New-York tribune., 1920-12-20

o'clock this afternoon the greatest
roundup OF crooks in the history OF
the Police Department is expected to
be nearly complete.
Despite the fact that he was travel
ing about the city in an automobile
all Saturday night, the Commissioner
was at his desk early yesterday and
announced to newspaper men that he
intends to ''rid New York of these
criminal parasites if it takes every
man in the department and all the re-
serves to do it."
The drive begun at midnight Gen.
tered on Manhattan, and in order to
make ii most effective here great
many trained detectives and strong
arm men who are assigned to Brook
lyu precincts were called n and tenn
porarily attached to local station
houses between South Ferry and Wash
lngton Heights. Certain plain clothes
men of known experience were also
summoned from Richmond and Queens.
A number of these officers were sent
20 precincts in the Bronx.
Autos Closely Watched
The urgency of the police order call
ing for the big roundup of crooks was
emphasized by the fact that magis-
trates and judges throughout the city
viii be requested to-day to adjourn
cases in which patrolmen or detec-
tives are acting as witnesses. An ex-
tension of time will also be asked by
the police when arrests of suspicious
persons are made IN order to give ;h'.n
an opportunity to look up the records
Of those held. The usual length Of
time for holding accused persons is
forty-eight hours. Judges anl magis-
trates will be asked to-day 10 double
this
In all important traffic centers last
night policemen could be observed
stopping automobiles that aroused
their suspicious. The occupants were
questioned and in cases where they
could not give u satisfactory account
of themselves they were escorted to
che nearest police station.
This :. method of checking up on
particularly noticeable at the Grand
Central and Pennsylvania railroad ter
minals, ,iwhere groups of three and four
policemen Scould frequently be seen
gathered about machine laden with
baggage. Ip some cases the baggage
was v arched before the cars were al
lowed TO proceed.
Every available automobile in the
Police Department was called into
action shortly after nightfall last
night and, manned by plain clothes
men and detectives. they were sent on
rowing commissions throughout the
city. The men in these cars were given
specific instructions to leave no drive
or roadway in Central Park and River
side Drive unguarded.
The motorized police of the regular
force were assisted by the motor corps
Of the police reserves. More than 200
reserves in fourteen cars were assigned
TO five different zones in Manhattan.
The firstzone extended from the Battery
20 Fourteenth Street, the second from
Fourteenth Street to F'ifty-ninth
Street, the third from Fifty-ninth
Street to 2 10th Street, the Fourth from
10th to f45th and the last from 145th
street to the city line. Central Park
vas declared zone by itself.
Brooklyn and the Bronx will be d.
videS up into zones to-day and will
oe protected by q motorized patrol to-
night. <
Motor Corps at Work
The motor corps Of the police patrol
IS WORKING IN eight-hour shifts and. it
5 Understood, this protective measure
willFren9ain in force until there il sh~
solufe evidence that the crime wave has
dehnltely sllbsided. The reserve cars
are being driven by their owners and
'hslr use lneurS no. expense to the city.
Ae arrests made in the early hours
OF the sroundup resulted in the taking
INTO custody OF many alleged gamblers.
Most OF them were released after beina
questioned and in few instances they
we're advised that the Manhattan eli.
mate might prove unhealthy for them
n the future.
lhe roundup Of number of prom
inent hgures in the white light district
appeared to cause CONSERVATION along
broadway In certain prominent
place near Forty Street and
brosoway visited last night by Trib-
me reporter the inmates set IN a vail
at the sudden descent of the police.
Vail of Gambler
What are the police botnering US
for?' demanded sporting man Of in
ternational reputation. Every time
lot OF thugs get busy in this city and
The newspapers begin to ride the cops.
the first persons to suffer are the harm
.ess hoys who are playing friendly
games OF cards or working out with the
worries. We are the only ones the COPS
know
They can't locate the criminals. so
tney come after US and we have to
stand for it. If it wasn't for Judge
Corrigan guess ell us boys would be
n ia /. When guy is murdered in
Central Park the cops go out and raid
a crap game. No wonder there's a
~rime waye,"
In All effort to protect life and prop
erty during the present crime cpl
demic request has been issued for
10000 former officers of the army.
navy and marine corps Immediately to
@rn themselves with their service
euns and obtain revolver permits from
the Police Department. With a view to
using the 10000 men as an indepen-
tent protective force a meeting has
been called for o'clock this evening
of ths Military Order Of the World
War. The session will be held in the
lst Regiment Armory.
Colonel S. II. Wolfe, commander of
the order, is said to have been advised
by prominent lawyers that he can pro-
coed with his protective measures
without being interfered with by the
police.
1t is believed that to-night's meeting
viii result IN the formation of num-
Der of civilian regiments. which will
be divided into com panies and assigned
20 patrol various sections of the city