New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-07
Police Commissioner Il
Said to Have Put 1t
OH the Mayors Desk ut
Least Ten Days Ago
Officials Hold
Two Conferences
City Hall RumOr Recalls
Smith Promise to In
dict S'Man Higher Up''

Richard f. Enright will hand Mayor
Hylan his resignation as Police Com
missioner within few days, according
TO report reaching The Tribune last
night from trustworthy source. The
Commiss oner held long conference
with the Mayor at City Hall late yes
terday afternoon, and it was said af
terward that the formers retirement
from the Police Department was dis
cussed
No official information concerning the
meeting could be obtained, but reports
at City Hall and Police Headquarters
were to the effect that Commissioner
Enright's resignation was looked for
in administration circles as a result
of the conference in the Mayors Office.
According to statements made last
night by a high county official, whose
Zines Of communication reach the
best sources Of information. Comms-
sioner Enright's resignation has been
on Mayor Hylans desk for the last
ten days and action on it was the
principal subject of discussion at the
two conferences held recently in At
lantic City among Charles F. Murphy,
Mayor Hylan, Governor Smith and
several Tammany leaders.
Debate" Called by Murph,
The Atlantic City "debate,' it is
generally known, was called by Muir
ply as a result of the situation, politi-
cal and otherwise. created by tn, vice
crusade condrctcd by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney James f. Smith, which
resulted in tho indictment Of Third
Deputy Police Commissioner Augustus
Drum Porter and two detectives
Mr.. Smiths invests CATION was loom
ing along in sensational style
when it was interrupted temporarily
by the action of the extraordinary
grand jury in taking up charges
against members OF District Attorney
Swann's staff while Prosecutor Smith
was declaring that he would shortly
obtain indictments against police off
cals of higher rank than Deputy Corn
missioner Porter. Porter's superiors
arc Second Deputy Commissioner
William J. Lahcv, Second Deputy Com
missioner John A. Leach and Commits
sioncr Enright::
The interruption in Mr.. Smiths in
vestigations created a 'hrcathing SPELL
during which the meetings OF Murphy
Mayor liylan and other political powers
were held in Atlantic City. AT these
meetings, it is said, the situation causcc
by Mr.. Smiths bitter attacks on the
Police Department was discussed and
this brought up the subject OF Commits
soner Enright's possible resignation
and the appointment of his successor.
Reliable reports indicate that tho
conferces were agreed that the situa
ton demanded that action Of a decisive
nature be taken before the irrcpre ssiDl lt
Mr.. Smith was free 70 continue his on
slaughts against the Police Depart
mcnt. The same reports also indicate
that one phase of this contemplated
action involved the resignation of En-
right
Enright Can't BE Found.
Efforts made by Tribune reporter
to get in touch with Commissioners
Enright last night were unavailing, ar {
no information pertaining TO the pre-
,iicted resignation could be obtained al
quarters it was said the Commissioner
seemed able to say where he might be
found.
Assistant District Attorney Smiti
said again yesterday that another higF
police official would be indicted be
fore the end of the week. The granc
jury will meet tomorrow to hear the
testimony of the Rev. John Roacl
Straton and the two men who accom-
panied him on his tour of the White
Light district which resulted in the
sensational sermon delivered by DR.
Straton last Sunday night in Calvary
Baptist Church.
Mr. Smith said ne. would cndcavo1
to obtain indictments against severa
dance hall proprlctors as result o.
Dr. Straton's disclosures.
"Thc atmosphere in these dance hall:
is very bad" said Mr.. Smith, land the
4th inspection District is becoming tn,
skunk hole of New York. DR.. Strator
deserves the thanks Of the people o.
this city for calling attention to tht
conditions which his Investigation re
vcaled,
81 want it to be known that DR.
Continued on page ninn)