New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-16
AXES IN GAMBLING RAID
Police Find Five Hundred Men in
West 45th Street Place.
FIVE OF THEM ARRESTED
Schmittberger Goes Over Heads
of Subordinates Who Had
Failed to Act.

Two thousand persons watched a squad
of policemen under command of Lieu
tenant Geisler. Of Chief Inspector Schmitt-
bergers staff, smash their way into an
alleged gambling resort in West 18Th street,
almost directly opposite the Hotel Aston,
yesterday afternoon The reserves from
the West 37th street and the West 47th
street station houses and a squad of
mounted men were needed to keep the
big crowd back.
The raid was engineered by the chief in
spector over the heads of Inspector Walsh
and Captain Palmer, of the West attn
street station. who had reported their In
ability to get evidence on which to raid
the house. which is one of the most pre-
tentious of It's kind in New York City.
About a week ago Commissioner Baker
turned the matter over to inspector
Schmittberger, who assigned three OF MS
detectives. John F. Murphy, Edward Cody
and John Dunn. to the case The three
men blew into" the Hotel Knickerbocker.
registered as from out of town and
FLASHED" money in the barroom and IN the
lobby. Their ruSe worked On the second
night cf their high life al the Hotel
KniCkerbocker they We're approached by
runner" who invited them to participate
in the various games operated at the house
raided Yesterday afternoon They accepted
the invitation and off and on for the last
week the three men alleged they had been
going into the house at will, ingratiating
themselves with the doorkeeper and the
dealers and securing evidence After
moons they wore business suits. but in the
evening they were the last word of formal
sartorial propriety. They and they
lost, and yesterday afternoon WREN they
added and subtract their winnings and
losings Murphy was out $50 Cody s95 and
Dunn, who was the heaviest loser, was
out s15s.
Then they reported to Schmittherger, and
warrants were issued by Magistrate Cor
rigan. sitting in the West Side court.
The warrants were turned over to Lieu
tenant Geisler. and Cody, Dunn and
Murphy went back to the house and waited
for developments. A Gordon OF police was
thrown around the alleged gambling house,
and other policemen, ascending through
adjoining houses, took their places on the
roof Then Geisler backed by eight police
men, rang the bell and demanded admit
lance. As soon as the doortender saw the
policemen at the entrance he slammed the
door shut and shouted warning through
'ONAANA
of axes and crowbars was heard, and in
another minute the police had smashed
their way through the door.
There were five hundred men in the al
legged gambling house at the time, and
there was a rush for windows, fire escapes
and the roof Whichever way the men
turned they were confronted by the police.
They were told that if their names were
not on the warrants they would not be
molested and this had a queting effect.
Then all were lined up and the police
selected the men wanted. They were
Doc Meyers. forty years old; David
Meyers, aged thirty-1ve: Louis Lewis
aged twenty; Walter Edwards, aged fifty.
and Walter Johnson. aged ffty-three The
charged aiding and abetting
public gambling
In addition to four telephones over which
il is alleged the racing results we're re-
cefved, roulette wheels. crap tables and
other gambling implements to the value
of 5000 were piled into four patrol wagons
and removed to Police Headquarters. The
police also confscated $500 in cash.