The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-29
WHITMAN TAKES UP
RAIDER JIM'S RAID.
Swami and His Assistant
Called for Conference
by Governor.
ALL THREE KEEP MUM
Prosecutor and Police Not on
Best Of Terms Over City's
Conduct. Is Report.

-
II may not matter so much after all
that nobody was pinched in the last ef-
fort of that Modern Crusader Jim Smith
to run down vice and crime and over
worked barkeeps in middle Manhattan.
To paraphrase the honorable Jim's own
idea OF last Saturday nights chase and
hunt for saloons and saloonkeepers vho
were doing business when they couldn't
do business. It wasn't much OF night.
The police biotters did not contain a sim
glo extra name as a result. and no CITY
Magistrate had TO be on the Job an hour
earlier than usual yesterday to mete
out Justice to man or woman as the re-
suit OF Raider Jim's latest incursion
into the realms OF vice and crime.
Nevertheless. Jims week end efforts
may not have been entirely barren. IT
will be remembered that Jim started out
on his latest crusade against the dens
OF iniquity last Saturday night Just
about 20 long after his boss. District
Attorney Swami. had received letter
from Hizzonner, the Mayor. The letter
said that Crusader Jim now and hence
forth might net expect TO be accom-
panied on his raids by any OF New
York's finest unless Mr. Swann sent
written order for the cops to go along
Hizzonner. who has fondness for let
tiers. insisted on n written communica-
ton and made no provision even for
telephone request.
Raider Jim on Job.
Now as all New York knows by this
| time Raider Jim is an independent sort
of raider and nothing peeves him more
| than TO have 1t suggested that he needs
| assistance in any raids he contemplates
! Wherefore he decided to stage an indie
pendent raid Readers OF THE SrS
learned Yesterday just how one Domi-
nick Henry, now a police inspector by
virtue OF the favor OF Commissioner
Dick Enrieht. cut into the picture Just
| at the big moment. The same readers
| will also recall that from then on Jim's
| self-conducted raid was pretty much oil
a fiivver when one considers the num-
Der of pinches made. The police weren'i
working with Jim. and Jim wasn't work
ing with the police. Which fact may or
may not lend interest to yesterdays do
velopments
ThereS were some politicians. outside
Of city officials, last night who were OF
the opinion that some Developments
would appear. and probably suddenly.
1t wasn't unusually busy yesterday
afternoon in the ONCE OF Jim Smiths
boss when the telephone rang and the
operator took a message TO the effect
that the Governor OF the State OF New
York was at the St. Regis. that he would
like to see Mr. Swami as soon as pos
sible and that Mr.. Swami might brinS
| along his chief raider Jim Smith.
From this point on the story was about
as difficult to get at Is the evidence jim
himself was after Saturday night. Ger
tain. it is, however. that Jim and Bos,
Swami got into an automobile and beat
IL to the ST. Regis as fast a. any patro
wagon ever carried a raiding District
Attorney. IL is equally certain that tn,
Governor and Jim and Boss Swami haC
a long talk about the conditions in New
York city that required the attentions @
the chief raider despite the lack OF police
cooperation.
And this is the point at which. in tn,
language OF Jim Smiths own Tenderloin
the politicians and city officials are huf
raloed. Did the Governor call down jim
Smith and his boss and urge conserva
ton OF raids Or did the Governor wan
to know Just why the police would no
assist Jim Smith last Saturday night
Does the Governor suspect that New
York Is becoming a wide open town? O,
does the Governor think that Raider jim
and his boss have been too energetic?
whitman Non-committaI.
As far as could be learned from the
Governor himself one answer is as goot
as another to either question. The Gov
ernor admitted that he had had a con
ference with Mr.. Swami and Raider Jim
and would not deny that IL was on tn,
question OF Jim's midnight raids and thu
| necessity thereof, but further than tina
he would not go.
IT'S not unusual for the District At.
torney to have a conference with the
Governor" he explained. II had many
Of them when I was District Attorney
AT your own or the Governors re-
Quest?" Mr.. Whitman was asked.
Well. at my own request. But there
Is nothing to say now-nothing now"
Gov. Whitman's reluctance to explain
the reason of his conference with Mr.
Swami was the reason for no little con
Germ in certain official and political quar-
ters last night. 1t was pointed out b.
some OF his friends that Gov. Whitman
would not hesitate 10 act drastically a
this time II he had evidence suff1cien
to convince him that the lid was OF
In New York That such action woul,
be accelerated should he come into pos
session OF evidence tending to show
reluctance on the part OF the Polio
| 10 Keep nclO tOWl
was also accepted as a fact, and ii
this connection the recent letter o
Mayor Hylan to District Attorne,
Swami was recalled. In that lette
Mayor Hylan referred to the activitie
OF Raider Jim Smith as attempts a
notoriety that were cheap and despicabl'
ard which should not be countenanced
Not the least interesting feature o
the case that gives rise to speculation a
TO just what may be in the Governor
mind is the knowledge of somewha
strained relations between Mr.. Swami
and Mayor Hylan and the Police Depart
ment. 1t will be recalled that Mr.. Swan
was thwarted in his attempt to hav,
Honest Dan" Costigan remain attache,
to his once: that Costigan has sine,
been relieved of command OF the so
called vice squad. and that Henry. tn,
inspector who appeared on the scene AMI
did not cooperate with Raider Jim las
Saturday night was elevated to his pres
emit rank early in the present police ad
ministration.
Police Commissioner Enright decline'
to comment yesterday upon the Smitl
raid in the Tenderloin Saturday night.
II have no comment to make" sal,
the Commissioner. but l have dlrecte,
Police inspector Domirick Henry TO for
ward-S report to me as to what tool
place.
a S.S