan, visited together several liquor places
several miles away in the Borough Of The
b-onN yesterday, during their regular
p5-';oJ of eight hours off duty, for the pur-
! pCso - making arrests for violations OF
tn liquor tax law, and that they. uade
severa! arrests cor st.ch violations by the
sac u -iqUor TO them in side rooms
"Gp,les IN Their Own Precincts"
as their duties are in their own prs
? over III n. aLd the said hours off duty
&c sven 70 the men for necessary rest
el-i Ieruyeration; 30 that they may be a5ls
II -Jut.lIe TO do duty efficiently. il may
"t-- 5e-n tldt these two patrOlmen were
evC-sJvd - some motives other than zeal
. .o' we enforcement of the laws in doinzs
t..c,.s.sh such zeal, some leniency should
D.. low. tHeTn, but if through insUbordi-
..,--loI o. any bad motive. they should =
DIST -:SseG ~cirptly- When all OF the facts
-.,,.s- have. 1eeE put together IN sequences
- - lavIiye Will be apparent enough.
e ever patTOlman of dut- were per-
-...--S1 without orders % supervision 20
-s-Na his own precinct and go a. VIII
-i.ro-ShouJ the city in plain clothes 70
..s..a' ~iaCCs 10 make arrests tor viola
J4u> q the Hquor taX law or to other
ll3ceS or houses 10 make arrests the wa
% cNtOrU.On of money or blaCkDlai by the
7 !nNm.erS O tTe force would be without
limit. Such a thing cannot be suffered
Z Before J came into the office o. Mayor
l was informed OF the large-evsn vast
sum Of money in the aggregate which
liquor dealers Vere paying for what IA
/ called protection on SUNDAY. and 7 hsvs
been slowly gathering the evidence OF Il
since I have been here and getting ready
10 nut a stop 10 il in way which II
open TO us. and at the same time duly en-
force the liquor TAX law here in a sar.
ana orderly manner, we'll as, or better
than. it is enforced anywhere else in ths
state
/ / also request your Immediate consid-
Grafton OF three afidavits which have been
presented that these two pstTolmen havs
also obtained money OF several Hquo~
dealers as pretended loans. which they
never paid back
Let them be tried as soon as may bs.
when the truth, whether Of mere zeal 70
do duty or of INSTRUMENTATION or OF ex-
tortion. viii fully appear