New-York tribune., 1918-03-28
" John Doe" Leads
Four Gamblers to
The Workhouse
Central Merchants Club
Employees Fail to Get
of With Fines

Workhouse sentences were imposed
yesterday in Special Sessions on four
alleged associates of Sigmund (Beansy)
Rosenfeld, who have been operating a
gambling club at 1OS East Seventeenth
Street under the guise of "The Cen
trail Merchants Club under the pro-
lection of a Supreme Court injunction
restraining the police from entering
the premises. The place was finally
raided last February by Inspector
"Honest" Dan Costigan, at the request
of District Attorney Swami. and the
prisoners were held for trial by Judge
Wadhams sitting as committing magis-
trate in the "John Doe" inquiry into
gambling.
Carl and Louis Hyman, who, the evil
dence showed. were acting as salaried
employees in the place, were committed
fer thirty days. Charles f. Schlenger
and Jesse Mann, paembe,s of the
board of governors and alleged silent
partners with Rosenfeld, were sem
fenced to three months Imprisonment.
Jacob Sega, counsel for the club,
pleaded with Justices Herbert, Collins
and Murphy to be merciful to his
clients because of their previous good
record. Carl Hyman, he said, was
father of six children. four Of them
girls, three of whom were of school age.
Brings in Rosenfeld
Assistant District Attorney Smith in
charge of the gambling inquiry replied
by going into the business relations
which Schlcnger and Mann held with
Rosenfeld.
"What's Sigmund Rosenfeld got to
do with this case?" caustically inter
rupted Justice Collins. 81 don't know
him from the man in the moon."
Mr.. Smith explained that Sigmund
Rosenfeld was none other than
"Beansy" Rosenfeld, notorious gam
bier and real owner of the club in
question. AT that point District Attor-
ney Swami, who had been listening to
the proceedings, asked permission to
say few words.
"This man Rosenfeld," said Mr..
Swami, until fifteen minutes ago was
standing outside this very courtroom,
waiting to hear the decision of this
court on these cases. l am having him
across the street, waiting for the ver-
dict. He is the most persistent and
+ insistent gambler in New York. He
boasts about what he can do with the
District Attorney and the Police De-
partment, and l doubt not that he also
boasts what he can do with this court +"
pardon me, Judge Swami, for inter
rupting," said Justice Collins, "but if
this man Rosenfeld is such an infa-
nous gambler as you say he is, why
haven't you brought him here? Why
case?"
Win "Get" Rosenfeld Yet
"If your Honor will bear with me-"
replied Mr.. Swami, eve shall get him
/ before we are through. Your expert
encc as lawyer and judge of this
court, think, makes you aware of the
fact that it is not always possible to
get the man higher up first. 1t is ne
ccssary to get the underling, and if
these men are sent to the penitentiary
they may open up and tell us the
truth. Now, as far as sympathy for
women and children is concerned, I
want to say that | am receiving daily
scores Of letters from heartbroken
( wives, mothers and sisters who have
been deserted by husbands, sons and
brothers who have been ruined by
gambling in places just like the one
which these snivclling, blubbcring de-
PENDANTS here have been run,< e for
several years. If your llonors hesitate
to send these men to prison. place the
responsibility upon my shoulders. |
am ready to assume it, for shall keen
up this campaign against gambling
during the four years of my admins
tration."
Attorney Scgall replied by asking
District Attorney Swami why he did
not move against the defendants last
year when Police Commissioner Woods
turned over to him the evidence which
he used in the John Doc inquiry, in
stead OF waiting until "the new admin.
latration came into Office" Mr. Swami
allowed the query to 60 unanswered,