New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-19
Ex- Fire Commissioner Hayes
Quoted as Telling of Rumor
That Underworld Clearing
House Was at No. 115
Broadway.
BINGHAM PUT ON STAND
Promotions Made Only After Exhaus-
tive Investigation in His Regime,
He Says-Reith Expatiates on
$4,000 Affidavit-John-
son Makes Denials.

Moments of intense suspense were
capped by somewhat startling revela-
tions along the line Of police graft at
the third session of the aldermanic
committee, which is investigating the
graft situation, in the aldermanic
chamber at the City Hall YESTERDAY
The entire hearing was occupied in
thrashing out the affidavit made by
Police Captain John It. Reith who
swOre that when he refused 10 pay
$4,000 TO certain politicians for his
promotion from lieutenant TO captain
he was passed over on the eligible cap
tains' list Of the civil service during the
police administration OF General Theo-
dore A. Bingham in the fall of 1901
Commissioner Waldo produced the
original affidavit under n subpoena
duces tecum at the hearing He said
Reith had come TO him voluntarily in
February Of this year and made the
sworn statement.
Captain Reith supported his affidavit
enthusiastically as a witness and vol
unfairly aired some of his ideas about
police graft and police matters in gen
eral, often dropping into the parlance
Of the police and affording amusement
TO the big crowd on hand. Much OF
the testimony which he evidently in
tended TO be accepted in a spirit of hui
NOR was Of serious moment TO the com
mittee He made poor showing in re-
spect TO the moral duties or ethics Of
police captain, should they have to be
judged by his example alone.
Shsehan's Name Brought In.
The names Of Winfield r. Sheehan.
secretary to Commissioner Waldo, and
George c. Norton, a lawyer. with Of
fees at No. 10 Broadway, figured
prominently In yesterdays inquiry.
Daniel Kelleher. an investigator" EN-
ployed by the Sheridan Detective
Agency told an interesting story TO
the committee Of how he had trailed
Norton TO Sheehan's apartments in De-
cember. 1911, at the instigation of AL
fred j. Johnson, the former under
sheriff named by Reith in his affidavit
as the man who told him he would
have to pay $4,000 for his promotion.
Johnson had employed the detective
TO trail Norton. when he suspected that
the lawyer was q collector of police
graft, Kelleher testified and wanted TO
see with whom he connected. The de-
teotive swore to getting orders to that
effect and to discovering Norton's as
ISOLATION with Sheehan. Kelleher testi-
fed that he had heard Norton was a
collector for the police in tbe Tender
loin long before he took up the investi-
CATION for Mr.. Johnson.
The Sheridan investigator graphi-
cally related how he and his running
mate. Armstrong, had trailed Norton TO
Sheehan's apartment, In the Glenden-
min, at 53d street and Eighth avenue,
on the night of December %. 1911.
Several nights later, he testified, Shee-
han had found he was being trailed
and sent for Kelleher, and they met
at Reisenwebers restaurant at 5Sth
street and Eighth avenue, by appoint
ment
At this point the witness said, in
answer to Mr.. Buckner's questions:
"Sheehan asked me what [ had on
him. | told him nothing He asked
me what had on Norton. told him
1t was common rumor that Norton had
been collecting graft for the police and
my work had been to see whom he
connected up with. I told Sheehan |
said: That's all right. We Will get
Johnson
Brother Not to Suffer.
kelleher said Sheehan promised him
that his brother. Police Captain Ber-
nard Kelleher, would not be "crucified"
because OF the trailing he-the Sheri-
dan man-had been doing. The wit
ness said he had told his running mate,
Armstrong, to be near at hand when he
went to meet Sheehan at Reisenysb-
er's. Sheehan had noticed him signal
to Armstrong as they walked away
from the restaurant, the witness said.
and the Police Commissioner secre-
tary spoke about it and said he vas
not alone, either.
With that he waved his hand in sort
Of signal" said the witness. "and one
Of those fellows would call an elec.
tion guerilla walked around from in
back Of Reisenwebers and came up To
us. He was a heavy set fellow, with
a bulldog face, and he looked me over
from the tip of my head down and I
did the same to him."
Captain Kelleher the Sheridan in.
vestigators brother. testified and told