New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-10
WHITMAN WILL HALT
'RAFFLES' FOR GANGMEN
Investigation Shows That Mer-
chants Are Terrorized into
Buying Worthless Tickets.
REFUSALS INVITE ATTACK
Assaults Upon Three Persons
Who Would Not Give Aid for
Benefit of Friend
in Distress"

The District Attorney hopes 10 call q
halt soon on the "rahles' for which tick
cts have been sold recently To- supply
money for the defence OF gangmen
charged with serious crimes. Within the
last two weeks there have been three
assaults upon persons who failed 10 buy
tickets. one jeweller was shot twice
Joseph O. Skinner. OF the District At
torneys homicide bureau. who has had
several gang murders 10 investigate has
learned the identity OF several of the
youths who have been selling chances
for the benefit of "a friend in distress %
and has come 10 the conclusion that they
are liable TO criminal prosecution. lie
first encountered the rattle" while in
vestiEatng the murder OF Morris Reich.
known as "Mosh the Starkor" The
tickets read as follows: Rattle FOR a
gold watch, 10 be held August p. 1913. at
No. 81 Avenue G. Tickets. - cents
These tickets. Mr.. Skinner learned. were
sold by the hundred throughout the East
Side. the merchants approached being
afraid TO refuse. The value which they
attached to the tickets IS shown by the
diniculty Mr.. Skinner had in finding "A
single ticket Most Of the purchasers de-
stroyed the tickets as soon as they had
bought them.
Although David Wolk and Julius Eisen-
berg, the two arrested for shooting
"Mosh." were discharged on a writ OF
habeas corpus on the murder charge be-
cause Of the tmidty OF the witnesses
against them, their friends may yet find
a use for the fund so raised. Mr.. Skinner
has found three women witnesses whom
he has quizzed outside Of the Criminal
Courts Building In order TO foil the spies
he believes to be at work for the gang.
All three are willing to swear that they
saw the shooting and can identify the
man who killed "Mosh" This week
Skinner will smugge the women into the
grand jury room 10 testify against Wolk.
As for the men named as sellers OF
rattle chances. Skinner is going 10 give
his information TO the police and cause
their arrest, IL possible. lie believes that
they could be prosecuted for extortion. as
their victims purchase the tickets only
through fear, and not with any hope Of
gain The tickets Skinner believes to be
worthless as none OF them bears any
number bI NtNlft hHtlfbN us bosN'l
could be connected with a drawing in an
actual rattle.
Yesterday Magistrate Deuel.. in the
West Side police court remanded 10 the
custody Of the police James Cassidy and
Angelo Monaco. who were accused OF
breaking the windows OF Mrs Thora
Brown, at No. 3l9 West list street. when
she refused to buy six chances" in a
rattle" The rattle" was 10 be for the
benefit OF "a friend in need" supposed
to be Paddy" Doyle. West Side gang
man, who is under arrest for carrying
concealed weapons.
On July 30 David Finver. a ieweller.
was shot twice in the body IN MS shop, at
No, 70 Clinton street. by two men from
whom he refused TO buy tickets. This
rattle was for the benefit OF the four
men arrested for shooting and killing
Max Levine in his room. in East 18th
street.
On July 81 four men entered the restau-
rant Of Ernest Endel. at No. &c Rivlngton
street, and asked him TO buy some
chances" He refused, and they at
tackled him with brass knuckles
The District Attorney and the police