New-York tribune., 1921-01-28
we'll dressed. owens wore soft hat,


striped suit and dark cvercoat.
= After their arraignmcnt in the De-
sective Bureau it was found that Judge
Grain had left for the day. The only
court open was Part II, presided over
by Judge Rosalsky.
: The detectives were taken there and
it was thought the usual motions to fix
bail would be disposed of in few
minutes. In the case of Police Cap
tain William A. Bailey, arrested last
week, this procedure was followed, and
bail at $4,000 was fixed by Judge
HRosalsky without delay.
s, To-day: however, the Judge after
hearing Mr.. Fridiger outline Owenss
war record. went into lengthy dis
Eussion OF the section of the Penal
HCode on which the indictment was
gbased. He finally sent for Mr.. Smith.
H When Mr.. Smith appeared Judge
Rosalsky had the stenographer read
Ehe exchange Of comment between the
acourt and Fridiger and he then asked
HMr. Smith several questions. Mr..
lSmith refused to answer the questions,
uelaiming that the matter was one for
Fudge Grain and the grand jury to
Jdecide.
Bail was thereupon fixed at $4,000
lin each case, which was furnished by
Robinson.
i Name of Car Owner Given
i Owens and Horan were specifically
3accused of having accepted a gratuity
Sof 500 for the recovery of a car stolen
From Mrs. Emily Herreshoff. The re-
fward was paid by Mark r. Decker, ac-
arording to the indictment. Decker is
IAN insurance company .adjuster.
q Thc Insurance man was a very re-
Auctant witness, it is said. He claimed
2that he paid the money to the detec-
sAives in accordance with Section 3O6
Spf the City Charter, which permits q
jmember of the Police Department,
3svith the approval of the Commissioner,
ito accept a reward for meritorious and
however, that in this specific instance
Sthe reward did not go through official
police channels, but was paid in cash
TO the two accused men.
4 Under the section of the charter
amentioned and the Police Department
9rules, any member of the Police De-
apartment may receive reward for
Smeritorious or extraordinary police
3duty if the money is sent through Po-
3lfce Headquarters If that procedure
Ills followed, the policeman gets SO per
per cent goes into the pension fund
and the other 40 per cent goes to swell
the fund maintained for the support of
the families of policemen killed in the
performance of their duty.
"You will notice that the law is spe-
cifc in stating that a reward is ac-
ceptable, by permission of the Com
missioner, for 'meritorious and ex-
traordinary' police duty, if sent
through the proper channels" Mr..
Whitman said in his conference with
newspaper men last night. ~,
"ln this particular case, and in the
hundreds Of other cases we have be-
fore US, the 'meritorious and extraor-
dinary' police duty appears to be the
recovery of cars stolen-that is, work
ing for the insurance companies.
$500 Stolen Autos Listed
Policemen are. charged with the duty
of detecting and preventing crime
he added. Eve have a list of 4,50O
automobiles stolen and recovered by
partment automobile squad. They got
the cars, but they didn't get the men
whe stole. the ears. Does 'meritorious
and extraordinary police duty mean the
recovery of property or the appre-
hending of mex responsible for the
loss of that psoperty?
Suppose" he, added, "that 4,5OO
watches were stolen in the Borough
Of Manhattan within year and that
all of the~wa rches were returned, but
no arrests-+-or Assvery small percent
ago of arrests--Were made, and in each
case the man who had been victimized
had to pay to. recover his property
"That is unbelievable, isn't it? Yet
that is what has actually occurred in
the organized system of automobile
thefts. If the police can recover the
rested and broken up the gang re-
sponsible for stealing the cars?"
According to the information, which
has been under careful scrutiny by
Mr.. Whitman and his assistants, about
1000 cars were stolen last year. OF
thisnumber 4,500 were recovered. Basel
on the figures so far submitted by in.
surance companies, the average price
paid by the insurance companies fol
the recovery OF car is charged to have
been 500.
In other words, men Of the au
tomobile squad, and possibly some
higher-ups, are said to have been pait
during the last twelve months $780,
600 as rewards" for doing the duty tx
which they were sworn and for which
the city paid them salaries.
Owens's Arrest a Sensation
Marty" Owens's arrest created lit
tie short of sensation. After his ar
raignment, at least fifteen detectives
from headquarters appeared in the
Criminal Courts Building, Whispered
to him and handed him notes. H.
held several receptions on various
floors of the building and went int
the newspaper reporters Office to giv'
out statement. There he was me
by oldtime reporters who greeted hin
cordially. He also stopped at the of
Ace of an Assistant District Attorney
where he received warm welcome.
Owens was chosen by Colonel Arthu
Woods, then Police Commissioner, t.
drive the Police Department Honor lie
gion ambulance before this country en-
tered the World War. When the Unite
States entered the conflict he enlisted
and finally was mustered out as q car
tain. He won the Croix de Guerre, wit
spalm, from the French government,
and he also holds letter Of commends
Ition from General Pershing for havin
saved the life of a fellow ambulanc
sdriver.
Captain Owens was never connecte
with a combatant section Of the arm
his entire service, except his servie
\. with the French as an ambulans
driver hAipO rnpfipod ho xyo~L =