New-York tribune., 1913-11-14
Whitman Learns That Big Man
at Headquarters Got S2,500
Monthly SALARY" and
Rake-0ff on IDEALS"
RILEY IS SUBPGNAED
CAPTAIN Who Was Retired Yes
terday Said To Be Prosecu-
tors Star Witness-Tar-
beaux and Other "0per-
ators" May Testify.

Witnesses
60 500 month besides a Il per cent
commission on all transactions. paid
hv New York wiretappers to an off,
c,al AT Police Headquarters, are under
subpoena by the District Attorney.
This announcement was made by Dis
trlct Attorney Whitman last night af-
tor subpoena had been served upon
Domnick G. Riley, who retired yes
terday as police captain upon a pension
NJ 81. 200. The subpoena was served
unon Riley at his home in Brooklyn.
district Attorney Whitman. il is
,s,d wished 10 have Riley under sub
nnna Immediately because of rumors
that his health might necessitate a
trip 10 Europe. His retirement was
due 10 chronic Inflammation of the
membranes about the heart. grand
,urv inouirv into the matter will be-
gin early next week.
lust how much Riley knows the Dis
,rict Attorney has not learned, as ne
bas had no conversation with him. Ac-
.ording 10 other witnesses from Whom
statements have been taken, however
pnev's knowledge is said to be con-
,idarab,e The District Attorney is
confident. however, that Riley VIII give
h,,,, all the assistance in his power
Indicted Men to Testify.
some Of the other witnesses who will
r16
George McRae, Frank TarbeauX' AL
bert I Carter. known as Curly Car
ter. William Larsen. known as Big
Bill" and Thomas Brown. These men
arc all under indictment for grand lar
ceny by wiretapping methods. SUD-
npnas have been served upon others
bpt the District Attorney refuses 10
iivuige their names.
An ex-policeman upon whom suo-
ooo,a was served several days ago
narrowly escaped indictment yester-
5ay. Satisfied that the man lhtehueu
To leave the jurisdiction. the Dls'r'''
Attorney was prepared to rush ms case
before the grand jury immediatel! thd'
q
five from Justice. He is SAID 10 nav
On intimate knowledge Of the dealAisS
If the wiretappers with the represeh-
,at;vc Of the Headquarters ofhclal
The head of a private detec'iNe {
agency called Yesterday on the Dis'ri'.
Attorney in behalf Of this man anu
said that he did not intend TO evade the
;nauirv and would show up Wlthlh d
few days. Upon this represeh'a'io''
the grand Jury proceedings were de-
lsyed.
The arrest Of George McRae IN Los
Angeles several weeks ago by De
tective Leigh. of the District Attorney
Office. precipitated matters Mckae
wss known personally to FREDERICK D.
Groehl, Of the District Attorneys staH'
Mr.. Groehl went to Chicago 10 meet
Leigh and his prisoner, and came 10
New York with them.
McRae and his guardians arrived
early in the evening and went straight
TO the home of District Attorney Whit-
man. They were in conference with
the District Attorney until O'Clock
the following morning.
It is said that under the system OF
protection" arranged by the police and
the wiretappers, wiretapping became
one Of the foremost industries In New
York. For months the Wiretappers
waxed fat. Experts came in droVes
from all over the country 10 snare III
the good thing. Then suddenly ar
rests began to be made. The WIRE
tappers themselves say that the ar
rests were due TO the fact that some OF
the late arrivals preferred TO get tat
pickngs and leave town rather than
pay their share to the police.
Protection for Wiretappers.
At any rate, arrests became an epi-
demic. According 10 information In the
hands Of the District Attorney, S3,oOO
was paid to the police In one case TO
FIX" things The money was said to
have gone straight to the Headquar-
ters official In that particular case the
money is said to have been refunded
10 the complainant, and important wit
nesses have disappeared.
II is expected that the inquiry will
broaden 10 include not only protection
money paid by wiretappers, but also
that paid by fortune tellers and pro-
prietors OF alleged illegal resorts.
Domnick g. Riley, whom the Dis
trict Attorney believes TO be his star
witness, was appointed in 1896. He
was considered one Of the best men In
the Detective Bureau by Deputy Com
missioner Flynn and his successor
George S. Dougherty.
His promotion 10 a captaincy came
within the last few weeks, and he was
put in charge Of the Elizabeth street
station. An application for retirement
was denied him on Wednesday by
Commissioner Waldo. Yesterday ht
was retired for physical disability.