New Britain herald., 1916-07-14
EIGHTEEN POLICE IN
 SHADOW OF PRISON
Indictments Expected to Be Re- llrl0d This Month in Graft Cases

@ New York, July 14.-The indict- #hent of eighteen policemen is expect Hd as a result of information now 3h the hands of District Attorney Ed # ard Swann concerning cases of al- Rged grating by members of the #olice department
 N Facts which may be uncovered by Mhe investigation now in progress may 8ad to the indictment of other men, aeluding police inspector. There 8s not at the present time, any in Sication that any civilian member of She police department is involved in ##ne charges which have been filed with Hhe district attorney.
 Mr Swann is proceeding slowly but S'J9c' Y with his investigation. He is tFof king up the evidence against each the men involved, and in no case Il he ask the grand jury for an dictment unless he is reasonably Hertain that the evidence is sufficient 9 warrant a conviction by a petit aury. The district attorney is strong sy opposed to the trial by newspa- @ err methods which have character Szcd such Investigations in recent s sears and for that reason will take sho action that is not justified by the facts in his possession.
 At a conference yesterday between District Attorney Swann, Acting Po- lice Commissioner Leon G. Cooley and James E. Smith, Assistant District Attorney, who is aiding in the inves- Eigation, it was decided that Lieuten- hnt tDan'' Costigan, of the police de- partment, should be detailed to assist In the graft inquiry.
 'Dan" Costigan in Charge.
 Tn announcing this designation MT. God1ey said:
 ''I have appointed Lieutenant Costi- gan to take absolute charge of the police end of the investigation. He kvill follow the person who may be accused and find if the charges are true. It makes no difference if the official is high, low or intermediate, he will be tried at police headquar- eers and the evidence submitted to Ehe district attorney. I have directed Costigan to follow the scent where ever it may lead and into any inspec ton district"
 District Attorney Swann. who was standing near by, said "Everybody knows that Costigan is straight The trouble seems to be entirely local in one inspection district and among a few individuals. Costigan is the man who will carry this matter through to the very end. regardless of who gets hurt"
 Four material tnesses-thred women and one man-were locked up yesterday in the House of Detention at the request of the district attorney. They will give important testimony in the proceedings against the accused policemen. Another witness, a wom an, is now detained on a farm in county in the custody of a designated official. This woman, it is said, was the proprietor of several houses in the old Tender 1oin district. During the last four teen years she has been arrested twenty six times, but never convicted. The district attorney declined to give the names of any of these witnesses.
 MT. Swann made it clear that the police commissioner is cooperating with him in every way possible.
 Will Report to Mir. Swann.
 Lieutenant Costigan is now attached temporarily to the district attorneys office. He will report direct to MT. Swann and will receive instructions from him.
 The appointment of Lieutenant Cos tigan was the first intimation that gamblers are involved in the alleged police graft as we'll as disorderly house keepers. Costigan is known in the police department as the arch foe of gamblers.
 MT. Swann last night said:"We are proceeding with this investigation very carefully, as is proper when one considers the class of witnesses from whom we get the evidence. It is necessary. to verify their statements and this Is sometimes hard to do.
 "It looks at this time as if the graft ing in the particular inspection dis trict is more widespread than we first thought. Now that the investiga- ton has received publicity we are getting many additional complaints from gamb blers and disorderly house keepers, but in a large number Of these cases the corroboration is in- sufficient to warrant indictments'
 The cases will be placed before the grand jury late this month.