New-York tribune., 1912-08-26
POLICE SHARE GRAFT
Of WIRE TAPPERS
whitman Has Evidence In.
eliminating Inspector and
Two Other Officials.
ANNUAL LOOT S750,000
Men Known as Swindlers Work
Time Honored Game Here
with Apparent Immu-
nifty from Arrest.

Hlty lIoAi AliCSt'
lust before District Attorney Whit
man left town to spend the week end
with Mrs Whitman at Manchester,
\ H.. on Friday he received informa-
ton that two high police officials. in
oluding an inspector, and several po-
ncemen of lesser rank shared in the
loot of the wire tappers. 1t is said that
tho nolicemen involved receive % per
cent of the wire tappers' graft.
This information, it was said by Il
,,;snd of the District Attorney yester-
a.v will be laid before Justice Gof It
tho extraordinary session of the Su-
rreme Court, beginning on September D.
In the mean time the bank accounts
~ the suspected men will be exam
,n.d. One of them is said to have
more than 100000 set aside for d
rainy day.
T, Is not unlikely that Charles Con-
sorf called the king Of the wire tap
mars. who is reputed to have swlndled
hundreds of thousands of dollars out
=, his victims. may be subp9naed In
.r .ffort TO show collusion between the
rolice and the criminals. This SINISTER
,u,ance. according to Mr.. Whitman S
;u.ormation. has existed for moro thah
80 vears. Should sufficient evidence
h. brought before the court warrants
Mill no issued for the police ofnclais'
ma of whom has not been mentioned
in connection with graft previously.
This police official receives, according
N the District Attorneys information
Is per cent of all the proceeds OF the
wire tapping swindle.
New York Clearing House.
This 10 per cent rakeof, which
amounts 70 about 100000 annually,
does not apply merely to the money
which the wire tappers get in this city,
hut TO the money which they obtain III
o,her cities. for the headquarters OF
the wire tappers are in this city.
The headquarters of these swindlers
are over a saloon in one of the oo 5,
inst off sixth avenue. Their headquar-
ters are known to the police. who have
never. so far as is known. visited the
place.
Gondorf. Billy" Crane. Chris
Tracey and others said to he members
Of the wire tapping craft meet in this
place almost nightly. They have no
fear of the police, although a little
over a wear ago word was passed 10
the wire tappers to leave town.
The notice to quit the town was gwen
by no less a parsonage than Second
Denuty Police Commissioner Dough-
erty and in no less an impressive place
than Police Headquarters.
Present at that time were thirteen
men who we're accused of swindiing a
business man of Camden, n. j., out or
$4,000. To these thirteen-and among
them we're Gondorf. Tracey, Crane ana
Gondorfs younger brother, Charley
Commissioner Dougherty said;
T want you to understand that you
can't work your graft in this town. and
the sooner you get out Of here the bet
ter. If YOU don't you'll go TO Jail.
But the wire tappers have not left
town. ard FIVE of them-some OF the
smaller fry-were arrested on July l.
after they had swindled ]. II. Jackson,
Of No. 2O60 Chestnut street, Philadel-
phia, in their usual way in fake pool
room.
The operations Of these swindlers net
them about $75O,000 annually. accord
Ing to a former police official who
talked with a reporter of The Tribune
last night. or this sum about one-
third Is realized in this city.
Convictions Are Few.
IT is peculiar" said this man, that
he detectives in many years have
Jailed TO obtain evidence TO convict
these fellows in the courts. The last
conviction against any of these fellows
IN this city was in 1903, when Chris"
Tracey was convicted of swindling
Frederic Louster, a wealthy business
man Of Harrisburg. Penn, out of ST.
900 But in this case you want to re-
member that the wire tappers would
not have been arrested but for the
chief Of police Of Harrisburg stepping
into the case and getting the goods
himself"
One policeman, now captain. who