New-York tribune., 1919-09-30
Raid Victims
Start Action
Against Police
Owners of Coffee Houses
Where Furniture Was De-
molished Employ Lawyer
to Bring Criminal Cases
The Inspector Won't Talk
To All Questions About
Affair Boettler's Reply
Is, L Have Nothing to Say

Pinochle players of the East Side
gathered in their wrecked coffee houses
yesterday and planned to take action
against Inspector William F. Boettler
and members of his plainclothes force.
who raided the district on Sunday
morning and broke the furniture in
about a dozen coffee houses, ostensibly
IN hunt for gamblers.
After conference last night propri-
etors of the coffee houses announced
that they had retained Isdor Wasser-
vogcl of Wasseryogel & Meddie, 1870
broadway, to institute criminal and
civil suits against Inspector Boettler
and the men who took part in the raid.
Mr.. Wasservogel has made an appoint
ment with Assistant District Attorney
Alfred l.. Talley to discuss the Grim
inal proceedings. 1t is expected he will
appear in the Essex Market Court and
ask for warrants against those in the
raiding party.
Louis Damaszek, proprietor of the
Astor Place Cafe, at Id St. Marks
Place, which was wrecked, headed the
committe that retained Mr.. Wasser-
vogel.
Keeping the Evidence Intact
Thus far no effort has been made to
remove the broken crockery and furni-
ture from the floor of the coffee house.
Mr.. Damaszek said he intended to
leave the debris there until some one
from the Office of District Attorney
Swami had chance TO look it over.
AS far as could be ascertained from
the records Of the courts no one was
arrested in the raids. The police de-
clined to give out any information
Seen at his office Inspector Boettler
was asked:
Did the men under your command
make any arrests in the raid on the
East Side CO ffeheouses on Sunday
morning? ?"
II have nothing to say" he replied.
why was the raid made, and what
was it's object?
II have nothing to say"
III you had any evidence Of crime be-
ing committed in any Of these places,
why did you make no arrests ?"
II have nothing to say"
Were any of these places raided and
the furniture broken up because you
suspected they were gambling houses
and did not have evidence against
them? ?"
~ have nothing to say
Owners of the coffee houses said
yesterday that many merchants of the
neighborhood had offered to give them
financial assistance to fight the police
in the courts.
Hylan Writes a Letter
Mayor Hylan yesterday wrote the
following letter to Police Commissioner
Enright:
There is an article on the first
page of this mornings World which
is critical of the action of the police
and speaks of patrons of certain es-
adjustments playing cards for a cup
of coffee.
about two weeks ago the same
newspaper was finding fault with the
police for rot supprcssing gambling
and pointing out these places as
gambling places. and when they re-
celve the attention Of the police the
same paper calls them innocent cof-
fee houses and refers to them as
having patrons who play cards for a
cup of coffee.
"Will you give me a report as to
these establishments"
Mayor Writes to Swami
Mayor Hylan also wrote the follow
ing letter to District Attorney Swami:
AT the request of Police Com
missioner Enright at my direction,
Commissioner of Accounts David
Hirschfeld made an investigation of
certain clubs incorporated under the
Membership Act of the State of New
York and alleged to be operating in
the City and County Of New York as
gambling houses.
"You are aware that the police are
doing everything in their power to
enforce all the laws, but that every
time they make an arrest in such al
legged CLUBS, the persons so taken are
discharged by various magistrates on
the plea that such tubs are incor-
porated and their members have
right to indulge in games of chance
among themselves.
THE report of the Commissioner
of Accounts Of his investigation
shows that he had summoned before
him officers and members of such
clubs and had examined them under
oath, and that the evidence brought
out before him shows, among other
things tat the applicants for mem
bership in these clubs simply sign an
application to the person called the
secretary, pay him some money and
then and there receive from the same
person a membership card without
anyone passing upon the qualitica-
tions or desirability of such appIi-
cant. Also that membership cards
for two weeks are issued to persons
from out of town and that such cards
give the holders the privilege to play
cards in the clubhouse
Joined to Play Cards.
"1n fact, certain of the members
examined admitted that they Joined
the club to play cards there, and that
they did not regard their member
ship in the club in any light other
than that it gave them place where
to play cards.
The testimony before the Com
missioner of Accounts further dis
closes that these clubs held no meet
lngs and that the receipts and all
other moneys are being handled bv
one certain individual in such place.
"A copy of the Commissioner of
Accounts report is transmitted to
YOU for your consideration. and an
other copy thereof will be trans
mltted to the Attorney General of
our State for his study. as. in the
opinion Of the Commissioner of Ac-
counts. the Attorney General would
be warranted in commencing actions
IN the Supreme Court to cancel the
certificates of incorporation of these
clubs on the GROUND that the same
are not bona fde membe rship cor
porations, but simply yambliny
houses: that their chartorc 7va i