The sun., 1912-08-04
POLICE GRAFT IS UNDER
/ FIRE IN PHILADELPHIA
Director Of Public Safety Ad-
mits Prisoner Accused De-
n tectivc's Brother.
PROTECTION MONEY PAID:
Million Dollars Said to BE An
nual Tribute-NOvel Col
d. lection Method.

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pu,,,rsLpniA, Aug. 3.-E.dward Fra
,,sr alias George Kelly. is held for
,,ur, without bail In Atlantic City |
os,ensihly because he has been identi- |
n,t AS one OF the band Of burglars
wbich has been lorting houses system
a,ically in the Chelsea district. but
really 10 give the police authorities OF
Philadelphia an opportunity to make II
thorough investigation into the alleged
poke grating in this city.
1, was Frazier who brought the mat
ter to a climax upon his arrest by de-
claring that a brother of member Of
the Philadelphia detective force was In
league with the burglars and disposed
OF most of the stolen goods for the
band
Director Of Public Safety Porter con-
sis,ently has denied that Frazier made
such d statement or that the authori-
ties Of Atlantic City had communicated
With him until to-day. when he ncknowl-
edged II to te true.
"Yes. 1t IL true" said the director. "a
brother of one of the detectives Is the
man mentioned. / have had the detec-
tive before me and have Informed him
that re must clear the skirts Of his
brother from this charge or that l
would cause a warrant to be issued for
both Of them
Further than this Director Porter
would not go. although he has nearly
every man In the detective bureau
working in an effort to ascertain how
much protection money Is paid yearly
IN Philadelphia and just how II Is paid.
The director is not depending upon the
municipal detectives. but has brought
other detectives into the city. and the
reports he Is getting are amazing, ac-
cording to his close friends.
That something like a million dollars
Q year is paid by the underworld Of
Philadelphia annually for the privilege
Of carrying on Illegal businesses Is &C.
knoNledGed by persons on the inside Of
the probe, but that there will be any
prosecutions Of policemen Is doubted by
every person on the inside. owing to
the finesse with which the rulers Of the
underworld are said to have levied
their toll.
The system by which certain members
OF the police department have col
lected the spoils has been unique
The old. crude method of sending
round a collector once month with
IA due" was discarded in Philadelphia
four years ago. Now there is no direct
evidence against the alleged protectors Of
the resorts that they collected any money
The only evidence against them is that the
resorts have been allowed to run and the
police trial board is the court of last re-
sort.
One Of the detectives working uiet "
to gather evidence declared that there
are at least forty hand books running in
Philadelphia and that every one Of them
10 paying protection.
George Mcdonald. prominent in the
business Of hand book making. did not
understand the system by which certain
police officials were allowed to bet a glinst
his bank roll without producing any money
and angared certain past officials in the
City Hall by demanding that they pro-
McDon6ld looks upon his business as per
fectk legitimate and went about his col
leoting In businesalike manner. He
invaded the office of police Official in
City Hall and demanded payment of the
500. The police official took McDona ID
by the shoulders and with the assistance
Of members Of his Office force put McDon
aid bodily out of the Office.
When Mcdonald returned to his place
Of business he found two detectives from
City Hall waiting for him. They informed
Mcdonald that he was CLOSED up" Iatel
allowed to reopen. although to-day fol
publication he declared he was not doine
any business.
The gambling house collection is taker
care Of along the same lines. although
the revenue derived from the gambling
houses IL comparatively small. The mum.
Ter OF them in Philadelphia has been
greatly reduced during the last year the
big gamblers refusing to he parties to the
latest improved method of paying police
graft s.'-
In the places still running and most OF
them are in the guise of clubs or COM
paratively small poker rooms. q repre-.
sentative Of the system sits in the game
on q dull night at which only "house
players" sit around the table, The
house players" are given TO understand
that the representative of the system
must win. The amount of the winnings
IN these cases il fixed on the bushes.
done by the house. but is never supposed
to run more than $4OO month.
But with all the collecting or winning
a. the members Of the system jokingiy
refer to their money getting propensitie.
among themselves. not for years has the
oharge been made that a member of thu
local force or any member OF his family
vas in league with band Of burglar,
until Frazier made the charge at Atlantic
Cry.