New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-23
To SUE MRS. LA|D[AW
Police Inspector and a Captain
Say She LibeIIed Them.
CHINATOWN THE TROUBLE
Suffrage Leader Declares Letters
About Vice Weren't Aimed
at DAILY and Tierney.

Reused by what they considered the at
tack upon them made by Mrs. James Lee:
Laidlaw. Manhattan chairman Of the
Woman's Suffrage party, in her letters tc
Mayor Gaynor and Police Commissioner
Waldo relating to Chinatown conditions
made public yesterday. Police Inspector
John DAILY and Captain Frank A. Tierney
who are mainly responsible for the main
tenancc OF law and order in that part OF
the city, announced last night that they
intended TO sue Mrs. Laidaw for libel
| They declare that Mrs. Laidlaw virtually
accused them Of neglect Of duty in failing
10 suppress vice Of which they must have
been aware
In d statement issued yesterday the two
police officials refer TO the habi. Of So
called rnformers who have desire TO come
under the spotlight of directing their ver-
bal missiles toward the Police Department
For the sake Of the department and them
selves they request that n full investiga-
ton he made Of the matters TO which Mrs
Laidlsw referred in her letters, especially
with reference to the case OF Miss Rose
Livingston. A settlement worker who Is
alleged to have received injuries while
statement follows:
II seems 70 he the fashion now and then
when so-callod roformer wishes 10 step
charges OF misconduct against police ON
clais In this case the refOrmer in ques-
ton has definitely mentioned the names
Of lnspector DAILY and CAPTAIN IIerney' a s1II
upon them but also upon the department.
itself They have both written to tne
Police Commissioners. requesting immedia..
and fullest investigation Of all the matters
10 which Mrs Ladlaw refers. so mar the
public may know whether or not they nave
done their full duty and whether these re-
Elections are to be given any creaenct.
In addition, and IN order that Mrs. Laln-
law NAV have fullest opportunity 10 SUP
startiate her statements, not only before
the Mayor. but also In our courts DOL,
have instructed their attorney. LOUIS .
Posner. Of No. 90 Broad street, to begln
immediate action against her for loel. ! ne
two suits will he begun lust as fast az
process servers can find Mrs. laidlaW ano
serve ,he papers.
Up 10 late hour last night Mrs. Laidaw
he'd not been served with the threatened
rapers When told OF the avowed intention
~ the officers to hale her into court she de-
ciared that such talk was foolishness. she
had made no charges against these partc'
ular officials in her letters. she said. All she
had done was TO warn them OF the condi'
tons. knowing we'll that they would DC
their duty If they saw it was brought tc
their notice.
81 said as much in the letters" Mrs
Iaidlaw asserted. My letter to Comms'
sioner Waldo ended with the belief thai
those estimabe officers would do their duty
II they really knew how bad conditions
were and the Mayors letter was IN me
same strain In it | remarked that they
would undoubtedly OF their own initiative
attempt to make things better when they
knew what was going on.
NO one Will deny that CONDITIONS III
Chinatown are terrible. and that the ais
trlct is really unsafe for such unselhsa and
noble workers as Miss Livingston II
had thought that Inspector DAILY ana Cap
tain Ticrney deliberately allowed them 70
be so | should certainly not have sus-
pended Judgment until had availed myseii
Of the opportunity to investigate.
Il am not so ignorant OF legal matters as
TO allow myself to publish charges WITHOUT
first collecting evidence OF their truth
Il DO not really believe that this matter
will come into the courts. but II IL shou'u
I hope II will do some good somewhere
The workers who are devoting their lives 10
the poor uufortunates OF our chinese quar-
ter should be afforded every protecton
which n IL possible for the city 10 give
have no intention OF trying to clean up
chinatown. I am merely stating conditions
of which know IN order that they may De
brought 10 the attention Of the authorities
properly constituted TO deal with them
Mrs. Laldlaw went on to remark tha'
Miss Livingston was visited yesterday by
an eypert in dental surgery. VINO tcareu
that her Jaw had been splintered by inc
attack made upon her In the course OF her
work. Any insnuat!ons In regard 10 MISS
IJyingston's character she said couId DE
ccsIly exploded by reference to such trlehus
AS Mrs. Herbert Twitchel. DR.. hosalie
Slaughter Morton and Miss Mauue J."
Miner who had implicit faith in her shc
added finally that there was no use hoping
for material Improvement In the present
state Of affairs until women got the vote
Tina, was the crux Of the whole situation
as she viewed H.