New-York tribune., 1912-02-09
HUNT HORSE PRISONERS
District Attorneys Assistants TO
Hear Hundred Witnesses.
JOHN DOE INQUIRY BEGUN
Protection Assured to Those
Who Come Forward to Tell Of
Terrorism of Gang.

A John Doe inquiry was started by Dis
trict Attorney Whitman yesterday IN an
effort 10 bring the leaders OF the gang OF
horse posoners before the bar Of justice
1t IS purposed 70 examine more than one
hundred witnesses before submitting the
evidence to the grand jury
II Is understood that several witnesses
examined nv Assistant District Attorney
Morris B. Moskowitz revealed information
that has set the authorities on the track
of the right men. These witnesses, for the
most part, told their stories reluctantly,
frequently replying TO questions with:
"rm afraid to answer. They will stab
me If do
But they were assured that they need
have no fear OF either tho knives or the
revolvers Of the horse poisoning gang. as
they were under the protection of the Dis
trict Attorney.
One witness. whose name is withheld,
told the Assistant District Attorney that
two men in the same business came to him
and told him he must give UP one Of his
customers under the pain Of having his
horses poisoned. He refused.
He was summoned, with his partner TO
an executive meeting of the employers as
the customer He refused and was driven
from the meeting after being told his name
and that Of his partner would be dropped
from the rolls. The next day his horse and
wagon were stolen. Five hours later they
were returned to him after he had paid
$50 to get them back.
The next day the horse Of thu customer
ct issue was poisoned. and one of the men
who had threatened tho witness got the
customers trade
He was then told by the same two men
At his place of business, in the presence or
an enploye. who corroborated his story,
that unless he Joined the members Of the
association in a lockout that started his
horse would be poisoned. He refused and
= two DAYS later his horse was poisoned.
He then hired a rig from livery stable
dealer and this horse was also poisoned. A
friend of his. IN the same business, took
pity on him and lent him his team Of horses
and truck Tho following day the friend $
horses were killed with arsenic.
Ths witness said he then went 10 the
police and laid the facts before them. He
caused the arrest Of two men for attempted
extorsion and blackmail. Tho prisoners
were discharged for lack Of evidence, and
they brought suit against him and his part
nuer for false arrest. His partner won his
case. but the witness lost A verdict Of
81 500 being returned against him. He
compromised for S175.
Another witness whose name was also
withheld, furnished the District Attorneys
Office with the names Of seven members OF
the association in question, who, he said
decide whose horses are TO be stolen and
held for ransom end whose horses are 70
be poisoned outright.
Where no ransom is paid for the return
Of the horse and rig the horse and rig are
sold TO some innocent business man In
Brownsville or Harlem The purchase
money is no sooner in the hands Of the
horse thieves than their allies, the horse
poisoners, give the horse a dose of arsenic,
killing him This Is 10 destroy all evidence
of the theft Only four weeks ago man
on the East side, pursuant to instructions,
was following one of the leaders Of the
horse thieves, hoping to catch him admin
Istering poison. He was stabbed, and IS
still In the hospital.
Another man was shot and killed only ten
DAYS ago because he refused 10 remain
away from the trial of one of the members
Of the gang, in which he was tho complain
ing witness.
The gang has almost completely terror
tied the small Jewish merchants Of the city.
Several other witnesses will be examined
to-day by Assistant District Attorney Louis
Rleier, who is in charge Of the investga-
tion.