The New York herald., 1922-09-23
GREATEST DRUG RAID
GETS S5OO,OOO HAUL
near TIMES SQUARE
DR.. Simon and 40 Men Seize
6 of Alleged Gang in Drive
on Hotel Douglas.
TRAP SET MONTHS AGO
FOrtieth Street Building
Said to Be Source of
Nations Supply.
STUFF BOUGHT IN EUROPE
Detectives Say They Find Mar
cotics in Almost Every Guest
Room and in Basement.

One hundred pounds Of narcotics with
retail value of 100000 were seized
early last night when DR.. Carleton
Simon, Special Deputy Police Commits
sioner, and forty detectives raided the
Hotel Douglas, five story structure
at 207 West Fortieth street. Five men
were arrested.
Police reserves from the West Thir-
tieth street station were called to keep
back the several hundred people who
were attracted to the scene by the
changing of patrol wagon gongs.
The arrested men described them
keeper of the hotel; Harry Dwortette,
80, his brother, alias Harry McGurk; ;
Samuel Bernstein, 80, alias Butch" an
alleged drug seller; Samuel Spireck.
%, clerk of the hotel, and Clarence
Smart, "a, the negro porter. All gave
their addresses as 2O7 West Fortieth
street.
A sixth man, who gave the name of
August Del Gracia, 80. and alleged to
be a member of the gang, had been
arrested earlier at "a Chrystie street.
Planned for Many Months.
The raid, which Dr.. Simon charac-
terized as the greatest ever in the
United States, had been planned for
many months. The first clew that drugs
probably were being sent throughout
the country from the hotel appeared In
letter 10 DIR. Simon from District At
torney Bailton on April %. The letter
suggested an investigation OF the hotel
Detectives Frank Quigley and Thomas
Farrell then went to the place. regis
tered as from out Of town and lived
there since early May Quigley be-
came acquainted with Joseph Fishman,
who became his confidant.
After many meetings. Fishman, ac-
cording to Qulgley. told of making
many trips TO Europe 10 get several
thousand ounces OF morphine. cocaine
and heroin each time. Quigley posed
as buyer of drugs. II he wanted
more than 5000 ounces, Fishman is said
TO have told him. it could be provided
within three weeks,
Quiglcy said he purchased twenty
ounces of morphine on Tuesday from
Flshman as trial order. II the quail
ity was of high standard he promised
TO buy $50 ounces more. Late yester-
day. asserted Quigley, he met Fishman
at Forty-first street and Seventh ave.
nue. and took the other $50 ounces. pay
ing 5000. Fishman asked him. he said.
not TO let the 'hotel bunch" know he
had "double-crossed'' them by selling
the morphine.
Fishman then was taken into custody
lie offered to give the 5000 back to
Quigley in return for his release. said
the detective.
Drugs I'm Nearly Every Room.
Following the arrest. DR. Simon and
his detectives rushed to the hotel
They ransacked sixty rooms. breaking
down many doors. Mattresses on all
beds were searched. furniture moved.
drawers turned inside out and carpets
torn up. Drugs we're said to have been
found In practically every room.
In the cellar were three large trunks.
each containing large quantities of as
sorted drugs. In the baggage room
searchers discovered three large suit
cases. all filled with narcotics.
Magistrate Max Levine issued the
warrant for the raid after Detectives
Quigley and Farrell had reported their
findings at the hotel.
Olaf Lernpke, professional safe
opener, was employed By DR.. Simon TO
open the safe in the hotels Office. In Il
were discovered many papers and money
orders. A black book containing list
OF names and addresses also was found.
This, Dr. Simon said. will be of great
value in tracing other members OF the
so-called drug peddlers' ring in other
cities.
shipped Narcotics I'm Trunk.
Belief that the seizures 'cut the sell
ing artery between the drug center and
the remainder OF the United States" was
voiced by Dr. Simon. Operations OF the
gang. he said. have been International
THAT the gang operated in ST. Louis
was asserted several months ago In a
letter to Dr. Simon from Martin O'Brien,
Chief OF Police OF 81. Louis. Two men.
giving the names Of Max Gordon and
Abe Goldfeider and who had been
wounded in St. Louis. had In their pock-
cts papers Indicating that they were
receiving drugs from the New York
center.
Gordon, Il was revealed at Police
Headquarters. jumped ball In New York
following his arrest on April 81. 1921. at
the Grand Central Terminal on a
charge Of transporting trunk full OF
gum opium.
Drug buyers in other cities. declared
DR.. simon. sent empty trunks TO Hotel
Douglas. The trunks. after being loaded
with drugs. would be shipped back TO
the buyer aud tho contents sold at retail
TO addicts
Benjamin and Harry Dwortette, who
for two years have operated the Hotel
Douglrs, denied connection with the
drug ring All OF the drug filled trunks
and suit cases belonged to guests they
asserted.
Additional arrests probably will be
made to-day az soon as the list Of names
and addresses seized among the papers
IN the safe can be checked.