New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
w llitrl,a1, Will
Oppose Speedy
Trial of I4ahey
Time Needed to Assemble
the Evidence Obtained
Against Indicted Chief
I'm s tor of Police
To BE Arraigned Monday
Two Detectives Arrested
Thursday Are Released
Under $500 Bail Each

Chief Inspector William j. Lahey, in
dicted Thursday afternoon on charge
of having accepted an unlawful gratuity
for the return of a stolen automobile,
will appear before Judge Thomas c. r.
Grain in General Sessions Monday and
plead not guilty, according to informa-
ton obtained at the Criminal Courts
Building yesterday. At the same time
the accused police official will file de-
riand for an immediate trial.
Persons close to ex-governor Charles
S. Whitman, whose investigation Of the
Police Department has resulted thus
far in the returning of indictments
against twelve policemen, one member
ians, said yesterday that every effort
would be made to delay Inspector
Iiahey's trial.
A Tribune reporter was informed
that this would be necessary in order
to allow Mr.. Whitman and his assist
ants time in which to assemble the
mass Of evidence that has come to them
in the last few days. Most Of this
evidence relates to stolen automobiles
and the rewards paid to the police for
their return by owners and various
underwriters by whom they were in
sured.
Two Detectives Arraigned
The Indictment returned against
Chief Inspector Lahey was based on
check for $50 made out to Detective
George ]. Andrews by the Automobile
Underwriters Detective Bureau for the
return of car stolen in July, 1918.
The car was returned to the under
declare they have not yet seen the
machine.
William B. O'Connor and George
Scott, both detectives attached to the
automobile squad of the Police De-
partment. were arraigned yesterday be-
fore Judge Grain on the indictments
voted against them Thursday by the
January additional grand jury. Like
Inspector Lahey and Detective Ser
eeant Andrews, they were released in
S2500 bail each. Both men pleaded not
guilty to the charges lodged against
them.
Inc luulCILuS!iLS CiidISS IHaG " SOll-
nor accepted an unlawful reward for
the return of an automobile stolen
from David Lieberman in October,
1920 In an additional indictment re-
turned against Detective Sergeant An
drews, he is charged with receiving an
unlawful gratuity for the return of an
automobile stolen from Morris Lewis
in January, 1920.
Oscar sperling, indicted Thursday
in connection with the automobile
scandal, pleaded not guilty to 8 charge
yesterday and was released in $4,000
bail.
More Indictments Expected
sperling was arrested Thursday
night by Detective Sergeant Joe Russo,
and being unable TO obtain bail was
locked up in the Tombs. .Sperling is
theft of an automobile and to have ar
ranged for the exporting to Sweden Of
twenty stoleN machines.
The January additional grand Jury,
which is handling the Whitman investi-
CATION, will not meet again until Tues
day, wheu, it is said, the indictment
Of more police officers will be asked
for.
Mr. Whitman did not go to the Grim
inal Courts Building yesterday, and it
was understood that he was engaged
elsewhere with various phases of the
murder case involving Patrolmen Flood
and O'Brien, OF the West Forty-seventh
Street station.
Flood and O'Brien are charged with
the killing of sixteen-year-old James
Cushing on the roof of $50 West Fif-
tieth Street on the afternoon of July
IA, 1918. The case is scheduled to go
to trial before Judge Grain Monday
William j. Fallon is counsel for the
lafn %s