The chronicle=news., 1913-03-03
STRAY TOPICS FROM
LITTLE olD new YORK

tOry disclosures OF police graft still
continue and day after day new EVIL
dence iS obtained which confirms the
account for grating NO far were re-
ALLY only small fry mere tools OF
the men higher up II has not yet
been publicly disclosed who these
men ai the head OF the srafters, ring
really are. but the net II drawing
closer and before long u big sensa-
ton is liable to be sprung by the
district attorney. Several new In
dictnents have been found recently
but the heads OF the ring have not
yet been reached.
Under orders OF Fire Commission
er johnson, battalion Chief Howe
and several OF his iicutcnanls have
been visiting moving picture. houses
In all parts OF the city. with a view
Of asceriaining tb. conditions main
tnined In the different houses as to
the safety Of the spectators. They
found every one OF the houses which
they visited. crowded to full capac-
ity. but only in three Instances had
the luw been violated by allowing
''stunilecS' to crowd the ais;es. The
tIluustVr VI tueSt puoWh WcT'
promptly arrested aud after pleading
guilty were fined. \ general warn
iEK has gone out to tho moving pic
turc houses. not to permit their pat
rons to stand In the pisies aud block
the way.
There may be u scarcity Of money
In some quarters. but here seems TO
lee.
20 well provided with wealth that h.
did no, even notice the loss Of n $40
bill. I.nst Saturday well dressed
man visited one OF the fashionable
stores on broadway. bought a nccktic
aud pnid for II with u $50 bill. lInv-
ing received his tie neatly wrapped
up. the man walked ont OF the store
without waiting FOR the change. Al
though "a week has parsed since. the
abscntminIed customer has not re-
turned tosthc store to call for his
change. When the man left without
waiting for his change II was us
pcctcd that he bill which lie had ten.
dcrcd was n counterfeit. but IN cx-
animation proved that the note was
genuine.
The other afternoon, when the
fiuc weather tempted hundreds OF
people to promenade along Riverside
Drive. considerable cxcitmnt was
causd on that avenue. near Eighty
ninth street. by u neatly dressed man
OF about 80 years. lie planted him-
self In the middle OF the walk and
| commanded every nan who parsed
Il I'm 10 snlutc by ioffing his hat. The
| men. believing him to be intOSirat-
ed. laughingly obcyed the command.
Al last. however. handsomely
dressed Young :nnn. accompanied BY
u young woman. came along. The
young man failed to d0ff his silk I'm;
| aud the next moment the cane Of the
| stranger came down upon the silk
| hat. crushing II. This led to M argu-
mcnt between the two men aud u
crowd quickly gathered. suddenly
that hat sMnsher broke AWAY. pushed
his way through the crowd and ran
into the Soldiers and Sailors monu-
ment. where he beRrn to undrcss.
Women shrickcd and fled. while the
men awaited further Developments.
Aftr the man had taken Off overcOat.
coat and vest. he reached into his
trousers pockets and pulling out a
gan to scatter the latter among the
spectators. Al that moment a police
man arrived uDOn the scene. Some OF
the icwclry which had been picked
up. was turned over to the police
man who handed II TO the half un-
dressed man. but the latter threw the
things away again. With difficulty
the man was persuaded TO put his
clothes on again and to accompany
the police officer to the station.
Later he was identified as n wealthy
icwclcr living on st. Nicholas avcn-
nc. and he was sent to bellevue hos
pital for observation.
4 well dressed Snun OF about -
years called ut the store OF Samuel
Levine. u prosperous confectiOner In
Mount Vernon. the other afternoon
md inquired from the owner whcth'
cr Mrs. Levine und the children were
at home. Levine assured the strang-
er that his family would not return
until late at night and the man left
politely tipping his hat. When Mr.
ing he found the door broken opcr
and every drawer ranyacked. Jewelry
and clothing valued at $500 had
been stolen. On the table Mr.. Levin,
found note signed "Raffles" Il,
which the writer thanked him foi
having given him the information
concerning the absence OF his family
Justice Kelly. presiding In til,
: Queens county supreme court. cstab
lished II record the other day by try
Ing five cases ut the same time. al
growing out OF an accident. In tho
fall Of 1910 Edward Murphy aud hi.
| two children were ruling in u ligh
wagon on Harvard avenue. Hollis
when their vehicle was run into unt
. smashed by Il trolley car. Each o
the three persons filed an individua
suit for damages against the stree
railway company and Murphy. in ad
lAlIin mi ka,l. In. 4 Alil.