New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-30
Police Break Through Scuttle,
Only to Find Themselves IN
Trap-Many Fine Lay
outs" Destroyed.

cited the most interest were t"o III N'N'
4Sd street. between Broadway ana
Eighth avenue.
one of the resorts which fell under
the vigorous hammerins Of stalwart pa
trolmen was known as the Actors
Camp" and about hundred members
Of that profession were found IN the rear
room. The other alleged gambling place
on the same street and nearly opposite
the Actors Camp" dcfed the best eff
forts of "Fiynn's baby the hydraulic
jack that has been the pride Of the gam
bling squads hitherto.
It was finally found necessary TO make
use Of the old reliable axe and crowbar,
but even these were not effective. and
il was not until those within the build
ins grew tired Of being besieged by the
police that the officers Of the law could
obtain entrance. Then the bars were let
down and the invading squad walked
sheepishly IN.
Matinee Girls See Raids.
Just when the matinee crowds were
disaorging themselves from the theatres
yesterday afternoon Fourth Deputy
Commissioner Dillon, Lieutenant North
rop md half q dozen detectives drove up
TO within one hundred feet Of a brown
stone front house on the northerly side
OF West 40 street. between Broadway
and Eighth avenue. The squad alighted
from the automobile and prepared for
business. COMMISSIONS Dillon, dressed
as much unlike a policeman as possible
and smoking an old clay pipe, assembled
the steps Of the suspected place and
gently beat a tattoo on the husky door
with his knuckles The silence Of the
tomb reigned within. While Dillon was
Knocking at the door his men were busy
on the roof. trying 70 break in by way of
the scuttle.
For this purpose they brought forth
the hydraulic jack. Tenderly they han
died "Flynns baby and gently they
applied the blunt nose to the ironbound
framework which covered the scuttle.
DThe baby" was unable TO make even
slight impression on the obstruction and
/ the detectives began to be peevish.
j They crooned encouraging lullabies 10
.F1ynns baby: they fed it hydraulic
power with mothers care. Still the
xcuttle top resisted their best efforts.
When II was finally determined that
.'babv" had an off day the detectives
dropped the departments child down the
areaway and took TO their axes and
crowbars After more than fifteen min
utes' hard work they managed to Ply
apart the scuttle top and dropped into
dark hole below them. They found
themselves in an IRON cage from which
there was no outlet Neither forward
or backward could they go, they were
cased like rats in a trap, and it was not
until men on the roof obtained rope
and pulled them mp that they regained
their freedom.
once again was "Flynn's baby taken
in hand This time it was tried on the
street door. then on the basement door,
with the same result. 1t let out by
draulic veil. and then subsided-shame-
fully and weakly. The invading force
then determined to besiege the place
until those inside capitulated-and they
finally did. After a wait Of half an hour
somebody within slid out bolt. a chain
clanked and the door was opened TO
Commissioner Dillon and his men.
Say One Hundred Had Been Playing.
More than hundred men were found
inside. most of whom had been playing
craps and the races. according to the
police Eight of these were arrested on
warrants issued in the West Side court
on Friday. On one of the men. said to
be the proprietor Of the place the police
said they found more than $1,000.
At 1915 o'clock at night Inspector
Burfeind. of the 4th Inspection District,
supported by many detectives. drove TO
a house nearly opposite the place raided
earlier by Commissioner Dillon. In the
van marched John Anthony, known as
Long John" doorman of the West 6Sth
street station. In his arms he carried
a heavy battering ram, and, like a real
crusader. he attacked the stout door with
a vengeance.
After five minutes unremitting work
the door gave way and the police en-
tered. They found more than "A hun
dred men inside. who had been ndug-
ing in all forms Of gambling. it was said
Most OF the habitues Of the place were
actors, some Of them well known on
Broadway. Those questioned gave ficti-
tious names Six were arrested five of
whom were charged with being common
gamblers and one with an excise law
violation. The reserves from the West
47th and West 6Sth street stations had
10 quel the curious thousands from
Broadway
Inspector Titus and half a dozen de-
tective descended on an alleged gam
bling house i'm 10TH street, between
Park and Lexington avenues, yesterday
evening and placed three men under ar
rest on warrants. Two Of the men were
charged with being common gamblers
and with pool selling. and the third was
charged with only the first offence
The raiders did not have much diff
Guilty in gaining access 10 the house,
but the only evidence they found con-
sisted of number Of racing charts. Ac-
cording to the police, the place raided
was the home Of kid" Benson, whose
place in Harlem was raided several
months ago by ex-Deputy Commissioner
Flynn. Al that time portrait Of Cap
tain Corcoran. OF the East 104th street
ststion, was said to have been found In