New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-22
Agency Recommended by
Henry Got Official Aid
Refused Rival, Accord.
ing to Meyer Witness
$5,OOO,OO Raise
In Police Budgets
Enright Denies That the
Ryan Stock Transaction
by Which He Made
$4,000 Was Fictitious


police authorities in the guarding Of
pier properties could only be OBJ
tanned through "pull" and that CO.
operation was forthcoming only
when man recommended by the
police chiefs was placed in charge Of
private watchmen was offered to the
Meyer legislative committee investi-
eating the city administration yes-
terday.
Anthony F. Vachris, former
police lieutenant now head of de-
tective agency bearing his name,
testified that he had lost a contract
for the guarding of the Italian Line
piers, at West Fifty-seventh Street,
because the police authorities, de-
spite repeated requests, refused to
! cooperate with his men in prevent
ing thefts OF protecting the private
watchmen against assault. He said
he couldn't hold the job because he
didn't have enough pull with the
Police Department"
Police End Theft at Last
1t was further testified that when Of
ficials of the steamship line went to
the police heads in an effort to have
the depredations on their piers stopped,
Inspector Dominick Henry recommend
ed the employment of Adam Cross, q
former inspector of the department un
der the Devery regime. The steamship
people said the trouble ceased soon
after they put Cross in charge, bue
that they had to pay Cross twice AZ
much money as they did vachris.
Richard E. Enright, Commissioners
of Police, on his recall to the witness
stand, tried to explain the stock trans
action wherein he admitted receiving
$4,000 from Special Deputy Police
Commissioner Allan A. Ryan. The Com
missioner denied it was fictitious
stock transaction" in any sense what
money, he said he would have beer
obliged to make up any losses if there
had been any, and SO was entitled TO
whatever gains accrued.
Enright Makes Protest
The Commissioner complained that
the "abrupt" adjournment of the hear
ing: Tuesday afternoon prevented his
making an explanation at the time.
Elon r. Brown, committee counsel,
showed, however, that two pages of tes-
timony had been taken after the Com
missioner had made his admission with
respect to the receipt of the money, ano
that there had been plenty of oppor-
tunity for the Commissioner to have
made statement then if he desired.
Commissioner Enright concluded his
testimony on this point with the re
mark that Mr. Ryan had said at the
time when he gave the Commissioner
the money, Eve may have something
else some other time" According te
the Commissioner. he had not heard 81
that yet. but chad hopes"
The Commissioner also submitted .
list of cases of breach of discipline by
members of the police force during the
regime of Commits sioner Arthur Woods,
that the method of melting out alleged
lenient punishment to offenders had
been pursued in previous administra-
tions, and that he was merely follow
ing out long fused policy Mr.. Brown
replied that he didn't justify it or ex-
-cuse it because it happened in other
regimes, and that he criticized the
Woods cases as well as those of Mr..
Enright's rule.
The question of. the 1922 police
budget also came up for discussion,
the Commissioner pointing out that
he had asked for s33,21S,54S.90 to
run the department next year. The
1921 budget was about $4,000 900.
making the new figure a jump OF
$5,0o0,000 over last years expenses
The Commissioner said that the extra
money was to pay for the 1.50o addi-
tional patrolmen which have been re-
quested for the proper policing of the
city. Mr.. Brown said he would go over
all the figures in detail
Vachris Tells Of PieNWork
Vachris testified that he had been
lieutenant on the police force, having
retired in 1912. He has since con-
Quoted a private detective agency and
has been employed by various steam
ship lines TO guard their piers and
prevent theft of property. Up to Jan
uary 26, 1920, he said he had been re
tanned to guard piers 96 and 81, NORTH
River, at West Fifty y-seventh Street.
for the italian lines On that date he
said he received letter from tie
steamship company notifying him that
his services would no longer be re-
quired, the company explaining thai
they were going to try new system
of employing their own guards, and
that it was in no manner a reflection
on his services, which they highly com
mended.
Then Vachris went On to explain that
the section was particularly hard to
handle because of the thefts and pilfer-
ings of band known as the Gophes
gangsters. He said he went TO Commits
sioner Enright and appealed for assist
ance, requesting that his men be made
special policemen for limited duties on
the docks, and that they be protected
against assault on their way home. He
was referred to Chief Inspector Daily
to whom he made out an application fer
the things requested. bat testified that
nothing ever came of it.
Henry's Visi- to Docks
Ife further testified that Francis Gil
bert. attorney for the steamship con.
pany, and Jules Y. Behag. assistant gen
eral manager. had repeated conferences
with Inspector Dpminick Henry WITH
regard to the matteg and that one day