New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-27
CASSIDY PAROLE
HINGES ON FINE
"Curly Joe" and Willett
To Be Freed in January
if Cash Is Paid.
MONEY TO BE READY,
FRIENDS DECLARE
District Attorney Cropsey to
Oppose Release Unless Full
Settlement Is Made.

Joseph Cassidy, former Democratic
boss Of Queens County, and William
Willett, former candidate for Supreme
Court justice, will be discharged from
prison by the Board OF Parole soon
after New Years, provided each pays
the $1,000 fine which was part of their
sentence. In making this positive an
nouncement yesterday friends of the
two men also said that they would have
no trouble in raising the funds that
Will give them freedom.
Those fines must be paid was the
comment Of District Attorney Cropsey
when the activities Of friends of
Cassidy and Willett were called to his
attention. "The Board of Parole holds
that it has the RICH. to release a
prisoner when he has served a mini
mum sentence and have the payment
Of his fine suspended until the end Of
the maximum sentence.
81 am firmly opposed to this inter
probation of the boards power. II
necessary, | propose 20 make a test
case OF this question. Papers are all
prepared. and by January 10, when Cas-,
sidv and Willett VIII have completed
their minimum sentence, hope to havt
a court ruling on the payment of their
fines"
Michael P. Mcnamara, editor of "The
Rockaway News and an associate OF
Cassidy, said that friends of Curly
Joe" would raise $1,000 or ten times
that amount in ten minutes If they
were informed that the payment or
the fine interfered with the parole OF
the former boss.
Cassidy's former henchmen were in
dignant when a rumor travelled through
Queens yesterday that IL might become
necessary TO pass around the hat to
get money 10 pay their former leaders
fine. One of them said that Joe" was
not broke. and that Willett's family
had money enough to pay his fine.
"Why. Cassidy owns 400 lots in Far
Rockaway upon which there are nine
cottages" he said. Each Of these cot
tages was rented last summer for a
substantial sum. Joe also owns fine
piese of property az Wave Crest, which
was also rented. have heard that he
has been paying bills amounting to
500 a month for his family with his
own checks since he went to prison.
Willett may not have the necessary
cash TO pay his fine, but his brother,
Marinus, lawyer Of Jamaica, will at
tend to that when the time comes"
Willett. former judge Of the Mutua!
Welfare League Court, is now lodged
in White Plains jail, where he is aces
sible as a witness in the grand jury
investigation Of Sing Sing. Cassidy
is in Great Meadow prison.
Albany, Dec. 26.-The Parole Board
has not yet decided whether Willet'
and Cassidy are eligible to parole
Several previous Attorney Generals had
given opinions that men who had re.
ceived prison sentences and were fined
were eligible to parole on serving their
minimum sentences, even though the
fine was not paid. This question has
been raised in another case in the court
in Syracuse, and Attorney General
Woodbury. Is representing the Parole
Board.
The Parole Board before acting in
the Willett and Cassidy case is await
ing the court decision in the Syracuse
action. The boards next meeting will
be about the middle OF January.