New-York tribune., 1920-12-31
Police Wreck
Equitable Club:
20 Arrested
CONTINUED from page one)

with keeping and maintaining place
for gambling.
Richard J. Fell, ~ Macon Street
Brooklyn, superintendent of the Etna
Life Insurance Company Building, was
charged with maintaining q place for
gambling
John Thurston, doorman, 215 West
131st Street, was charged with aiding
and abettng
The charges were sworn to by De
tective Williams, attached to Inspector
Bolan's staff.
Much Furniture Smashed
Aft~r the members Of the club had
been arrested the raiding party con-
tinued its work. The clubhouse is a
three-story dwelling, leased by the club
from the widow Of Brigadier General
II. T. Barnett. In the words of a mem
Der of the club, set as watch by his
fellow members, mot a stick of fur
niture was left standing in the place"
In an unlighted hallway IN the base
ment last night a frightened colored
porter vas found. He was answering
every squeak )r sound with the plain
tive question, as youse an officer?"
While no great damage was done in
the kitchen and dining room, located
in the basement of the building, un-
mistakabe signs of the raid could be
seen on the main floor.
Wreckage was scattered everywhere
and it was plain that the police had
done their work thoroughly. Many Of
the rooms were emptied Of ali furni-
ture. Mirrors were smashed Chairs
were broken. Rugs were ripped up
and tables demolished.
In the wrecked main lobby of the
club on the ground floor policeman
lounged on two easy chairs He re-
fused to divulge his name or station,
but he wore police badge No. 1908.
Pictures had been pulled from the
walls and smashed. Chairs, tables and
tabourets had been broken and piled
in heaps in one corner In the card
and loungirg room on the second floor
every piece Of movable furniture had
been reduced to kindirg Cuspidors
did not escape. The sleeping quarters
of the club on the third floor also were
entered and thoroughly and systematic
cally gone through.
The banistcrs and ratings on the
main stairway were broken. A ha-rack
IN the front hall was almost splintered
The side was split wide open and the
full length mirror was cracked.
Magistrate Simpson cold the police
ttat the raid had been conducted with
out any legal authority whatever. De-
rective Williamson, when asked by VII q t
authority the raid had been made, said
nat the order had come from Com
missioner Enright.
John Thurston, the negro doorman
m Night Court told in graphic detail
now the first Of the raiding squad of
eight succeeded in passing the front
door. He testified that at 80 O'Clock.
4
senger boy, employed by the police
came to the door of the club with a
bulky package. He was followed by
three or four plain clothes men, whom
Thurston failed to recognize.
Doorman Gives Warning
The messenger boy, according to
Thurston's testimony, said that he had
package for Richard j. Fell, prcsi-
dent of the club He insisted on de-
lIvering what later proved TO be moth
ing but large pasteboard box stuffed
With waste paper When Thurston
opened the door to let the bov and his
large package enter, the plain clothes
men pushed in and went upstairs. 1t
vas Ihurston's cry of warning which
the assembled members Of the club
heard.
President Fell, who was in the rear
of the building at the time of the raid
testified that other plain clotes men
swarmed over the fence and some of
them forced an entrance in the rear.
Detective Williamson, who sipne 4
he c"arges, and Detective Burtan TO-
tihed that they had found members Of
the club playing cards for monev In
ss-eXaminaticn Detective Wiliian,'
son said that the order to raid the cluh
rad come from Enright. Detective
burtau. beyond saying that he had re-.
cevod his orders from a superior 70.
used to state who had instructed him
to participate in the raid.
Both men steadfasty denied that
they had ca Used any damage to furn.
shing Of the clubhouse. nor wo1,l(
they admit that they had ordered bei, tbe;,
nen to 'dem"lish all movable ohinct.
- the house" Detective Williar1r ser -
aid that he had lett the second FOO, ol
the clubhouse to escort his "men'
~ waiting patrol wagons and tba,
when he returned the work had hoar
done '"" 0ec'
Twenty->ix Men DISCHARGED
AFTER listening to all evidence Mocic
n&te Simpson discharged the t,yoIsta 20
enree men held On charges Of djsor
%er1y conduct, with the annorncen1en