The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-21
HYLAN LOOKS INTO /.
SUPPER CLUB GAMES
Special Gambling Investiga-
ton Under Way in Charge
Of Hirshfield.
PROBE SURPRISES SWAMI
Mayor Denies He Ordered
Roundup Over Heads Of
Police.


counts, 10 investigating gambling in New
York. with special reference to so-called
supper clubs Of the upper West Side
above Forty-second street This is n
new function for the Commissioners Of
Accounts ONCE. Mayor Hylan said the
police asked him for assistance. that the
police and Mr.. Hirshfeld were in perfect
accord. and that ANY inference that Com
missioner Hirshfield in doing this has
gone over the heads Of the police II the
silliest nonsense"
At Mr.. Hirshhelds once It was said
for several weeks his men have SUBJ
penaed patrons Of reputed gambling
clubs for examination under oath by
him. and that the results of the inquiry
were being sent to the Police Depart
ment and the District Attorneys once,
with which the Accounts Commissioner
was cooperating. At Police HeadQuar-
tiers the usual nothing to say policy
was maintained.
At the District Attorneys once Mr..
Swami said that he had received no
gambling reports from Mr. HIrshfield
and didn't know the latter was doing in
vestigating. However. the District At
torney said he was pleased, and felt that
Mr.. Hirshfeld and he were In perfect
accord. He added that there was very
little gambling in New York except
poker games: that friendly games WERE
not unlawful: that tho roulette wheel
has passed into history" and that most
OF the big professional gamblers have
gone down to Wall street and organised
oil companies. where the suckers come
In faster" ~ p ss..tt - q.
In the letter on crime prevention
which the Mayor sent to Police Commits
sioner Enright on Thursday he said
Gambling and vice are we'll in hand.
but you should pursue those evils. which
will permit other crimes being per-
United" Yesterday when asked about
the Commissioner of Accounts inquiry
Mayor Hylan said: -;,--N ...,,....
"The activities OF Commissioners Hlrsh-
field are the result of a request made
by the police. who are determined to
stamp out whatever gambling may be
going on In this city. There are certain
clubs here about which anonymous LETT
tiers have been received alleging that
gambling was going on In them. There
clubs move quickly from place to place
Just as soon as they find cut that the
police are at their heels. Tho police
have great difficulty In getting substan-
tiaf evidence against these clubs. Ac-
cordinsiy they asked me for help There
fore, In an effort to ind out Just what
IL going on In these clubs requested
Commissioner Hirshfield to assist the
police. The Commissioner. understand.
has accordingly issued subp1nas to per-
Int aofn H tn ~1sx h. ND xztltl
put them under oath TO ind out Just
what IL going on. g gl-, ~ -4,r
~Any inference that Commissiousr
Hirshfeld In doing this has gone ever
the heads of the police Is the siliiest nom
sense. His activities. as i said before,
are the direct result of the request made
by the police to me for assistance, SO
that what he Is doing 10 in perfect ac-
cord with the police and naturally has
my hearty approval Gambling must
be wiped out in this city and we are
determined to use every agency in our
power to accomplish this" :. p rs.
Supper clubs have long been a fav-
orite rendezvous for gamblers. Some
of them are perfectly legal They do
have something to eat and they do de-
mand that anybody who sits in must be
a member. the rite OF membership in
the clubs which are a mask for some
thing deeper usually consuming at least
n minute of the impatient visitors time
The territory to which the Commissioner
OF Accounts has been giving attention
Is the Fourth Inspection District. which
includes the new . Tenderloin", and
whose police supervisor is Inspector
Dominick Henry. Yesterday Mr.. Hirsh-
field got a letter from Inspector James
s. Bolan of the old Tenderloin saying
the results of the Investigation In the
Fourth Inspection District had been 90
good that he wished It would be ex-
tended to his. Bolan's district. Mr..
Hirshfeld also was asked to see what
the gamblers were UP TO at Coney
Island.
Yesterday" said Mr.. Hirshneld, after
expressing surprise that the news Of his
inquiry had been made public, "a wit.
ness before me told Of what he called
a small pinochle game at $3.50 n hun.
dred II you know the game you know
that this rate in a four handed game
would make II possible for a player
TO lose $40 in a single hand II
that is a small game / should like tc
see a big one.
There has been gambling at a place
formerly run by Honest John Kelly
The place has been run as a so-called
club, but anybody could Join In fvs
minutes by merely signing his name
and paying the alleged dues. In thea
clubs they servo food, drinks and cigars
and sometimes even provide sleeping
quarters for the players, all free. TheiI
money comes exclusively from the gam
ing tables"
The Commissioner said he was "goins
after n new place" last night.