New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-26
sIdermaniC Committee Will
Bring Physician to Police Cap
tain'S Home to Learn His
Real Physical Condition.
VICE GRAFT TRAIL HOTTER
Head of Notorious Harlem Pre-
cinct To Be Asked About
Trip to Florida with
Sipp, Who Kept Dis
orderly Houses.

The exact condition of Captain
Thomas w. Walsh, who was for more
han five years the commander of the
l3d Precinct, East 126th street police
station, is likely to become the subject
u official investigation in connection
With the city-wide graft probe by Dis
rict Attorney Whitman and the Cur
.an aldermanic committee.
Captain Walsh was subp9naed TO ap-
pear before the aldermanic committee
asst Monday, but was taken i'll at his
desk on Sunday night, and instead of
The captain the aldermen got a doctor S
etter Of excuse.
The aldermanic committee is now
considering the appointment Of sub
committee for the purpose of calling
apon Captain Walsh, accompanied by a
specialist in heart disease of such
standing that his diagnosis will be un-
questioned, and the move has the in
iorsement Of District Attorney Whit
nan.
1t is the plan of the aldermen, as
earned yesterday, TO employ the spe-
,ialist to pass upon Walsh's condition.
md If the doctor decides that the police
7aptain is in shape to answer few
questions, the subcommittee, which
will also be accompanied by Emory r.
Buckner. counsel, will ask him to waive
immunity.
Pointed Questions for Walsh.
If Captsin Walsh decides to waive
immunity. rather than follow the eX-
ample Of most of the police officials
rom the Commissioner down, by
-laiming immunity. he will be asked to
give his reasons for the continued bad
condition of his district. as testified to
hv Mary Coleman and Charles William
Arms. George A. Sipp and Thomas
Dorian. He will likewise be questioned
as to how he was able 10 hold his
position in the same precinct for more
than five years, and as TO his reported
trip to Florida as the guest Of George
A. Sipp, the witness who had previ-
ously sworn that he owned a notorious
disorderly hotel in Walsh's precinct
and that he paid a regular graft levy
OF 500 a month for upward Of twelve
years.
District Attorney Whitman. while ex-
srcising no supervision over the moves
Of the aldermanic committee, has
nevertheless a working agreement with
them that no witness shall be per-
mitted TO testify without waiving i'm
munity If the District Attorneys office
has even the slightest grounds for be-
lievlng that such witness might be
liable to prosecution later.
The present plan for examining
Walsh has Mr.. Whitman's approval,
provided the aldermen insist upon a
waiver Of immunity from the police
captain.
Il think II only proper in view Of the
disclosures of open vice In Walsh's dis
trict." said Mr.. Whitman. that he
should have the chance to explain
The conditions which Walsh is
held responsible for were first brought
10 official notice when George A. sipp
took the witness stand last week. Sipp'
who admitted that he owned and man
aged the Baltic Hotel, at 124th street,
for close TO twelve years, swore that
FOR the most of that time he had paid
q regular graft fee of S1OO month
10 the police. He swore also that he
had been forced to pay many extra as
sessments, and altogether that his
career as hotelkeeper In Waish's dis
trict was 'just one piece of graft after
another" Sipp named Patrolman Eu-
gene Fox, who was arrested on Tues
Continued on second page. ffth column.
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