New-York tribune., 1921-02-03

Inquiry by u. S. Crosses
Trails of Grand Jmy's
investigation, Prosecu-
tor Says; Many Involved
Liquor MysteriousIy
Taken From Station
Three Policemen Said To
Be Seeking Immunity in
Stolen Auto Scandal

Information was gathered yester-
day by several of former Goxerner
Whitman's assistants in his investi-
cation of city departments involving
number of policemen attached to
various West Side station houses
in the transportation and sale Of
whisky.
Federal authorities are about to
enter the case, it is asserted, due to
Investigations which they are said to
have made for several weeks, and
which are said to have established
the implication of several police Of
ficials in liquor deals. These liquor
leads also have engaged the atten-
tion of officials assisting in Mr.. Whit
mans inquiry, and there will be in
teresting disclosures when notes are
compared and the results made pub
lie, it is indicated.
That at least three other members Of
the Police Department have intimated
that they will add confessions to the
disclosures of Detective John S. Arm
strong regarding the alleged graft in
stolen automobiles was indicated yes
terday. Also it was said that the in
vestigation of corruption in the city
government would soon lead to
Queens.
Several Policemen Questioned
The liquor phase of Mr.. Whitman's
inquiry is being directed by William
Chiivers, who spent the entire day
examining witnesses. Several of these
were policemen formerly attached to
the West Thirty Street station
and recently transferred to the West
Thirtieth Street precinct. Their trans
fer came as result of the closing of
the West Thirty-seventh Street station.
which followed closely the indictment
of Captain William A. Bailey by the
January additional grand jury on
charge of having accepted fee for the
protection of strikebreakers.
When questioned about the liquor in
vestigation, which is said to involve
high officials of the Police Department.
IL
of his assistants had had conference
with Daniel j. Chaplin, prohibition en-
forcement officer for this district and
that it had been found that the facts
| in the possession of the Whitman IN
vestigators dovetailed with those on
which the Federal authorities have been
working.
Trails Cross, Says Whitman
"0ur trails cross" said Mr.. Whitman.
"and it might defeat the ends sought by
both Offices to discuss the situation at
this time. For that reason we have
| mutually agreed to remain silent for a
| time"
Information from reliable sources in
dicated yesterday that the Federal off
GERS have been working for several
weeks on leads which implicate certain
police officers in the handling and sale
of large amounts of liquor.
While Mr.. Chilvers would not dis
close what he had learned from a dozen
witnesses examined at the Criminal
Courts Building in connection with the
whisky trail, it was said that one of
the matters under investigation was
the sudden demotion and transfer to
| Brooklyn of detective recently on
the staff Of Detective Sergeant Louis
/ Hyams, of the West Thirty
Street station.
Moe Holstein, a detective employed
by the New York Central Railroad, was
| interrogated by Mr.. Chilvers for near
/ ly two hours and is reported TO have
furnished a great deal of valuable in
formation. Holstein was in charge of
the New York CentraPs detectives be-
tween this city and Montreal until re-
Gently, when he was denoted from the
rank Of captain TO that of sergeant and
his authority curtailed.
Holstein told Mr.. Chilvers that he
was assigned to the West Thirty-sev-
enth Street station by the railroad to
assist officers of that precinct in cap
turing thieves who had been operating
IL the West Side freight yards. he
told of working with Detectives Foley,
Morrison and Patton, all OF the 2Zd
I Precinct, in the seizure of liquor con-
! signments.
I One of these seizures was made hy
1 Detective Morrison, who is said TO have
4 received tip from mysterious person
known as George" who informed him
4 that stolen automobile for wni h
Morrison had been looking was in q pa
rage in West Fortieth Street.
Seized Fifty Cases of Whisky
Holstein is said to have told Mr..
Chl4vers that he was in the West Thir-
| ty~seVenth Street police station VIZ \
| the tip came in and Morrison asked
him TO accompany him to the garage.
| When the two officers reacaed the
| garage they couldn't find the stolen
automobile, but Morrison discovered
/ nifty cases OF bonded whisky stored
there. These were seized by Morrison
and taken to the police station, wg,eye
they remained until government per-
mlts were presented, which are alleged
TO nave shown that they were being
lawfully moved.
What became of the whisky after it
was taken from the station house ap-
pears to be something Of mystery.
Mamie Kessler, wholesale liquor
dealer, with store at l1S West Twen-
ty-cighth Street. is said TO have told
dr. Chilyers thst he sold the liquor to
man named Stern and didn't scar of
it again until il was seized by Detective
Morrison. Kessler held the permit for
ITS removal and took the naner 70 ths