New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-18
Testimony at Trial of Patrol
man Robinson Shows Graft
Ring Urged Hotel Men to
Keep DisorderIy Places.
JURY GETS CASE TO-DAY
System Impressed Restaurant
Keeper with It's Power, Wit
ness Testifies, by Sending
Him to Prison When
He Refused to Pay.

W 1 lOOh w ASh
He Refused to Pay.
By the addition Of night session. the
first Of the police graft trials-that Of
Patrolman Thomas f. Robinson-was
practically completed yesterday, and
the issue will probably go To the jury
to-day. Robinsons lawyers admitted
to reporters when the states case was
almost all in that they expected con-
viction. and based all their hopes on the
possibility Of successful appeal
Robinson himself it was said, had
made all his personal and family ar
ranSements to go to Jail. apparently eX-
pecting conviction.
1t was a simple case that was pre-
sented to the jury-so simple in fact.
that opportunity for successful denial
of the facts alleged was slim, and the
attacks by cross-eXamination OF the
two chief witnesses for the state pro-
duced only additional sidelights on the
methods of the Harlem police ring,
which is ,.rtually on trial in the person
Of Robinson.
Luigi Tancrcdi. proprietor of the
Venice restaurant. in East 10Th street
chief witness for the state. told a story
Of police oppression and persecution
that led readily into situation of po-
lice extortion His story was uIshahen
by cross examination.
The chronology Of Tancredi's story of
his relations with the police disclosed
nothing more startling, probably, than
a deliberate suggestion from Robinson
that he should cease doing business as
Il small hotel catering chiefly To Iial-
ians. put in five or six girls, and do as
the others do. and make money for
yourself and money for US
Policeman Vice Sugeester.
That suggestion in those words. Tan
credi swore. was made TO HIM by ROD
inson after the policeman had demon
strated his power by sending Tancredi
TO Blackwell's Island FOR four months
because the restaurant keeper would
not pay $500 TO have an alleged case
against him thrown out of court
Tancrcdi told on the witness stand OF
starting his little restaurant and ei6h'-
room hotel in the fall Of 1910 From
then until the summer of l3ll ne ran
without police interference, except Tor
a monthly payment Of so TO Patrolinan
Eugene f.. Fox. Walsh's collector. VINO
eaye him to understand that even the
man across the street VINO sold shirts
had 10 pay the police.
with the un- -Americanized foreigner
frequent misconception Of the functions
~ the uolice. Tancredi paid Walsh's col
Iector the so month fee, thinking
If was a sort of payment for police pro-
tection i'm the ordinary sense-protec-
lion from burglaries and from rowdies
or fighting in his place Of business.
In the summer Of 1911. however. Tan
credi testified Robinson, Sweeney's
man. came 10 call upon him with the
suggestion that he ought 10 pay the
..hoee" AT least 500 month. The
Italian could not understand it, refused
to pay. and was promptly arrested as
q kecper Of disorderly house. Robin
son approached him twice after his ar
reet he svore. once in the magistrates
cotrt In Harlem and again In Special
Sessions downtown, suggesting each
time the case would be liked for N'o".
What he began 10 see and understand
then as the American police system
got his careful consideration but the
price was too high. He refused TO pay
and WAS sent to Blackwells Island for
four months on the testimony of the
police.
Within two weeks after he returned
IN his little business after serving his
sentence Robinson called again.
"You must pay up 500 a month or
vou'U 90 back to what you've come
from" Tancredi swore Robinson told
him then. and with the fear Of police
methods based on his previous expert
ence the Italian saw no way out but 10
nav. He fought over the amount, how
ever. and explained candidly that his
legitimate hotel business would not
stand such a tax. Robinson comprOm-
ised on $50 a month, which was later
reduced to $40 month in view OF the
so a month payment that he was then
making to Fox for Walsh.
Case Fixed For $3.50.
Before Tancredi was brought around,
however. the police went through the
preliminary motions Of second de-
gree" in his initiation into the ways
and methods of the System" Thcy
arrested him q second time July =.
1ot2 and when he was brought into
court Robinson suggested $500 as the
,,rice of liking the case A compro-
,,,ise brought the amount to $50 and
:, view of the fact that Tancredi made
chat payment he was relieved from the
1u,, assessment. but had TO begin in