New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-15
CONSPIRACY CASE NOW
FOR FOUR INSPECTORS
Brand New indictment Found
AGAINST Sweeney, HuSSey,
Murtha and Thompson.
TO FACE TRIAL IN GROUP
Latest Charge Based on Con-
fessions of Fox, Walsh,
Newell and Mrs. Walsh
About sipp Hush Fund.

About Slpp hush ullu'
-Four rolice officials. who were inspect
ors until the preliminary rumblings of the
craft iuvestieation startled the System
win face tlial together before Justice sea
bury and a Supreme Court Jury Monday
Arrl 2S. two weeks from yesterday
charged with conspiracy Ito commit an
act for the perversion or obstruction oil
Justice. or Of the due administration oil
the laws
Dennis Sweeney. John J. Murtha James
r Hussev and James f. Thompson each
Of whom commanded at one time or
another the 9th inspection district III mar
lem. and each of whom has previously
been indicted under a charge of sraitlns'
were again indicted yesterday by the Su-
nreme Court grand jury-this time for
conspiracy-and their joint trial VIII be
started week from next Monday
The conspiracy charge is based on their
activities In connection with the iund OF
81 20 raised to keep George \. Sipp from
the witness chair against Patrolman tu-
gene +. Fox. and back of the accusation
that each, OF the four named. ana Zap
tain Thomas W Walsh. contributed an
equal one-dfth share of the Sipp silence
fund" lies the confessional evidence ol
Fox. Walsh and Newell. Sipp's LAWYER
added to the confederation Of Sipp ON the
receiving end and Mrs. Walsh and others
ON the giving end. as well as the fact
which must he taken into consideration ny
the iurv-that John }. Hartigan was con
victed of perjury when he swore ne d'u
not carry the money from sweeney ~
Fox. 10y way Of Walsh.
Case = Real Test for System
while the four inspectors will be ar
rsiqned 10 fsht a comparatively minor
case i'm view of the other indictments thd'
are now standing against each OF theh' u
viii be i'm reality a battle 10 the hniSh'
because each one of them knows That con-
7.iction under this conspiracy charge VIII
mean that a jury is convinced OF the eN-
istence of q real police system ana al
though the possible sentence would not he
more than one year, it would carry with
ii a strong probability Of further convic-
fions on the graft trials which VIII follow.
Under Section $50 # the penal law
under which the Indictment was drawn
the crime is limited to the classification
of misdemeanor, but under TINS indlct-
roert there viii be wide latitude al
lowed in the presentation of the case and
each specifc act of each defendant VIII
contribute that much toward the guilt
Of al.
the arraignment of these four inspec-
tors-the highest ranking uniformed men
In the department-wll furnish the first
dramatically concrete and complete incl
dent Of District Attorney Whitman IN
vestigation Of the police System. They
VIII sit. with their various counsel at
the same table from which Lieutenant
Charles Becker was sent 10 the death
house at Sing Sing. and they Will occupy
the same chairs that seated the notorious
four gunner Of the Rosenthal murder
Alurtba was the first OF the indicted
men 10 appear for arraignment and on
the application OF his counsel, Abraham
s Gilbert. his pleading was postponed
until tomorrow. He was put under $1,000
bail on the conspiracy charge. Sweeney
came next, entered a formal plea OF not
guilty through his counsel Alfred j. Tai
lev. and was released under his old bail
Of $1,000. which was furnished on his
twelve indictments for grating
Sipp's Brotherin-Iaw Suffers
Assistant District Attorney Frederick
J. Groehl began an investigation yester-
DAY into the complaint of William W.
Halahan. proprietor Of a trucking CON
Germ al No. 100 Leonard street, who re-
ported 10 the District Attorneys office
that truck robberies aggregatins $lSUW
had been ignored by the police because
he is a brother-in-law OF George a. Sipp,
the Harlem hotelkeeper. whose disclo-
sures opened up the graft prosecutions.
The largest robbery occurred on March
u, at Fourth avenue and 22d street. when
Il truck loaded with 800 worth Of goods
was stolen. Halahan says that when he
reported the theft 10 the Clinton street
station. which was nearest 10 the point IN
Broone street where the abandoned truck
was found. he was told that there were
no detectives then available for the case.
At Police Headquarters it was said
Yesterday that Halahans complaint
would be investigated.
In a special report by its Investigators
made public yesterday By the Currdn
aldermanic committee. IL is recommended
that the nominal supervision ONcI inc
licensing Of pool and billiard rooms now
held by the Police Department be taken
from il and vested in a central licensing
body. which shall have supervision over
all licenses granted by the city.
In another report the aldermanic inVes-
tigators sum up the frequently repeated
objections 10 the continuance of boiler
inspection squad in the Police Depart
ment. citing the fact that every Police
Commissioner for years past has urged
that the work OF boiler inspection he
taken from the Police Department. The
report states that policemen who have
formerly been clerks, truck drivers and
such are untitled for boiler inspection