New-York tribune., 1919-07-10
Says Gunson
Trial Teemed
With Perjury
Assistant District Attorney
Asks Grand Jury Inquiry
Into Sworn Story of Mem
Who Arrested Young Girls
Protest Made to Hylan
Hearing Termed Sad Farce;
Commissioners Alleged to
Have Shown prejudice

Have Shown ~Prejudice
Samuel Markewich. an Assistant Dis
trict Attorney, whose investigation into
the arrest of Miss Sallie Kobn and
Miss Lillian Cohen led to the reversal
by Judge Rosalsky of their conviction
on charges Of disorderly conduct, yes
terday wrote to Mayor Hylan protest
ing against the manner in which De
tective Gunson, who arrested the
women, was tried at Police Headquac-
ters. Gunson's trial on a charge of
conduct unbecoming an officer was con-
cluded recently and decision was re-
served.
A copy of the letter also was sent
to Judge Mcintyre, who is presiding
over the grand juries in General Set
sons, with the request that he place
the. matter of the arrest and convic-
tion of women before either the regu-
lar or additional grand jury.
In his letter to Mayor Hylan, Mr..
Markewich said:
you undoubtedly attempted to lend
. great deal Of Importance and dignity
to the trial of Officer Gunson by hav
trial by three deputy police commits
sioners, instead of one, and yet, with
all Of the dignity that you have tried
to give this very important matter, al
Of the disinterested spectators at the
trial would tell you that if it were not
for the sad spectacle presented upon
that trial by the policemen who tes-
tilted, and by the hostile demeanor ex-
hihited by the trial commiss toner's, the
hearing would have looked more like a
farce-comedy than asdignified hearing"
Accuses Men of Perjury
Mr.. Markewich declares in the letter
that "both Officers Maloney and Gun
son deliberately lied when they swore
before the deputy police commission
ers that they saw the girls on March
l sand g." and he adds that Policemen
Mott and Noar, who also testified at
Gunson's trial, appeared with the bold
est nffrontery to justify the acts of
Gunson and Maloney." In the same
connection Mr.. Markewich said "it was
the duty. of the deputy commissioners
instead OF that they listened con-
piaeentlv while the band of perjurers
testified to q carefully woven tissue Of
lies.'
81 shall, Of course, ask that these
matters be presented to the grand jury
for whatever action they may deem fit
to take against perjured witnesses"
continued Mr.. Markewich. ~ call upon
you, as the chief magistrate of this
great city, to aid me in bringing those
policemen to the bar of justice. In
that. way you will rid the Police De-
partment and the city of one Of the
worst evils in our municipality"
Mr.. Markewich further asserted that
this matter should have been investi-
gated by you personally, by the Com
missioner of Accounts or bv the Com
mittee on Public Welfare, but not by
the Police Department., because it is
we'll known that the police proceed
upon the proposition that administra-
tions may come and administrations
may 60, but the Police Department goes
on forever and there is a certain cohe-
sive feeling of comradcship that binds
policemen together, high or low, when
they are in trouble"
1.-The public would also be interested
in finding out why the men in these
cases are not interested as we'll as the
women," said Mr.. Markewich, cor, at
least why they are not asked by the
officers to come along as material wit
nesses for which purpose blank sub
poenaes can be very easily issued through
the magistrate and given to the men on
post"
Arrests Are Defended
In his monthly bulletin to the men,
hers Of the New York Society for the
Suppression of Vice John S. Sumner,
secretary, says:
"Many hysterical articles. editorial
and otherwise, have recently been pub
lished on the subject of the alleged
unwarranted arrest Of certain women
on public Streets A woman who has
suffered this humiliation unjustly. is
entitled to the utmost sympathy; but
do not forget that there is a numerous
immoral radical element which would
justify tho streetwalker and all the
other participants in and promoters of
commercialized vice. It would gladly
drag society down to it's level by prop
aganda in the form sof noisy appeal
end condemnation of The police in gen
eral. Let US not Inadvertently play into
it's hands by premature judgments"
ASKED what he meant by the "numer-
Gus immoral radical element" Mr.. Sum.
ner replied: 81 can't specify. You see
them in our motion pictures and in oul
plays of to-day"
Porter Issues Statement
Third Deputy Police COMMISSIONS
August Drum Porter, when asked tt
comment on Mr.. Markewich's letter t.
Mayor Hylsn. gave out the following
statement last night:
"Markewich, l am told, is candidate
20, magistrate, lie seems to think
like all of his class, that the way tt
make himself prominent is to juml
into print.
He likes to hear himself talk II,
wss ,oud-mouthed and bombastic a
the session of the trial and it finall,
becsme necessary for the presiding
commissioner, First Deputy Commits
vioner Leach, TO order him temporaril,
to sit down. In his bcnighted way h
thinks the way 10 retalitate and 'ge
square is to attack the fidelity of tn
trial coramis missioners.
"A decision has not yet been rem
aered, yet here is a spectacle of
sworn officer of the country and al
oificer Of the courts attacking the mo
t'ves and intentions of a duly author
lied tribunal of officials, prior TO
decision. His actions would not b
Permitted II aimed at court of la,
and should not be permitted her,
Undoubtedly the Mayor will show hin
where he belongs"