The New York herald., 1921-01-29
WHITMAN GETS AID
OF INSURANCE MEN
TO ENDCAR THEFTS
Prosecutor Says Numerous
Motors Are Stolen Just
to Get the Reward.
TO INDICT MORE COPS
Automobile Stealing Put on
New Basis as Safe Way to
Earn Livelihood.
DETECTIVES WANT CASH
Falling Off in Recoveries of
Lost Vehicles as Checks
Become Disliked.
TO INDICT MORE COPS
DETECTIVES WANT CASH

The powerful cooperation OF insur-
ance companies in his effort to abate
the epidemic Of automobile stealing
and reduce the chances OF collusion
between thieves and policemen was
promised yesterday to Charles s. Whit
man.
Hereafter the companies are likely to
safeguard their methods of Offering
and paying rewards for the recovery of
cars Instead of compensating indi-
vidual members of the police force
they probably will deal only with the
Police Commissioner, who in his dis
cretion may decline a proffered reward
altogether or may divide 1t among the
deserving policeman and the depart
mental relief and pension funds.
| To representatives of insurance COM
panies who called on him yesterday
Mr.. Whitman was able to point to the
extraordinary increase of automobile
thefts in recent years, reaching its
maximum in November and December
last and making a total of 5000 cars
stolen in this city in the last year.
Mr.. Whitman told the insurance men
of his belief that stealing had been
made SO safe and rewards for recoveries
so certain that the thieves were able to
make a good living without having TO
sell the cars they stole, and the temp
tation was heavy upon the police to
spend their time collecting rewards in
stead Of catching the robbers. The more
thieves put in Jail the fewer the cars
stolen and the fewer the rewards.
Paid Expenses of Detectives.
From the insurance men Mr.. Whit
man learned that they had not only
! handsomely rewarded police detectives
who turned up lost cars. but had paid
<he expenses of those detectives while
! they were on the chase out of town.
Mr.. Whitman said last night that al
/ though the expense bills were not ex-
| orbitant they appeared to be fully ade-
quate.'' Some of the items were
charges 'for obtaining Information"
! Mr.. Whitman seemed rather astonished
that private agencies should be paying
the expenses of New Yorks policemen.
He wondered IL the same items were
4
intends to find out whether or not they
were.
Mr.. Whitman's callers represented
| the Automobile Underwriters Detective
Bureau, which acts for 103 companies
insuring cars against theft. Among
them were ". 8. Barlow, president Of
the Queens Insurance Company and
chairman of the committee: William
Ballard, president of the Commercial
Union Assurance Company. and Rich
ard OConnor. vice-president of the
Caledonian Insurance Company. They
were accompanied by Royal II. Weller.
counsel for some of the insurance COM
panies. He said the committee visited
Mr.. Whitman not 10 make complaints
but 70 give aid in the prosecution of au-
tomobile thieves
These gentlemen recognize the evil
of the situation" Mr.. Whitman sad
after they departed. "They expressed
a desire to cooperate with the authori-
ties in every possible way, especially
with reference to rewards, detection
of crime and the arrest and conviction
of thieves. The insurance men are to
call a meeting of their boards OF di-
rectors to discuss the problem"
From Mr.. Whitman's viewpoint IL 10
entirely natural that the insurance
companies should offer generous re-
wards for the recovery of cars in or
der TO avoid the payment OF much
larger sums on policies. But he be-
lieves the system can be modified so
as to remove In a large degree the
incentive to theft and police protection.
One Policeman Has Big Score.
lie said last night that in most cases
of the theft of valuable cars the thief
did not intend to keep or sell them. but
! t.. at.gcr shor
could be found" and to share in the
reward. II is indicated that one thief
has stolen as many as ten or twelve
cars In a single day. AT least one
member of the Police Department re-
ceived rewards for the recovery of sew
erai cars in a single day.
Mr.. Whitman thinks that compare
lively few stolen cars are sold, with
the exception Of Fords. One insurance
adjuster told him that q had paid re-
wards to the police by check. but lately
thew had been demanding cash, and as
they couldn't get II they were not hav-
ing as good luck as formerly In find
ing lost cars
Detective Sergeants Martin S. Owen
and Thomas ]. Horan OF the automobile
squad. indicted Thursday on a charge OF
receiving an unlawful fee for tho return
OF Mrs. Emile Herreshoffs car, pleaded
not guilty before Judge Grain In Cen
eral Sessions. Mr.. Whitman expects to
indict other members OF the squad on
Monday. The story that one member
had made statement regarding his own
operations and those OF others was re-
peated in the Criminal Courts Building.
but Mr. Whitman had nothing TO say
about t. The suspension OF Owens and
Horan was announced at Police Head
quarters.
Mr.. whitman will send TO the District
Attorneys Of Kings and Queens coun-
ties evidence he has received relating to
automobiles stolen In their territory.
Police Capt. Percy M. Du Bots, whose
Indictment Mr.. Whitman caused last
week, was up for trial before First Dep
uty Commissioner Leach In Brooklyn on
three charges. These wero That on
September s, 1919. while in command
in the West Twentieth street station, Du
Bois accepted 800 from Ralph I. Bar
tholomew OF the Printers Publishing
Company: that he failed TO take proper
police action and that he failed TO mako
a police report. The first charge Is
ba sed on the indictment
Walter Lynch. Capt. Du Boiss coun-
sci, protested against the hearing. He
argued that on January fs. before he
was indicted, Du Bois's application for
| retirement was approved by Commits
sioner Emright. On the same day the
| order was revoked. Mr.. Leach ad-
journed the hearing 10 get a ruling from
the Commissioner.