Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-12
SHORE POLICE HEAD
| TO PROBE CHARGES
cuthbert Investigating Judge
Whites Accusation Of Police
Aiding Confidence Men
SAYS CROOKS GOT WARNING

Special Dispatch 10 Ercniro Public Ledger
Atlantic City. July 12.-'I am going
right to the bottom Of this thing.
have nothing to cover up. declared Di-
rector of Public Safety Wil'iam s. Cuth.
bert today, whom questioned concern
ing Judge John J, Whites charges pub-
lished this morning to the effect that
members of the police department hnd
tipped off alleged wire tnpprrs here and
thwnrted efforts to bring about their
. arrest.
/, II will issue statement when have
, completed my investigation - continued
the Director. This thing cannot he
! cleared up in day or two. but | in
{ tend to go clear through with il. In
: the meantime | have nothing to say"
There was hum Of activity about
the directors Office throughout the
morning. Police officials were sum-
moned and questioned Mt length. Mes
sengcrs flew back and forth. while the
Director denied himself, to all other
callers save the Mayor and his brother
Commissioners. Later in the morning
Mayor Bader held n conference with
Cuthbert, and il is believed that the
question of holding n formal investiga-
tion into the charges was discussed.
Leaves Task to Cuthbert
Mayor BRdcr. when questioned nrior
to the conference. said that he wns
awaiting another meeting with Dircc-
tor Cuthbert and after that would issue
a formal statement. lie thought Cuth-
bert was an efficient man and preferred
letting him work out the situation
since he was closest to It.
As | understand it. Mr.. White never
notified our police, but only Burns
man." he added. Il won't discuss it
now. however but will tell what have
to say later"
County Prosecutor Edmund G.. Gas
kill, Jr.. when questioned concerning
make answer after he had given the
matter thorough consideration.
Il have the matter under investiga-
ton" said he. "In fact it has been
under investigation for several days
I have no immediate knowledge of the
workings of the Police Department. but
have of this office. and I will say
emphatically that no tip was given out
from here. | am certain of that.
Asks House cleaning
Judge White last night called upon
DirectoE Cuthbert and Prosecutor Ed
mund c. Gaskill to get busy and clean
house. alleging that cOnnivancC with the
crooks could be found in either one or
both of these officials departments. He
named three specific instances where, it
had been reported to him. confidence
men trying to put over" deals involv-
ing S25 900 to 800. 600, had been tipped
of when the authorities were notified
and given time to escape before the
police took action.
Mrs. White, the Judges wife. is Mt
present foreman Of the Atlantic County
Grand Jury.
In n public statement before the
Side Avenue Hotel Mems Association.
Judge White declared further: II know
nothing about the details of the pro :
lection In the case of the wire tapping
swindlers who attempted TO operate here
recently. l only know certain facts,
but these facts convince me that from
somewhere. high or low, these swinders
were to receive protection and they
did receive it.
Guest Refused Big Bait
"A wealthy guest at the Chalfonte,
returning from New York. formed a
chance acquaintance on the train, who
engaged him in conversation the next
morning on the hotel porch and pointed
out a man, who walked by and seated
himself short distance away as man
who had cleaned up S100. 600 last week
on the poolroom races in New York
An introduction was brought about
Several other gentlemen casually
turned up. Proposals were made to go
around to the first chance acquaintance s
betting and gaI4bling establishment
said 70 be only short distance away.
The guest. not showing n disposi :
zion to go. some Of the others sent bets
to be put down on their behalf. The
next morning he was told that there
was 500 to his credit around at the es :
tablishment, as he had won in the third
race. II" told them they picked the
wrong man that he was not a 'c,mo- on
nor interested in the gambling game.
He then reported the matter TO the
hotel proprietor. who called IN the
police department. stated the facts aud
said to send men down at once: that
they might pick up some of the bunch
Two detectives came down after two
hours and then an examination disclosed
the fact that the leader Of the outfit
vas stopping at Haddon Hall. and
without having said n word about leav :
ing he suddenly, within those two hours.
paid his bill Mt the desk and got out,
bag and baggage, all before the dctcc
tives arrived,
"a few days later, one of our guests
reported at the Marlborough -Blenheim
Office that parties were trying to get him
into wire tapping confidence game
that he had been to their house on
North Vermont avenue; that they there
: had an elaborate outfit in the way OF
Office arrangements with cashiers win =
dows, stacks Of money, etc. and nu
merouS people about that he there
played certain races and won some
money, which was paid to him and that
they now were approaching him with Il
scheme for n big haul Of 800, 900.
Again Tipped on
"He said he would consider it and ar
appointment was made for that evening
at the Marlborough Blcnheim. Ny
brother, Senator c. ID. White, reported
them to the prosecutors Office telling
whoever responded to the telephone that
the Police Department having appar
emily tipped of the swindlcrs in tn,
Chalfonte case, he had not thought II
wise to report this case to the Police
Department. He suggested that county
detectives be at once put on the job.
''1nstead, the case was turned over
TO the City Detective Department. They
made date to go with him to the house
the next morning. but when they go
there they found that the entire outfit
and their equipment had been mOvet
out, forfeiting $1,000 rent paid in ad.
vance for the season. That they hat
been tipped of by some one it seems tC
me is obvious"
WORLD WAR HERO DIES