New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-05

the vicinity of the New York Navy Yard
and that purveyors of bad whiskey ply
their activity unrestrained among the
youths of the country who are stationed
there were made to The Tribune re-
Gently by T. DeQuincy Tully, secretary
of the Law Enforcement Society, with
headquarters at 1G Court Street, Brook
lyH.
Mr.. Tully's declarations, coming as
they did Immediately after Washington
dispatches had told Of deplorablc con-
dtions existing in Philadelphia. and an
nounclng that a similar investigation
would be carried on in New York and
its vicinity, were aimed particularly at
conditions alleged to prevail in the
navy yard section in his borough
Among other things he said: "What
may be considered immoral. enticing
and demoralizing conditions in the city
of New York do exist to a large extent
at the present time. These conditions
are multiplied by the influx of more
than 100000 young men gathered from
ell sections CT the country
bOOtIcEHorS Active, lie says
The secretary of the Law Enforce
ment Society went even further, as
sorting that "boot'c ggers" were plying
their trade virtually without trepida
ton because of the certainty of being
! let off with a light sentence by the
Federal authorities. This. he said, was
their authority as they should, and he
| n CT n1 hat bo RI .f,,op 10 ho
state excise laws on "bootlegge RS"
thereby giving them more sincere
punishment for their crime of procur
ing liquor for the hluejackots.
AS for the influence of disreputable
women, Mr.. FULLY acknowled dyed he had
no sworn aflidavits to show they were
active in the navy yard district, but he
did say that certain persons had told
him of such influence on several occa-
sions.
With this information a representa-
tive Of The Tribune sought verifcation
at Police Headquarters in Brooklyn
He was referred to Lieutenant Sweeney
who is chief aid to Inspector Mac
Donald, and who has charge of the i'm
portant detail of keeping vicious char
acters out of the navy yard zone. The
question was put straight and uncom-
promisingly to Lieutenant Sweeney:
"lleutenant, we have information
that 'bootlcggers' in the navy yard dis
trict are selling liquor to sailors. that
saloons are serving them drinks sur
reptitiously, and that either disorderly
resorts or women of the street are to
be found in great number, unmolested
by the police. What is the answers"
Vice Conditions Denied
"The person who made that charge
is absolutely wrong" he replied. "I'll
send you down into that district to-
night with two of my men and you
can see for yourself how orderly it is"
The officer kept his pledge. On
Wednesday night two representatives
OF The Tribune made tour Of the
navy yard zone with Detectives Ncolai
and Legge. of special squad No. i, to
whose hands the work of fighting vice
OF the entire section failed to reveal
q single instance of the sort alleged
by Mr.. FULLY or those who gave him
his information.
Legge, CARRIED as q sailor-snd he
looked the part-set out in the van,
assuming the typical sailorman's roll
ing gait and with a cigarette cooked
carelessly in his lips. Nicolai, who
might have been mistaken for a me-
chanic on pleasure bent, followed at
about fifty PAGES. rhe Tribune repre-
sentatives brought up in the rear
Down Washington Street, past places
that were notorious in years gone by,
but which row were virtually deserted.
the detectives made their way. At
street intersections sailors and ma
rlnes were seen, and, upon the assump-
ton that they might possibl be await
ing the appearance of one of the al
legged "bootleggers" to purchase whis-
key for them, Leggc would take a
stand within ear-shot They were un-
suspecting, called him "mate" and
snapped yarns with him, and then one
would say:
Gee, there amt anybody passing
here; let's move along"
SO it went. A walk Of more than
two hours through Washington Street,
Sands Street, Navy Street, Willoughby
Street and the myriad side alleys and
narrow thoroughfares produced not a
single case Of intoxlcation of man
IN uniform. Only one civilian, who had
had fight with his wife" was found
drunk.
AS for women, no person who knew
the district adjacent to the yard in
the old days, when saloon that
couldn't boast at least one murder
within its doors was unpopular, could
believe his eyes. Resorts which for
merry were the rendezvous for prosti-
tutes and which wore out more than one
mechanical piano a season, were with
out customers. 1t looked like a hard
life Tor the Brooklyn saloonkceper-in
the vicinity of the navy ward.
Lieutenant Sweeney led The Tribune
representatives to Shotwclls dance hall,
IN Washington Street opposite the post
ONCE, resort which, though conducted
Tor twenty years by person of good
character, has been the scene of riotinr
and battles that still are talked about
II the navy. Here the trans formation
"as complete.
Dance Hal! Respectable
AS c.ear-cycd a crew of sailormen
as ever trod the decks of a man-o'-war
we're plrouetting about the floor with
girls, the ajority Of whom could by no
stretch Of imagination be associated
with wee investigations There was
one known to Lieutenant Sweeney and
she was asked TO make herself scarce
Two social welfare workers ohapcroncd
the dancers and two special policemen
we're on hand to assure tranquility.
linen came tour of saloons throuph
out the district without the police The
representatives of The Tribune found
not single sailor or marine in these
saloons for any purpose.
call at the Naval Y. NJ. c.. A in
Sands street, prollccd further refuta-
lion OF adverse reports. Mr.. Tullv had