New-York tribune., 1919-11-14
Grand jury
Hears Former
Costisan Aids
Men Who Served Under'Hon.
est Dan When He Headed
Vice Squad Are Called;
Hirshfcld Is Subp@naed

Men formerly on the staff of former
Inspector "Honest Dan" Costigan, who
was reduced to captain and transferred
by Police Commissioner Enright while
he was in the midst of a campaign
against gamblers, were important wit
nesses before the extraordinary grand
J~-J yesterday.
William +. Reith and Albert Ehrlich,
patrolmen, who were among the wit
nesses heard, were on the staff Of the
inspector when he had rowing COM
mission as head of the vice squad to
find gamblers and powerful vice lead
ers. Patrolmen George l.. Reith. a
brother of the former Costigan aid
and John Griffin also were heard bv
the jurors.
One of the subjects of investiga ion
was report, said to be supported by
numerous bits of evidence, that mem
bers OF the Hylan administration had
participated in JOY rides into the re-
sort districts Of New Jersey at the
clty's expense. Hotel bills, dinners at
road houses and automobile hire were
declared to have found their way upon
city expense accounts. 1t was said
that at least one department head was
prominent in many Of the JOY rides.
Hirshfe!d Waits Two Hours
Commissioner of Accounts David
Hlrshheld, who refused 10 appear be-
Iore the jurors Wednesday unless
formally subpnnaed, was summoned
yesterday. He sat outside the inrv
room for more than two hours while
patrolmen and other witnesses were
being heard. When he came out he
refused to discuss his testimony
which had consumed just two minutes
lie refused to say whether he had
again refused to waive immunity.
Later in the day Commissioner
Hirshtield issued statement in which
he said he mad been served with a
subpoena in the case of "Thc People
Us. Frank Hedley ct al in the body
OF which was the written request thar
he bring Il report on Il certain hotel
on West Fortyninth Street.
"The hotel Investigation was con-
Quoted in the spring of 1913 at the
rc uest of Police Commissioner En-
right, and it referred to hotel which
was commonly known as disorderiy y
house." said Hirshfeld
The statement added that the Com
mjssioner's chief clerk had been sub
pon@d and asked to bring state
ment showing the expense of trip of
the Comm issioner into Ulster and
Greene counties last fall, the names of
the occupants Of his machine, the
chauffeur, the hotels at which the party
stopped and the expense.
Was on Apple investigation
Mr.. Hirshlield explained that the trip
was taken because he had been told
that there We're occupants of the land
Sbout the Ashokan watershed and res
ervoir who paid the city no revenue
and that there were enough apples on
He explained that he had taken two
nieces with him and paid their expenses
out of his own pocket.
II Is expected that all Of to-day and
tomorrow will be consumed in study
ing the mass of official papers sub
ppn1d from the Office files of Mayor
Hylan, Commissioner Hirshfeld and
the Police Department. More of the
police papers were produced yesterday
by IL clerk of the department.
No witnesses will be heard until
pected to spend their time compiling
and tabulating the facts already un-
earthed. 1t was for this work that
Governor Smith was asked to assign a
special prosecuting attorney and force
of stenoeraphers and accountants.
That the jurors expected to return
prescntments as result of their in
vestigatIon was indicated by the fact
that they summoned Assistant District
Attorney Ritchenberg, oil the lndlct-
ment Bureau, before them during the
day.