New-York tribune., 1920-12-10
Police Head Cites MANY
Murder Cases i'm Which
Suspects Seized Were
Released Immediately
No Denial of 100
UnsOlved Murders
Files ShowOne Conviction
in Seventeen Arrests for
Killings i'll Manhattan

The denial by Police Commissioner
Richard E. Enright of charges that
the city is in the grip Of a crime
wave and that there has been =
breakdown in the department was
answered yesterday in these devei.
opments:
Representatives of burglary in
surance companies agreed that
there was a real crime wave
in the city, and produced figures
showing that burglary insurance
rates have increased roughly 20
per cent within a year. In his de-
nial Commissioner Enright said:
Il have the written statement of
an officer of the Casualty and
Surety Company of New York
that there has been no recent in
crease in burglary insurance rates
in this city,
The Tribune sent letter to Mr..
Enright asking him to answer
questions on the reorganization
of his department and the whit
Ting away Of the organization
built up by Arthur Woods. No
reply has been received yet from
the Commissioner.
Ten Suspects Discharged
Mr.. Enright did not deny that
the number Of unsolved murders
in the city since the first Of ths
year total more than 100. Tho
Tribune checked up on the list he
issued showing action by the po-
lice in murder cases, and found
that of the seventeen cases he
cited in Manhattan in only one
has there been a conviction. In
ten Of these cases the persons ar
rested were discharged because
the evidence against them was
judged insufficient.
Officers pnd other representatives ct
companies doing large burglary IN.
surance business agreed yesterday that
crime wave had swept over the city.
They produced figures showing that
burglary insurance rates have in-
creased, roughly, 20 per cent within q
year, and said they probably will adj
vance more, due to heavy losses. Theis
statements were at variance with what
another insurance man wrote TO Police
Commissioner Enright, who quoted him
in trying to prove that burglary insure
ance rates had scarcely advanced at Ill.
Samuel B. Brewster, of the American
Surety Company, and treasurer Of the
Casualty and Surety Club, said that he
was the man quoted by Commissioner
Enright as saying "there has been no
recent increase in burglary insurance
rates in this city, excepting that an ad.
ditiona 20 cents a thousand has been
charged for policies amounting to 81 900
or less"
Insurance Rates Increased
Yesterday Mr. Brewster was asked
about figures supplied by other COM
panies, showing that rates on mercan~
tile risks were much higher, and that
two increases since last December had
lifted the premium on residence apart
ments from $3.50 to S23.7o and on pri-
vate residences from S16.50 to $3.50.
Ho bo+ y, n %
been long in the burglary insurance
field, and. therefore, he was not quali-
fed to discuss these figures. He said
that Commissioner Enright had asked
him about recent increases" and he
had taken the word recent" to mean
only the last few months.
Commissioner Enright addressed our
Casualty and Surety Club several weeks
ago. MIR. Brewster said. "and since
then committees representing the club
and the Police Department have been
cooperating for the benefit Of both.
They have weekly meetings, and the
men to consider automobile thefts, traf-
fic regulations ard Inspections
When this cooperation began certain
insurance men said that one object was
to reduce burglary losses, but Mr..
Brewster said yesterday that he did
not know that there was crime wave.
anad he had no complaint against tho
police.
Losses Greater Than Ever
On these points again his views diff
fercd from the views of Others in the
business. Some OF these would not bA
quoted, but all who were approached
agreed that there is crime wave. that
the Police Department has not pre-
tected property sufficiently to prevent
the largest losses they have ever sus.
tained, and that not only have rates
risen sharply, but their business is in
process Of change now, due 80 these
extreme conditions
Among the companies whose rsnr..
sentatives were thus in accord were
the Aetna Casualty and Surety Com.
pany. the Maryland Casualty Company.
the Globe Indemnity Company. and the
Yes, thank you. our losses are still
increasing" Arthur l.. Dietrick, of ths
MARYLAND Casualty Company. said,
Rates have risen 10 and 20 per cent