The sun., 1912-08-15
WALDO NOW ADMITS
POLICE DECEIVED Him
Citizen Tells Commissioner Of
Many TenderlOin Gambling
and DisOrderly Houses.

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Commissioner Waldo probably will
make shift of inspectors in the Tender
| loin within day or two with the hope OF
'mcovering gambling and disorderly
houses there of which he has heard.
On information which was brought
to him yesterday by = private citizen
he will also send Lieut. Dan Costiga
to close three disorderly houses within
block of the West Forty -seventh h street
police station.
Although Commissioner Waldo has not
heard through police channels Of the
exist ence of gambling and disorderly
houses now running this citizen told him
Yesterday afternoon that in less than
an hours ride a taxicab chauffeur had
shown him over twenty gambling and
Idisorderly houses in the Tenderloin.
This man. having read OF places being
run under the wing Of police ignorance
or prot tection. desired to find out for him.
self just how wide open the Tenderloin is.
He learned that not even since the
Rosenth hal murder have the gambling
houses been closed. Tine taxicab chauf-
feur zigzageed through West Thirty
eighth and Thirty-nin;h streets. through
the lower Fort les and slowed down before
brownstone houses with the query: Want
to 20 in?"
There are three disorderly houses side
by side within block Of the West Forty
seventh street police station Of which
apparently every one in the neighborhood
knows except the police Mr.. Waldo was
told So much noise il made by the
inmates at night that persons living near
cannot sleep.
Commissioner Waldo's eyes opened
wider a. the tale Of the taxicah ride was
unfolded. and az the end he asked his
visitor il he were willing to back up his
statements
Certainly was the reply i will
appear before the Grand Jury II you
want me to"
Commissioner Waldo Immediately sent
word for Lieut.. Dan Costigan to appesr
in his office AT noon to-day and meet the
man with the information. He said that
il there were "a many disorder.y houses
as he had been told they would not remain
open long. He had not heard of their
existence through the police.
u was learned through friend Of the
Commissioner that there may be a sud
den change Of inspectors in the Tender
lon as result of what he has learned.
The men there now are all inspectors
whom he has made himself and whom
he has trusted implicitly. He believes
that by sudden shift the men who have
been getting protection will sQueal when
| they find that protection taken from them.
He bases this hope on his belief that there
| is no widely extended system in the Police
Department and that he can pick men
, with a reputation for integrity to put
! on the lid
Wn llo'= NJ ,l t,u pA
the whole Rosenthal case and the men
accused Of grating those who have been
| accused publicly. and those whose names
have been given only to District Attorney
Whitman has been rapidly changing
the last few days. He admits now. for the
| first time. that many men have been
grating. he speaks openly Of graft as
existing. and does not meet the accusa-
tions with denials as he has in the past.
The man who gave Commissioner Waldo
the numbers Of disorderly houses sug-
gested TO him that he take ride in Ia Ii
cab and ask to be shown some wide open
| places.
/ oh I couldn't do that the Commits
sioner replied wearily. i am known too
we'll, ! have spent many nights walking
through the Tenderloin looking for just
| what you have told me. ] was beginning
to feel that | could trust no one. and
wanted to find out for..myself but couldn't.
because l was known"
| Commissioner Waldo has tramped the
Tenderloin for months at night. Ther .
are few men in the city who know the ex-
terror Of the district a. we'll IS he. but the
things that went on behind closed and
barred doors were not for him to sec.
| Commissioner Waldo had before him
yesterday the Ave detectives who Sam
Schepps said let him slip through their
| fingers in the Catskills. Scheppes story
was that while asleep in Bridgie Webber's
gymnasium in Sullivan county five de-
tectives pulled the cover from over his
face. asked him who he was and grinned
Schepps says he grinned back and said
tives went out again.
| That Schepps's story is not altogether
| true the Commissioner Ia convinced. He
learned that the five detectives led by
Lieut.. Cray went into the gymnasium and
lined the men sleeping there up against
the wall 10 look them over. He In certain
that II Schepps was there he got away be-
cause OF the detectives unfamiliarity with
his description and not because Of their
desire to- let Schepps 20. He pointed out
that at the time, july 20. four days after
the murder. Schepps was not wanted
except as a witness. that his picture had
not heen published and that the descrip-
tion given Of him was poor
When Commissioner Waldo was seen
at the end OF busy day he looked tired
| and expressed the wish that the investi
cation might be finished rapidly, the
grafters in the department kicked out
and peace brought back to his ONCE
1 again.