The sun., 1917-07-03
CRUGER CASE NETS !
50 WHITE SLAVERS
Investigation Is Begun to Ex-
pose and Punish 'District
Managers"
FACTS FOR GRAND JURY
Mrs. Grace HumistOn and Com
mander Booth Aid Dis
trict Attorney.

James E. Smith, Assistant District
In an investigation which is designed TO
expose white siavers in this city and TO
punish at least nifty men suspected OF
being the district managers" Of the
trafic.
Mr.. Smith has more definite informa-
ton at his disposal than has been OBJ
tained in ten years OF inquiry Part OF
his Information was supplied by Mrs.
Grace Humiston, the lawyer, who solved
the problem OF Ruth Cruger's disappear
ance after the police had done nothing
In four months, and part was obtained
from Commander Maude Ballington
Booth Of the Salvation Army. Mrs.
Humiston gave Mr.. Smith the facts in
the cases OF more than twenty girls who
were lured from home and who have
been kept in virtual imprisonment. ana
Commander Booth volunteered facts In
the cases OF fifteen girls In addition to
this information Assistant District At
torney Smiths detectives have data in
fifteen other cases.
All Of this material will be put be-
fore the Grand Jury to-day. Mr.. Smith
finds that there are evidences that
New York is relapsing to the old i'm
moralities Of twenty years ago. especially
In the matter OF what the police can
creep joints and badger games" and
It is his plan to institute an inquiry 10
complete that all OF these evils will be
gone into.
Woods Favors Police Change.
Police Commissioner Arthur Woods
yesterday declared himself TO be heartily
In favor Of the change in the system Of
selecting detectives suggested In an
analysis of departmental shortcomings
made at the office OF Leonard A. WALL
stein, Commissioner Of Accounts. who is
investigating the Cruger crime and the
police failure to reveal It.
The wallstein analysis contained the
recommendation that candidates for the
detective bureau be relieved of the neces-
sity of undergoing physical tests such
as are required Of patrolmen and that
| they be subjected to special examina-
tions instead.
81 have been trying to put that idea
through since 1 was Fourth Deputy
Commissioner under Bingham" said
Commissioner Woods when the Wall
stein suggestion was brought to his no.
tice. 'Tt IL realized that physique has
little to do with good detective work.
but as things are now every detective
has 20 come up to the physical standard
set for patrolmen. This is so because
we are empowered to choose our detec-
tives only from the membership OF the
police department
Small Pay Deters Good Men.
Men who have the best qualifications
for detective work, 1t stands TO. reason,
will not come into the department and
earn 1000 q year. We ought to be
empowered to get the very best material
possible into our detective bureau; We
should be empowered to offer good men
the pay and position they naturally
would expect. The only way such pow
ers can come is through legislative ac-
ton"
The duty OF making thorough inves-
tigation of the seeming indifference OF
certain police officers in their work on
the Cruger case was put upon the July
Grand Jury yesterday by Judge McIn-
tyre of the Court of General Sessions
at is generally conceded that an afro
cious murder was committed" said
Judge Mcintyre in his charge to the
body. "It is openly charged that up
ward of 700 young girls have been
missing from their homes since jan
uary 1 last would suggest that you
inquire also concerning this.
Should you determine to make an
inquiry into accusations appearing in
| the daily press intimating that certain
police officers have failed to do their
| duty as the law directs will ask you
not to do so entirely, on your own ac-
count. but as far as possible in con-
function with Commissioner Wallstein