New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-28
TO INVESTIGATE CRIME
Grand Jury Will Take Up Cor
rigan Charges To-day.
BATTLE TO ASSIST PROBE
Whitman Obtains His Aid-Mag
istrate Confident He Will
Be Upheld.

the charges Of Magistrate Joseph +. Corrl-
gan that vice Is rampant and the excise
aud gambling laws are being wau'only vlo-
lated throughout the city. 1t will be the
object of the inves, gation 10 fix the re
sponsbility for such conditions, should
they he found 10 exist as Magistrate COR
rigan SAYS thev do. He fixed tho response
lility. in his opinion. upon Mayor Gaynor.
whom he accused Of domoraizinG the Pc
lice Department through his attitude toward
that branch OF the municipal government
IF you find that the charges are sus-
tanned and that officials are guilty of neglect
Of duty let indictments follow" said Judge
O'Sullivan Yesterday in General Sessions
in charging the grand jury 10 investigate
the matter carefully.
Il am confident that tho grand jury in
VestiGation will bear ont everything | have
said in regard TO existing conditions Mag
istIate Corrigan said last night. II would
Welcome the opportunity 10 70 before that
body and give them the benefit OF all the
information ! have. | am sure | could
offer the grand jury some valuable sugges-
'tions in the matter. II is high time that
the laWless condition of things now prcva
lent in this city should he officially investi-
gated and the responsibility placed where
II belongs TIE investigation by the grand
jury and the District Attorney Will be mos.
olportune"
District Attorney Whitman appointed his
first assistant Frank Moss. and George
Gordon Battle. as a special Assistant Dis
trict Attorney. TO conduct the Investigation
FOR his Office and assist the grand jury in
it's So arch for evidence. The sessions of the
present grand jury will he continued in
definitely. IL was said. and the investigation
will he most thorough and as comprehen
sive as that ~ the alleged white slave
traffic"
Just what course the grand jury investi-
cation Wil take is not known vet. but It
sui ppnaed. including several city officials
II is understood that Mr. Battle was ap-
Iointed special assistant in order TO
divest the investigation of any POLITICAL sig
nfCancc.
James 9. Cropsoy. commissioner OF Pc
lice. and his deputies arc to he called 10
answer the grand iurys questions about
the assertions that the police have hcen
slower in detecting and Furnishing crime
than at any time since the Dcvery regime
Referring to the statement OF John Purrov
Mitchell. President of the Board Of Alder
men that he had information I'm support Of
MAGISTRATE Corrigan's accusations. M
Whitman said Yesterday that Mr. Mitchell
would have an opportunity 10 present it To-
the grand jury.
Judge OSullivan charged tho grand Jury
yesterday after conference with District
Attorney Whitman. He did not mention
Magistrate Corriean 10y name a any time
during the charge.
| AT The beginning Of your service as
grand Jurors this term YOU received the
ordinary statutory instructions from the
court" ne said. You were then informed
that there was nothing extraordinary
! toward which your Investigation should be
directed
Since then. and quite recently. state
ments purporting To SGT forth criminal
conditions AMI accusing public officers Of
neglect Of duty. have been made with par
ticularity and detail in the newspapers OF
this city. II is charged. In substance. that
/ the excise law and the laws against gam
/ bling houses are openly violated. that
criminal dopravit" launts itself unchecked.
! that tho city is infested with criminals
/ who ply their alterations unmOested. and
/ that violent crimes are committed with
/ impunitv. The gravamen Of the charge Is
/ that public officials are responsible FOR
: these alleged conditions and that officers
Of the law whose duty il IS TO detect crime
! and apprChend criminals have wilfully and
corruptly failed to perform their duty
Il consider it my duty. gentlemen To d.
rect your attertion to this matter. and
] YOURS 10 investigate II. desire now TO re
peat 10 YOU an instruction which YOU re-
/ ceivcd at the beginning OF the term.
The grand Jury must inquire into the
uilful and corrupt misconduct IN Office Of
public officers "f every description i'm the
county ,Subdi .ision If Section go of the
code of Criminal ProcedureD
] You MAY subpPna witnesses and prose
. cute Your Inquiry wherever II leads. You
are not concerned with local discussions or
publi. criticism. The question is. Have
there been criminal violations Of the law as
charged? II the testimony answers yes,
/ Lev indictments follow.
You have given several weeks of intolli-
gent service to the county. and will soon
I he entitled To dismissal. The District At
| forney. 100 IL driven hard and pressed for
( time. hut his time cannot he devoted 10
more important work. and your experience
will he oI value to the people in probing
accusationc which should not 70 unhetded
7 one daV longer"