The New York herald., 1921-02-10


in this county last year.
In addition to preparing evidence for
further indictments that may be voted
to-day, particularly II yesterdays rub
ber tired quest brought the expected re-
suits. Mr.. Whitmans STAFF Yesterday
made progress in investigating two
phases of the alleged misconduct of po-
licemen. One of these has to do with
charges that detectives attached to
headquarters were more interested In
getting rewards for the recovery OF
stolen bonds than they were in catch
ing the thieves.
Saul S. Myers, who figured in the
Nicl1y Arnstein inquiry as counsel for
the National Surety Company. has given
Mr. Whitman what information he has.
The other phase is that OF the police
and the transportation and sale OF
liquor. William Chilvers of the Whit
man staff has examined many witnesses
without getting any proof. but yester-
day he got what he thinks is positive
information regarding a policeman. Mr..
Chilvers subpHnaed dozen persons for
to-day, including the policeman and his
wife, a hotel keeper and several MEM
bers OF trucking firm owning the one
and two ton trucks on which the booze
is supposed to have been carried. He
was told that at least one transaction re-
quired the policeman TO sell whiskey by
the case.
The member OF the automobile squad
indicted on Tuesday is. 1t developed yes
terday William H. Thompson of 9S7
Lenox road, Brooklyn. Although Mr..
Whitman did not know It when the evil
dence of unlawful acceptance of a re-
ward was presented. Thompson had a
fine record as soldier in France. is sec
retary of the Honor Legion of the Police
Department and also of a police post of
American Legion. Moreover, he is seri-
ously i'll in the Kings County Hospital.
where he has lain most of the time since
last summer. He was wounded and
gassed in France. In August and again
in November last he was operated upon,
and later intestinal trouble, believed to
be due to the gassing, set In. The hos
pital said yesterday he was doing as
we'll as could be expected" No attempt
will be made to, place him under arrest
for the present. He Is married and has
two children He is "a years old. entered
the Police Department in 1908. has twice
been mentioned in police orders for
bravery and excellent work. and served
with the Twenty seventh Division from
February 81, 1918, to May IA, 1919.
the Grand Jury In the case of Police
Captain Percy NJ. Du Bois. who was in
dicted last month, was given yesterday
by Judge Grain of General Sessions to
Terence J. McManus, the captains coun-
sci. Mr.. McManus will next move to
have the indictment dismissed on the
ground that the evidence before the
Grand Jury did not conform to the re-
ouirements of the law governing indict-
ments Du Bois. formerly in command
In West Twentieth street and later in
Atlantic avenue. Brooklyn. Is charged
with asking and accepting 500 from the
Printers Publishing Company for fur
nishing police service during the outlaw
printers strike of 1919.
Stolen Motor Car for Debt.
Among the signs that the investigation
Is veering toward the District Attorneys
Office is the recent questioning of Joseph
Scarlanti, brother of policeman. Scar
lanti. who sells fruit near First avenue
and Hath street, is said to have received
from a brother of member of District
Attorney Swann's staff an automobile In
lieu of $1,000 owed to him. Scarlanti
found out that the machine had been
stolen.
MT. swami $ cnlet assistant, JOaD IL.
Banton. commenting yesterday on the
fact that only one person was convicted
OF murder In the first degree last year.
produced records indicating that such
was also the case in 1911. when Mr..
Whitman was District Attorney, and In
1908, under William Travers Jerome.
Mr. Banton noted that when men were
arraigned Tor homicide pleas Of guilty
to lesser offences could be accepted only
by concurrence of the Judge. the chief
Assistant District Attorney and the AS
sistant District Attorney active in the
case.
The reports show that the homicide
bureau OF the District Attorneys office
investigated last year 679 reports of
death by violence" as against $40 In
1919 The number of cases going to the
Grand Jury was 1870; the number of in
dictments IS for all degrees of homicide.
One was found guilty of first degree and
seven of second degree murder. and
nineteen of first degree and nine of Sec
ond degree manslaughter Three were
declared insane, sixteen pleaded guilty
to other than murder indictments and
sixteen were acquitted when tried for
lesser crimes.