New-York tribune., 1921-01-28
Seven Members of Auto
Squad Said to Have
Shared Cratuities on
4.5OO Stolen Cars
Trail May Lead
Into Headquarters
Accused Detectives Go
Free on $500 Bail;
Arrests Cause Sensation

Martin S. Owens, police detect
i've sergeant, and highly esteemed
throughout the department because
of his war record, was indicted yes
terday by the January additional
grand jury for illegally accepting
gratuities in connection with the
recovery of stolen automobiles.
With Owens, his partner, Thomas
j. Horan, also first grade detective
sergeant, was indicted on the same
charge. The specific charge is the
alleged payment by an insurance
company representative of $100 to
both men in violation of Section
1926 of the Penal Laws, which makes
it felony to accept gratuity for
the performance of duty charged to
any paid public official.
Examination of the records on
which the indictments of Owens and
Horan are based is said to indicate
that seven members Of the Police
Department automobile squad re-
ceived in the last year about $450,000
for the recovery Of 4,500 stolen ma
chimes. The records show 1000 cars
were stolen during the last twelve
months.
Three Others Implicated
Two Of the automobile squad--both
detectives-are reported on an indis-
putable authority to have made state
ments which not only clinch the cases
against Owens and Horan but also i'm.
plicate three other members cf the
squad and open lead to Police Head
quarters.
man, special counsel to the grand jury,
admitted last night that on Monday he
would go before |he grand jury with
evidence which he feels will warrant
the indictment of at least three othcr
detective sergeants. He also admitted
that the men under suspicion were
members of the automobile squad.
Judge Rosa sky created sensation
in the Criminal Courts Building yes
terday by holding an examination Of
Detective Sergeants Owens and Koran
when they appeared before him to ar
range for bail after it was learned that
Judge Grain, who presides over this
particular grand jury, had left for the
day.
Judge Rosalsky questioned the va
lidity of the indictment. and before
81, Il - rnf hnt OF
for each of the defendants sent for
Assistant District Attorney Smith,
thought to have been the man who pre-
sented the evidence to the jury. Mr.
Smith was sent for in order that the
Judge could determine several points
raised by the defendants counsel.
The investigation into the Dock De-
partment and the Street Cleaning De-
partment is said to have made consid-
cradle progress, although William Chill
vers, one of the Whitman assistants
in charge of the work, refused to COM
ment on the situation.
Witness Brought In
Arthur M. King, who has been check
ing reports made to Mr.. Whitman by
Meier Steinbrink, special counsel to the
Board of Estimates cit contracts in
quiry, was jubilant yesterday when
in several of the witnesses who have
shown reluctance to appear. All he
would say was that he had made some
progress. This phase of the investiga-
ton is known to be in connection with
the courthouse contracts, which proved
to be of interest to the Lockwood leeis-
lative committee.
Mr.. Whitman, accompanied by As
sistant District Attorney James E.
Smith and five witnesses, two of them
women, went before the grand jury
were Mark R. Decker, an insurance
adjuster; Grant Crabtree, deputy >chisf
clerk of the Police Department; Lieu
tent George Fisher, of the Police De-
partment bureau of records; Mrs.
Emily Herreshoff, of 375 West End
Avenue, and an unidentified woman.
1t had been reported that not on1v
owens and Koran, but also another
member of the automobile squad. was so
be indicted. When, however. the nro.s.
cutor emerged from the grand jury
room only two indictments were
handed up.
Before the warrants had been sent IN
the office of the Detective Bureau. in
the Criminal Courts Building. both
Owens and Horan appeared, accompa-
''ASA ~ AouiS rIlulSeI, Cnelr counsel.
and Eddie" Robinson, now resi -,
tate owner, but in former days tho
proprietor Of we'll known cafe in thu
White Light district. He was later
identified as bondsman for the indicted
policemen.
Whitman to Seek Leak"
Mr.. Whitman said last night that he
would institute an immediate investi-
cation to determine where the "leak.
occurred Aside from the men engaged
In preparing the cases against the two
police detectives, there is no one known
to have been in possession of the
knowledge that Owens and Horan were
to be indicted or had been indicted.
When the, app cared at the Criminal
Courts Building Detective Sergeants
Owens and Horan surrendered to De-
tective Sergeant Al Thomas. Mr..
Whitman's confidential man. They
were Immediately placed under arrest
and booked.
Owens WAS noticeably nervous. Ho-
ran seemed to be unable to grasp tha
Fact that he was in custody Both we,ss