The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-08-28
QUEER POLICE EVIDENCE.
Justice says Thry Cooperate RRdIy
~ owners Eviction suits.

\ Nunicipal Justice who has hcan on
tho l,cllch many years and has had hun
dreds Of proceedings before Inn To dis
poSscs~ pcrsous alleged TO hc disorderlv
said last night that he believed i was
not just in many cases for Commissioner
Waldo to give ont the names Of owners
cf property suspected of harboring dis
orderly persons.
lie said that many owners or premise,
used as alleged gambling resorts or dis
orderly houses had made honest efIor,
to rid the premises of the tenants and
had failed because the captains of pre-
ciuctl III which the premises were sl,uat cd
had made little or no effort TO coopcrate
with them.
The Justice said that the applicat ions
nv property owners for dispossess notices
for alleged disordcrly tenants had in.
creased greatly since Tho fall of 1910
when an amendment 20 the penal law
under which the liability notices" have
becu Scut ont hy the pulirci went into
effect. This act was chapter 6l0 of the
laws of 1910. which amended section Iift
OF tho renal law. relating to keeping
di. r,ierlv houses"
Ey 1t WHOM the keeper of disordery
house il convicted th" lease or contrac C,
for l"ttinG the premises. AT the option OF
the lessor. bccomes VOID and the lessor
may take the Samc action to recover
possession VI the premises as agains,
u tenant holding over after the eXpira
Ton of his term.
'he Judge who talked upon he stlbiec,
sud that bis experience has l'een that the
yo,ice, - save their own faces. make
REPORTS which they believe to no truthful
as % the uso Of certain PROMISES for dis.
orderly purposes. and th"r put il m 10
tho landlords To either dispossess or cvic,
the tenants.
The owner then usually saws TO the
captain of the precinct" ha continued
"'if you'll give me enough evidence III
Cvict the tenant Tn" captain will agree
20 This, and the lessor will then file an ap-
Ilication for II writ Of eviction against the
tenant. Then the case comes on before
the Judge for trial. but the police captain
WHO does not look with favor on IA pro-
proceeding that will cu'. Off any part of
)is income furnishes evidence that falls
far short Of the standard required 10
justify the court in breaking a lease
"Of necessity the Judge must bear in
mind Nat the lcaseholder is entitled 10
have evidence OF tna most Conyincing G
sort pnt III against him before his lease
can be broken The result is that the
landlord goes away from court disgusted
with n tenant listed hv tho police as dis
orderly holding lease OF his premises
for two, three or five years. The landlord
will be righteouSly indignant. because
he doesn't want his name associated with
these tenants. hut the police have refused
TO cooperate with him and he can dc
nothing
The police will Offer the flimses
kind Of testimony in these eviction cases
They will offer letters written TO them by
neighbOrs. in some cases signed, in many
ntharS ln.lunpd which the nj
cions of the writer's. The captain viii
testify. but when it comes down to rea
evidence which will stamp the place az
disorderly and known TO be such to ths
person who leases it. We seldom see it,
Now and then we do find "A case il
which the police have made an homes
effort and have come to court with evi
dence upon which We can order the ten
ant evicted, but these cases are the eX
Ception and not ths rule
"No disorderly house can exist in Ney
York without the aid of the police" sai
the Justice III summing up his experience