New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-12
He Calls ON State Excise
Commission for Co.
operation
Loafers Are in Peril
Bill Aimed at Them Pending
in the Legislature Is
Favored Here

District Attorney Swami called on
me State Excise Commission yester-
day to cooperate with him in his eff
forts to prosecute proprietors of all
night cafes who sell liquor after /
O'clock. He told Thomas Gleason, coun-
sci for the commission, that many of
these places violate the excise laws by
taking orders for drinks after hours
and send walters out to nearby saloons
to purchase them. The walters buy the
liquor and serve it to the patrons just
as though they had taken it from the
stockroom of the cafe.
"Proprietors of places where this de-
eeit is practised,' said Mr.. Swami, "vio-
late the spirit of the law, if not the
letter. am of the opinion that they
are guilty of aiding and abetting viola
ton of the excise law and are guilty
OF violation of Section of the penal
law. Mr. Gleason assures me that the
commission will gladly assist in put
ting 4 stop to this form of lawbreak-
ing. | have no sympathy for the res
taurant men who break the law to ac-
comm date women and male criminals
OF almost all descriptions who flock to
these places because the legitimate
places are closed at l o'clock"
Nothing was said of the saloons
which also are violating the excise law
in selling to the walters.
EarOrS Auti.T ooG,,0 piu
The District Attorney also said that
he was heartily in favor of the passage
of the "antiloating" bill pending in
the state Legislature. He said it was
Just what was needed to enable prose
cutting authorities to clean up their
districts Under it, he said he could
hundred men and women caught in
last Sunday mornings raids on the all
night Tenderloin cafes during the
search for witnesses in the case Of the
murder of Harry Cohen.
rms class OF persons never do
legitimate days work." he said. "When
we bring them here they sheer at us.
They know we can't convict them be-
cause we haven't indisputable evidence
against them at that particular time
yet most Of them are known to the
police to I've criminals with records Of
convictions. If the Legislature will pass
the anti-losfing bill we will guarantee
that New York will get cleaning such
as it has never experienced before"
Judge Malone in General Sessions
ycste rday instructed q jury to bring in
a verdict Of not guilty in the case Of
and bellboy in the Hotel Strand. 43
West Thirty-second Street, who were
charged with aiding and abetting in
the keeping Of disordorIy house. The
raid was made two years ago by De-
tectives Cowden and Fiaherty under
the direction of Police Commissioner
Woods.
Waste of Taxpayers Money.
Judge Malone said that he consid.
cred it a shameful waste of the tan
payers money for detectives to hire
taxlcabs and entertain women as these
detectives testified they did Assistant
District Attorney Olcott, in charge of
the case, was allowed until Monday in
which to recommend the dismissal Of
indictments against Louis Markell and
Hopper Berger charged with being the
keepers u the alleged disorderly
house.
District Attorney Swami defended
the acts OF the detectives last night
and declared that in his opinion Pol
ice Com missioner Woods did the best
he could to get evidence against the
hotel.
Mr. Swami said that arrangements
have been made to present evidence
next Monday before the regular grand
Jury bearing on the general conditions
of vice in Manhattan. He said mar
ticular emphasis would be placed on
the crimes CT men and women who
make it their business to prey on SOL
diers and sailors.