New-York tribune., 1920-12-21
Nassau County
Officials Face
Bribe Charges
fIeischer Says McWhinney
and Doughty Offered Him
Money to go Slow in
Exposing Gambling Cases
Two Others Also Named
Weeks Tells jury He Will
Prove OHicehoIders Plot
led to Protect Niolators

Srtpes were orTTed by Nassau county
officials in an effort to prevent the
prosecution OF gambling houses that
:lourisred in the county. according to
evidence introduced yesterday at the
opening Of the trial of four indicted
Official or charges of conspiracy.
The -rial is being held at Mineola,
7. :. The defendants are Assembly
nan Thomas 4. McWhinrey. of Hemp
stead member Of The Lockwood COM
mi.tse: Supervisor George w. Doughty,
Of InUood; Sheriff Charles W. Smith
and Postmaster Thomas H. O'Keefe. or
Oyster Bay. District Attorney Charles
Z. Weeks OF Nassau County, is con-
ducting the trial for the prosecution.
Fleischer Tells of Bribes
John y. Fleischer, assistant secre-
rary o. the Nassau County Association,
when was active in the roundup Of
gamblers IN Nassau County in 1918 and
1919. WAS one of the principal witnesses
Yesterday. He said that McWhinney
had offered HIM $4,000 if he would Sc,
.nar the association desisted from its
attacks on gambling and would dis
continue the publication Of matter per-
;aining to gambling in the associa-
tons official organ, The Nassau County
Journal.
He said also that he had been offered
$500 By O'Keefe il, as editor OF the
publication. he would see that il ceased
gambling houses. Tie money would
5e contributed, according to the testi-
nony by the heads of various gambling
institu- ions.
Fieiseher said that O'Keefe also
asked that the names and addresses be
furnished Of the two principal wit
nesses Tor the state in the then forth
coming trial o. John Shaughhe one
o. the alleged gamblers, whose estab-
ilshmenr had been raided. The names
~ nc witnesses, Fleischer testified.
We're wanted in order that thev might
be induced TO leave the state before the
trisl- >naughnessy pleaded guilty to a
gambling charge last fall. He received
suspended sentence. He testified
Yesterday for the state
Overheard Telephone Talk
Continuing MS testimony. Fleische1.
-eclared that the other two defend
ants. Doughty and Smith. had been
vsrheard by him talking over the tele-
hone regarding a warning thai was
TO De given Of an impending rail on a
gambling house operated BY Charles
>-uekev. The witness said that n q
conversation that he had with the
2ossms sster on Long Island train
y hecfe brought up the subject Of
articles being printed in the associa-
non paper and said:
Nov, | want you TO be quiet I'll
make arrangements to have you meet
he fellows in New York and we can
TX things up. 7 can get you something
I you don't publish this stuff"
in his preliminary address to the
Jury District Attorney Weeks described ID
the campaign that has been waged to
I'd sections OF Long Island of gambling
dens. Hs said that he would seek 10
snow -rat the activities Of the indicted
Official constituted a conspiracy 70
oro-eet Illegal enterprises He said
hat tae state would prove that Smith
rad -ipocd of the Stuekey house and
as- ne did t under the direction Of
Jorrr@y
David H. Gideon and William Fl. Bus
-eea- both Of whom pleaded guilty and
we're hned s., 600 each for the mainte-
nance d gambling houses at their trials
.ass fall, testified for the state. Gid
on said that he frequently placed bets
FOR Doughty. Busteed said that he had
1eVer paid any one for protection.
Saaugnnessy, who followed Busted
on -ne stand. did not mention the
names f the four defendants. He de-
scr1ed deals in which ne had paid sums
I money 70 the late Joseph ("Cur'y
Joe Cassidy, formerly Democratic
ea1er u Queens, FOR protection"