New-York tribune., 1920-01-03
Swami Investigates
Charge Inside Tip
Frustrated Arrest
Detectives, Seeking Wealthy
CitizenAccused by Mother
of Girl, Find Police Off
cial, but Man Escapes

Police scandals. promised to be un-
covered officially yesterday when
District Attorney Swami announced he
was making an investigation OF facts
now in his possession.
The specific case under inquiry by
the District Attorney began when q
mother went to Mrs. Ellen A. O'Grady,
fifth deputy commissioner of police,
and complained that her daughter had
been enticed to the home of wealthy
business man in Riverside Drive. Mrs.
O'Grady Immediately assigned two de.
tectives from her Office to arrest the
man.
On arriving at the address where the
man was said to be-whether at his
home or Office was not disclosed yester-
day-the two detectives reported they
found an official of the police depart
ment and former inspector of police.
detectives. talked to the representa-
tives of Mrs. O'Grady for short time,
then suggested that they wait until
the man they we're seeking could be
found. After several minutes they
were informed that he was gone for
the day" The man not only was "gone
for the day." but is now represented
as being in Texas, where he is expected
to remain for week.
When the news Of this fiasco reached
Mrs. O'Grady she is described as
hfurrying to Mayor Hylan to demand
the immediate dismissal Of the police
official, charging that he was RESPONSE
bic for her aids being double crossed. >"
Chief Magistrate McAdoo admitted
that he had issued warrant charging
criminal assault against the wealthy
resident Of Riverside Drive. He said
the business man had hurriedly re-
talned a law firm to represent him and
had shown evidence that his trip to
Texas was q legitimate one. He had
agreed through his lawyers to return
TO the city within week and give him.
self up.
When reports that the accused man
had escaped from the city because of
an inside tip-off" reached the District
Attorneys Office yesterday morning
the prosecutor made a j. personal call
upon Police Commissioner Enright.
"Will you make public the name of
the man now fugitive ?" Mr.. Swami
was asked.
II can't" he said. "To do so would
be, violation of the law. Now that
the two men named here, shall make
further investigation of their con-
duct. If they informed a man that
he was being sought, permitting him
to escape, they Nhavc violated the law
and are guilty Of serious offense.'
Deputy Commissioner O'Grady was
asked for the facts early in the tlay.
She said she would be glad to make
them public If COMMISSIONER Enright
mad no objection. note was sent
in to the Commissioner in which he
was asked to give his deputy the re-
quired permission to speak. He not
only refused to do so. but refused to
be seen himself
Half an hour later Mrs. O'Gradv was
closeted with the Commissioner for the
longest conference she has had with
him since her appointment to Office
She would not reply to the suggestion
that she had been summoned by the
Commissioner and ordered not to talk
She did say, however, that any aues-
tions would have to be addressed to
Commissioner Enright himself.
Meanwhile it was learned that Nav
or Hylan has been interesting himself
with police affairs for months, follow
ing numerous complaints that have
been made to him. One complaint that
. was made to him on numerous occa-
| sions concerned the use of police auto
mobiles for cabaret parties. Police
machines had been seen standing be-
fore resorts in the white light" dis
trict on so many occasions, it was
! said, that the Mayor was compelled to
ask the Police Commissioner to speak
to his men about it.
AS a result Of this affair deputy
commissioners and others having ac-
cess to police automobiles were asked
to do their touring Of the white light
d diRtrictN in nrixafa cars