The New York herald., 1921-01-18
Mayor and Police Commits
sioner Escape Possible
Indictment for Obstruct.
ing Graft Inquiry.
FACED BY PENAL LAW
Special Prosecutor Keeps
Them i'm Criminal Courts
Building for 45 Minute !.
instruction.
DAY VERY SATISFACTORY
City Officials VIII Give Him
All Police Assistance He
Requests-MayOr Exhibits
J0vial Air.
DAY VERY SATISFACTORY

Mayor Hylan and Police Commi.-
sioner Enright escaped possible indict-
ment yesterday by surrendering to the
demands of Charles 5. Whitman and
agreeing to heed his every request for
police assistance in his graft investi-
CATION.
The Grand Jury was in session. In
another room in the Criminal Courts
Building sat Mr. Whitman. The
Mayor and the Commissioner. visiting
him under subpoena. were shown in.
Figuratively at least Mr.. Whitman
held in one hand the Hylan- -Enright
letters declining 10 give him the aid
he had solicited in the name of Dis
trict Attorney Swami. In the other
he held a copy of the law penalizing
anybody who obstructs a public officer
in the discharge Of his duties. With
these and the laws and orders defining
the duties Of the Mayor, the Police
Commissioner and the District Attor-
ney he was ready to leave his office
and 90 straight before the Grand Jury
Influence of Surroundings.
His two visitors yielded WITH the grace
compatible with the general aspect OF
the landscape. They were astonished
that the suspicion should have arisen IN
any mind that they had intended in the
slightest degree to interfere with the
I operations Of AR Whitman. obstruc
ton was furthest from their minds
/ \ I of him
speak. md it was his.
The extent to which AIR Whitman
spoke of his triumph in this sccne---a
singular one even for the sophisticated
walls of the Criminal Courts Building
is indicated by this statement. which.
reading like a military order. ne dictated
when Messrs. Hylan and Enright had
gone:
"The District Attorney is constitu-
tional officer. lie is answerable to the
Governor and not to the Mayor. he
IL the chief criminal law officer Of the
county and he proposes 10 act as sucn
until further notice.
Section 1874 Of the police regula tions
will be rescinded at once. The rcgu!a
ton. ! am informed by the Commits
sioner, was adopted for disciplinary pur
poses only.
THE Police Department and every
member in the Department, from the
patroman to the Commissioned. will con-
form TO the requests OF the District At
torney in connection with his efforts to
enforce the law
I'VE will have all the men that we
need and they will be assigned to us
when we ask for them and such men as
we ask for. l think that will be all for
the present"
First Result of Surrender.
The first result Of the capitulation viii
be the appearance at Mr.. Whitmsn's
Office to-day of Detective Al Thomas.
few days ago he asked for Thomas
whom he wanted as an Investigator, ans
Commissioner Enright refused. Yestc;-
day Mr. Enrisht promised 20 assign
Thomas. and kept his word.
And as rule 1874 Is to be rescinded
Thomas and others Of the police force
upon whom Mr.. Whitman will call viii
not have 20 20 and tell their Commits
sloner what they arc doing. IL rule 1s4
had been strictly applied nothing n
which the police put their hand In the
y
missioner Enr!ght for it required
daily report TO him from any member OF
the department summoned 10 the Dis
trict Attorneys Office
Mr.. Whitman remarked last night ;hai
IL had been a very satisfactory day.
He "a preparing the evidence IN several
cases in which some of Mr. Enrlght's
subordlnates are accused OF taking
money on the side for doing their duty
In the protection OF business property
lie may have something ready for the
Grand Jury to-day. but was not sure
last night. lie said that in addition to
complaints against certain members %
the Police Department there were one or
two that "tie In with couple az other
departments" lie did not know as vet
now strong the evidence was
EnriEbt Asks for More Time.
Commissioner Enright asked for more
time for the submission Of reports on
automobiles stolen and recovered IN the
year 1920 such reports we're demanded
by subpoena on Saturday. and a force
was put TO work on them that nigh
But the list IS so long and the data SO
voluminous that they could not be made
ready by yesterday morning, the spec-
fed time. Mr. Enright said. lie wished
20 send In the reports in iustalments -
fast as available. This was agreeable
20 Mr.. Whitman. The nrst instalmeuf
may be received to-day Exactly how
automobiles figure in tho research foi
graft has not been explained puhliciv.
IL has been said al differ, n, times tina,
the CELEBRITY with which stolen cars ar-
found by the police often varies accotd.
ing 20 the size OF the reward offered
The appearance Of Mayor Hylan ami
HE Police Commissioner yesterday a..
petitioners before the man Who a
sounding. many spots In the Hymn "A