The sun., 1916-01-12
ICROPSEY PROMISES
NEW PRISON INQUIRY
Kings Prosecutor Stirred by
Report That Willctt Was
at Liberty ~ Hours.
SAY HE VISITED HOME

District Attorney James C. Cropsey
OF Kings county promises to upset the
prison department with disclosures some-
thing like those which involved David
A. Sullivan. former president Of the
Union Bank, and lost Thomas J. Nc
Cormick his Job as warden Of Sing
Sing. William Willett OF Rockaway,
former Congressman. who WAS convicted
OF buying a Supreme Court nomination.
Ia expected to be the central ngure in
the disclosures.
II seems established beyond question
that Wlllett was at liberty In Albany
on Monday at the very moment that one
OF Mr.. Cropeey's assistants was arguing
motion at Hudson Falls to keep him
IN prison despite his attempts to be re-
leased on payment Of a fine. II is al
legged that Willett enjoys favors similar
TO those sullivan enjoyed and that Curly
Joe Cassidy. former Democratic boss OF
Queens, who sold wilett the no,nina tIon.
has similar privileges
Willett. who has been District Attor-
ney Weeks star witness against Thomas .
Mott Osborne In the inquiry that re-
suited In Mr.. Osbornes indictment, has
the inquiry and has had much liberty
In White Plains. on Monday afterno, IN
"A man known To Mr.. Cropsey reported
that he saw willett unattended In the
Albany railroad station abvut l:30
O'Clock. looking about as IL he expected
someone.
Willett evidently became anxious as
the time approached for tho t:t6 train
TO leave for Great Meadow. where IA
Comstock prison. to which willett was
transferred some time ago from Sing
Sing When the train pulled out Willett
went to a telephone booth and Is said
to have called UP Warden Homer at
Great Meadow. saying he had missed
the :<5 and would take the IL rs train.
As soon as he was Informed. Mr.. Crop
sey called up the jail at White Ilains
and was told that willett had lef. thers
on sunday afternoon In custody of a
keeper from Great Meadow. presuma bly,
to go there Immediately Mr.. CroIsey
began to wonder what Willet; had done
and where ne had been between Sunday
afternoon when he lef, White Piairs nnd
Monday afternoon when he was seen IN
Albany Also, he was interested - hear
that Keeper Charles G. stuart OF Grea'
Meadow, who was supposed TO guar
willett. had missed an appointment .
meet wtllett AT the +%S train.
In trying to account FOR Willett ;
twenty-four hours between White Plains
and Albany Mr., Crcpsey ran into Il
report that Willett had had dinner on
Sunday at his home IN Mott avenue.
Rockaway. and that Cassidy ate
Thanksgiving dinner AT home. Mrs. Will
lett last night denied her husband had
been at home At any rate Mr.. Cropsey
found Willett got back to Great Meadow
early Tuesday morning. State Senator
Rober, r. Lawson saw him on tho train
that left Albany at II Is.
District Attorney Weeks Of westches-
ter county said all he knew was that
he had been ordered 20 turn Willett over
70 Keeper stuart and had obeyed. He
was never duly authorized agent for
Willett. he said.
ALBANY. y. Y, Jan, 1l.-Superintend-
en-, OF Prisons John r. Riley was be-
sieged with inquiries to-day about the
report that William willett had been
seen unguarded In the Albany railroad
station on Monday afternoon and had
had dinner at his home