The evening world., 1919-02-05
ENR|GHT IS SILENT
ON THE DEMOT|ON
OF "HONEST DAM
Continued from First Page)

one more inspector than the budget
called for
Professional gamblers, touts and
other like gentry In New York are
! rejoicing openly to-day over the
dcmotion OF Costigan. Enemies had
long been waging bitter war against
him. and long list OF prison sem
tenccs brought about through his
raids Justified the fear and hatred in
which he was held by the classes that
live by their wits.
II regret very much to see In
spoctor Costigan denoted" District
Attorney Swami. who is in a Lake
wood hotel recovering from an at
tack Of the grip, told an Evening
World reporter on the phone to- day.
| "llc had and deserved the full conf
dcncc of the puDlic and all the gam
/ hlurs in the city feared him, Ny Of
] flee had implicit confidence In him.
/ But have no criticism to make. ]
have full confidence IN the honesty
Of purpose of Commissioner Enrighi,
ana he, Of course, had what he
/ deemed sufficient reasons for the
domotion."
/ Friends of Costigan said to-day he
| had been the object of petty persecu-
| uuns since Mayor HyIan appointed
| Enright Comm ssloner. 1t was re-
called that last July he was unable
to get "A leave of absence when Ship
ping Commissioner Hurley asked the
CltN to loan tostlgan TO the Gov.
crhmcnt to take charge OF the policing
al "a hA A. ghl ri. - /,
the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts.
Custigan spent his vacation last year
pcrfccting plans for this big work and
his programme was found so effect
that the Government adopted 1t anI Il
has been IN operation ever since. Bu:
Custlgan's application for a leave was
laid on the table. II was said at the
time that he was offered leave II he
would accept a demotion, but that he
refused.
As the head OF the old "Vice Squad
CoStigan had many gamblers and
other undoslrables sent to prison
One OF these was Thomas j. Reynolds
who was convicted last April ol
gambling and who was sentenced IA
three months in the City Prison al
the Tombs and fined $3.50. Reynolds
who had been somcw hat OF a power In
the old days of Big Tim" Sullivan
mad Joined many others Of his class
IN threats TO get" Costigan.
In 1916 CosttSdn broke up what was
called "A white slave ring" sondin4
San the Pcddlor Dubitz siberia am
lushi Botwin to prison for terms OF
tIom ten TO twenty years. He also
nii"d the Hotel De Nord at 18Th
Street ANA Irving Place and nut GU,
IoI business the gambling house OF
Roausy RoSenfeld at No. East l7th
street These actiVitieH had resulted
~ many threats being made against
Custigan.
In February. 1918, the District At.
torney tried TO get Costigan 10 worl
exclusively tor his department am
COY, Whitman had also asked for nj,
services, The Inspector was relieved
frm command OF the Vice Squad OF
. oct %, 1918. At that time Swanr
denied reports that "wide-opeI
town was coming,
toStiGdn's demotion started new
rumurs Of police and politics, and on,
rumur was that chief Inspector DalN
is to be relieved soon. II was be-
leVed by some in the department
that inspectors and others removed
by former Commissioner Wood
were soon 10 be restored. CostigaI
stood closer TO Woods. Il is said
than any other uniformed man in tn,
department.