New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-13
viii Probe Only Police Graft.

| Emory X. Buckner, counsel 10 the al
dermanic committee. announced yestcr-
day. after the inquiry had been adjourned
until next Wednesday morning, that the
committee would proceed from Mrs
Goodies testimony 10 take UP the method
| by which the police handle the vice
| problem.
He emphasized the point that the COM
mittes is neither inclined nor authorized
TO 60 into the spread OF the social evil In
New York. much an Mrs Goodies testi-
| mony appeared TO tend along that line.
Such evidence as size gave. he said.
served to illustrate with high lights the
routine developments of the inquiry az TO
the police system in dealing with women
Of her class.
These stories show the wheels OF the
clockwork OF the department" he said
/ 1T IS important to US TO know just how
the department copes with vice-what the
detective does, what the uniformed pa
trolman does, what the lieutenant, the
captain and the inspector DO in this con-
nection We had the spectacle recently
OF an inspector put on trial at Police
Headquarters over an alleged mlsunder-
| standing OF his orders from the Commits
sioner with regard 10 this very topic. il
happens that for six months OF the time
that Inspector Hayes was in command OF
| that district there was not single arrest
for running a dlsorderly house, and that
is the very period when this woman says
she was paying graft.
| But this IL an inquiry into the admin
istrative end of the Police Department
We are trying now to find out how tho
department deals with the vice problem.
| Later we will take up the administra ton
| Of the Detective Bureau. IL is important
| that we emphasize tho way these things
| are done, but we have neither the time
nor the power TO go into all the criminal
phases that develop by the way"
The problem OF the social evil said Mr..
Buckner, was not for the aldermanic
would take months Of investigation alone,
he added, and though much OF the ma
terial disclosed by the aldermanic COM
mittee might enlighten probers Of that
question in New York. it was incidental
to their task OF inquiring into police adj
| ministration.
II was reported last night that District
Attorney whitman, who did not come to
his Office yesterday. was having inter-
views uptown with people connected with
the story told by Mrs. Goode. who did
not want to be seen at the office OF the
prosecutor
Whether indictments Of police ofYlciaIs
would follow. Mr.. Whitman said last
night. remained for the future develop
ments TO determine. 1t is understood.
L., ~ ~,
| ticence. that Mrs. Goodies story. as we'll
as that Of several other disorderly house
keepers who have paid police graft and
then been "double-crossed," will be put
before a grand jury. possibly before the
John Doe" grand jury now inquiring into
police conditions generally.
Lawyers pointed out that Mrs Goode,
If she told her story az evidence against
the police whom she accuses. would be in
much the same position as was Robin In
telling OF bride to Hyde. It would be
a repetition OF the case OF an admitted
briber testifying Of the bride to a city
official. and in the Hyde case Justice Con
ruled that a briber was not, under Sec
ton S72 Of the penal law. an accompllce,
and therefore would not have TO be cor
roborated.
Down In the Tottenville station, TO
which he has recently been banished, Pa
trolman Sicily. named by Mrs. Goode, de-
MED fatty that he had ever taken any
money from her for any purpose. He
said he had known her. OF course. In his
work in the district. but had never either
offered or sold her protection.
Ar the CIV Hall the foIin-ipo Io.t.r
from Police Commissioner Waldo to
Mayor Gaynor was given out to the press:
Hon. William j. Gaynor,
Mayor, New York City.
Sir: With reference to the testimony
given yesterday by Mary Goode, keeper
OF houses or prostitution, before the
Aldermanic Investigation Committee, I
desire TO Invite your attention to the fol-
lowing facts:
'on November %. 1912. you forwarded
me the following letter:
"Sir: l have information that Mary
Goode, whom you now have up before
a magistrate for keeping a disorderly
house. claims that she paid some
policeman named Myers monthly for
protection. Please see this woman
and get all the facts Very truly
yours.
This woman was arrested on the after
noon OF November T. on a warrant issued
by the Chief City Magistrate. Charging
her with Keeping and maintaining n dis
arrest reported to the inspector OF the
district that at the time OF her arrest she
had made statement 10 the effect that
they had better see Sicily before they