New-York tribune., 1918-02-07
Prosecutor Calls
Club "Mernbers'' in
Gambling Inquiry
Subpenas Ten Belonging to
"Beansey" Rosenfeld's
Establishment

After a brief excursion into the field
of alleged disorderly flats, Assistant
District Attorney James Il. Smith, in
charge Of the John Doe inquiry into
gambling, took up the gambling trail
again yesterday by announcing to
Judge Wadhams, sitting in General
Sessions, that he has subpenaed about
ten members of the "Merchants' Club"
of 108 East Seventeenth Street, to
testify to-day about the purposes of
the club and the kind of recreations
that are indulgcd in by members and
guests.
The "Merchants' Club" Mr.. Smith
explained, is "Beansey' (Sigmund)
Rosenfed's place, and is one of several
places, according to the prosecutor, that
are operating under the protection of
an injunction which prevents the po-
lice from breaking into its exclusive
parlors. "Beansy's" place, Mr.. Smith
/ says, has been operating for fifteen
months under an injunction issued by
Supreme Court Justice BLUR.
Wants members" Under Oath
"These injunctions," said District
Attorney Swami last night, "do not in
terfere at all with tho functions of q
think we shall show that it isn't neces-
sary to smash 'ice-boX' doprs to get
evidence of what is going on inside
these so-caled clubs. 1t may be that
oil that will be necessary will be to
get few of these members under oath.
There is law on the statute books
that makes it felony to give false
testimony under OATH"
Previous to getting his injunction,
".Beansy'" figured in gambling raids be-
fore and after the murder of Herman
Rosenthal. He and the late Henry
Jacobs, a Harlem gambler who was
shot by another gambler in 1910, used
to run the Hesper Club. which was
finally closed by the police. In April,
1914, five armed men held up twenty
five players at the point of gun in
his place in West Seventeenth Street,
near Sixth Avenue. and got away with
several thousand dollars in cash and
jewelry.
Prosecutor Smith got warrants for
three men charged with getting $500
from Jacob Goldsten, Il Harlem
painter; Goldstein told Judge Wad-
hams that the money represented his
savings of seven years. He lost it in
d game of banker and broker in an
apartment on the third floor of SO West
117th Street. A man by the name of
Jacobson and another by the name of
Finkel. he said. ran the game.
Met "Little Friend"
Go,ldsteln said he won So there one
Sunday afternoon last January and
lprjHpnta l1N met whom, ho Ip
scribed as I'inkels 'little friend,
whose name he had forgotten, but
; whose cleverness, he said with a sigh
he never could forget. Little Friend,
Goldberg said, guyed him into betting
$25 that he could flash" $500. Gold
berg went home and brought his bank
book, which showed balance of $500
Little Friend" said he'd have to show
him real money, so Goldberg went tc
and took it to 80 West 117th Stree
and clash ed" it. Little Friend" sal,
Goldberg had won the bet and handed
out the s25.
"Just as I was getting ready tt
leave" said Goldberg, "a man who wa:
Il friend of Finkels Little Friend sug
, gested a game of banker and broker
t Jacobson was banker and dealer.
placed 500 at time, because | hac
, won S3 so easily the previous Sunday
never saw anything so strange as the
way jacobson cut those cards. Away,
he cut a high card for himself and | al
ways got the low card. ! didn't blam,
Finkels Little Friend SO much He
looked like such d poor, innocent fel
(, low | didn't think he could play such I
mean trick on me-"
,, Judge Wadhams, in granting war
rants for Jacobson, Finkel and "Littl,
T Friend" asked Prosecutor Smith t,
I subpoena che owner of the fiat wher,
the game was played.
Mr.. Smith asked for warrant fo
Leon Sobel, the alleged owner of sew
eral apartment houses in West lo9tl
Street and Manhattan Avenue whicl
were described on Tuesday by wit
nesscs as frequented by disorder ri
l women. Judge Wadhams announce
that it would be ready for issuance i,
a few days.
e The investigation will continue thi
j afternoon at 3 o'clock.
> Daniels Has u-Eoar Shail