New-York tribune., 1918-04-09
District Attorney Says He
Acted Without Consult
ing Mayor Hylan
Menace to Soldiers
Cooperation With War and
Navy Departments Planned
TO Protect Morale

District Attorney Swami denied yes
terday report he had ordered the
raids upon Tenderloin cafes and re-
sorts early Sunday morning because
he had learned that Raymond B. Fos-
dick, former Commissioner of Ac-
counts, was to conduct Federal in
vestigation into vice conditions here
soon. He also denied iie mad heard it
intimated Secretary Daniels was con-
templating closing UP the saloons in
New York altogether because they
were menace to the navy.
The District Attorney said he or
dered the raids without consulting
Mayor Hylan CIR Police Commissioner
Enright, and he added emphatically
that they were only the forerunners Of
more to come. In fact Mr.. Swami
made it plain that New York County.
and the Tenderloin IN particular, is
going to experience a cleaning uo that
Will put previous vice crusades in the
shade He said he would ask the
grand jury to investigate every thing,
particularly phases OF vice affecting
soldiers and sailors.
But in seeking for these witnesses. -
said Mr.. Swami, I'VE discovered that
as late as , and o'clock in the morn
ing and on Sunday at that, soldiers
and sailors in uniform could be found
in these cafes accompanied by women
Of the underworld and surrounded by
criminals, eX-convicts and drug ad-
diets. Other soldiers and sailors were
seen in the immediate neighborhood Of
these places standing in doorways.
drinking from Whskey bottles which
had been passed to them.
TIE places should be closed at 1
clock IN the morning anyway They
are IN themselves violators of the law
IN that they harbor criminals and dis
orderly women
The District Attorney said he was
intensely interested in the cases OF
soldiers and sailors who are found in
toXicated on the streets and in the
company of dissolute women. He said
he had decided to ask the War Depart
ment and Secretary Daniels for in
structions as to handling such cases.
He said he believed considerable in
formation could be obtained from them
as to the operations of Tenderloin
vampires and law-breaking liquor deal
ers il the soldiers and sailors were de
tanned and questioned. AT present, he
said, the police take no action.
Of the thirty-five women and sixty
men who were detained b. Inspector
Dominick Henry and Captain Richard
Nckenna. of the Fourth Branch Detec-
tive Bureau. Assistant District Attor-
nev James e. Smith sent three women
and three men to the House of Detcn-
tioa yesterday. Two of the men, he
said, we're Withholding material evi.
dence regarding the Cohen case. One
of the three women also gave him in
formation about the movements be
fore and after the crime of Big Nor
ris' Rothenberg, indicted as Cohen's
slayer
One Of the male witnesses is wait
or in the Little St. Regis Hotel, in
have admitted Rothenberg was in thc
place about four hours before the
shooting and that he put on a pair OF
heavy spectacles and asked the waitel
if he would know him with them on
The waiter replied he would be able to
recognize him easily. Then Rothen
berg pulled up the collar of his coat
and pulled down his hat brim and
placing himself about twenty feet
away. again tested the walters detec
tive abilities. The waiter said he told
Rothenberg he would know him even
then.
A friend of the waiter, whose name
is Gus Brauer. driver Of cab. with a
stand outside the Hotel Claridge. was
held in $1,000 as a material witness
He obtained surety.
Charles Folwell, proprietor of the
Little St Reefs. was held in $1,000
bail charged with keeping an illegal
resort