New-York tribune., 1919-02-11
Records Given by Enright
Prove "Honest DAM
Made the Most Arrests
Commissioner Still
Calls 1t ''Rotten''
Palpably Nervous as He
Sits in Rocker to Talk
to Newspaper Reporters

Arrests made by Inspector Honest
Dan" Costigan as head of the vice
squad were used TO discredit his own
record as Inspector of the lst Inspec-
ton District, Police Commissioner En-
right admitted last night
Commissioner Enright stated that
out of the 816 arrests for gambling
made by "outsde influences" in Costi-
gans district many were made by Cos
tgan's own vice squad. The Commits
sioner stated that the "rotten record"
of Costigan consisted merely in the
fact that Costigan used his position
in the vice squad to help out his record
in the inspection district
Commissioner Enright's statements,
given in d long interview with news
paper men in his office, gave new
turn to the police situation arising
from the demotion of Costigan to
csptaincy in the Beach Street station.
More About Rotten Record
Figures made public by Commissioner
Enright also showed that Costigan
working against three other special
squads in districts other than his own
and hampered by lack of men and Gin
side" information from Headquarters,
had achieved record of arrests for
gambling equal in most districts to the
other three put together, and in all,
more than his fair share of work
When Commissioner Enright invited
the newspaper men into his office. after
long wait, he was first asked about
the statement of John W. Goff, ir.
published exclusively in yesterdays
Tribune.
"T'm rot going to answer that state
nlent until I have verified it said
The Commissioner. Il have 'phoned to
COTS house and have not been able
to get in touch with him yet. l may
DO SO tonight, and if | find that the
interview is authentic I may have
something to say
1900 for Minor Offences.
Commissioner Enright was then asked
about statement he had made to
newspaper men earlier in the day that
Costlgan had made 500 arrests during
tie year Of his inspectorship, instead
OF the forty-one quoted by Enright in
letter to Mayor Hylan last Friday.
That statement does not contradict
my letter TO the Mayor Bit" replied
hnright. "Thc ] 800 arrests were for
MINOR offences-dsorderly conduct
cases and the like. In a we'll ordered
district those arrests would be made
oy the uniformed men. Making ar
tests for trivial cases does not amount
70 much with nc. It doesn't count at
al with me. want big stuff from the
special squads. Fifty per cent Of the
''s0o arrested we're discharged by the
magistrates.
The point made in my letter was
mat Costigan made forty-one arrests
'or gambling IN his district, thirty one
o. which were discharged, five con-
'leted and fFe pending. AT the same
ene outside agencies made 81e ar
rests IN Coztigan's district for gam
bling
As Head of Vice Squad
One Of the newspaper men here
asked:
isn't II true that out OF these 81s
arrests 29s we're made by Costigan
hmSef as head Of the vice squad in
ne lst Inspection District and only
s"snty-cight made By Inspector Nc
Donald -
I don't know now many arrests we're
made By Costigan as head of the vice
squad m. his own district replied
the Commissioner.
Might not the outside agencies you
mentioned in compiling Costigan's rot
ten record include Costigan'a own vice
squad?"
"ycz.-
Then his rotten record is based
On mere terhnicality and does
nos reflect discredit on Costigan. Isn't
hat so?9
II certainly il no technicality anc
s'ss reflect discredit 1T shows that
% ala not keep his district clean
|omraissioner Enright vas asked II
ne would make public figures ia re
gro 10 arrests made for gambling bs
'a'side agencies in other districts, tc
compare With that of Costigan
Figures Tell the Tale
Certainly replied Enright, whs
a&o been nerycnsly rocking in his chair
eaflAz the crosg-exannination-
ne record vas brought to him. an
- saye the figures. They give the ar
ss's made during 1913 in the inspcc
1h diatriets by the Outside agcn
s, Including Costigans Vice Squa'
Z 1eDonsld'a Vice Squad z. Chief II
.sses@r DaIy'a squad and specia
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