New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-30
Almirall Panel to Open
investigation of Graft
ScandalsWith Guidance
of Two Newton Aids
Many Libel Suits
Threatening Henry
Swami Defends MIR. Smith
and Says Mayor Hylan
Is Being 'Misinformed'

The extraordinary grand jury will
begin this morning its investigation
into corruption alleged to exist in the
Police Department. The vice trails
which the Investigators will follow are
said to lead to high places and Off
cials, and if predictions made on the
eve of the probe are worth anything
the resultant revelations will provide
a shock for New Workers.
The extraordinary grand jury, Of
which Raymond F. Almirall is foreman
and which will be legally advised by
Colonel William Rand and Nathan A
Smyth, acting as Deputy Attorneys
General, will officially 60 into action
in the Criminal Courts Building al
10:30 a. m.
Many witnesses were subpenaed yes
terday and instructed to be on hanc
this morning. Prominent among these
are Police Commissioner Richard E
Enright, Second Deputy Commissioners
William j. Lahey, former Inspector
Honest Dan" Costigan, now captain
in charge of the Westchester precinct;
Inspector Dominick Henry, in command
Of the 4th Inspection District; Com
missioner Of Accounts David Hirshfield
Dennis Quinn, brother-in-law Of AS
sistant District Attorney James E
Smith; Detectives John j. Gunson ane
Frederick Franklin, who recently were
indicted on graft charges as result
of the vice investigation conducted by
Prosecutor Smith.
Parallel Investigations
The vice probe being made by the
regular March grand jury, which has
resulted in the Indictment of the two
detectives and former Third Dep.
uty Police Commissioner Augustus
Drum Porter, since removed from of
flee by Enright, will be continued ane
will parallel in general way that con
Jury. Mr. Smith said yesterday tha
the Investigations of the former body
would be held up temporarily until the
Almirall jury had concluded it's probe
of the District Attorney'ssoffice.
Following Il long conference, helt
yesterday in the Criminal Court.
Building between Smith, Costigan anc
District Attorney Swami, it was sale
that the former inspector later woult
be subpenaed to appear before the reg
uar grand jury, and that as a result
of mis- testimony before that body en
indictment would be sought charging
Inspector Dominick Henry with Grim
inal libel in connection with state
ments made about Costigan in the af
tidavits which the commander Of the 4tl
Inspection District caused to be pub.
lshed last Thursday.
Frederick Within, secretary of the
committee of fourteen. also will &c
before the regular grand jury, ii wa.
said, with view to obtaining a similar
indictment against Henry on account
OF accusations made against him in the
same af1idavits.
Quinn also will be witness before
his jury and he already has an
nounced that he will begin crimina
libel suit against Inspector Henry as
a result of the latter's assertions that
he (Quinn) attempted to arrange fol
the protection Of certain places in the
Fourth Inspection District which hac
been under police surveillance.
Woods Denies Charges
Arthur Woods, former Police Com
missioner. also may go before the Ma
lone grand jury in the criminal libe
action. Colonel Woods arrived in the
city from Boston yesterday and sale
he had read Inspector Henry's affi
davits and had followed newspaper &C
counts of the police scandal. In speak
ing OF the charges made against hin
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