Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-08-21
SIXTY RACKETS SURVIVE
DESPITECOTHAM EVIDENCE
Secret Aid in High Places and Refusal of
Officials to Press Probe Blamed
as Big Tribute Is Exacted.
BY DENIS TrLDEN LYNCH.
~ WHENCE against some 60 rackets
operating on the Island Of Man

people OF the United States
was in the possession Of the district
attorney of New York County in the
Winter of 1930-3l.
The evidence is gathering dust in the
Office CT the district attorney, and the
racketeers are still lcrying tribute.
One of the best-protected groups OPP
| crate what Is called the Fulton Fish
Market racket This is a misnomer. as
the racket affects not only New York,
but one-fifth Of the population Of the
country, for the fleets that discharge
their cargoes fresh from the sea at the
decks along historic South street pro-
they eat.
The Fulton Fish Market racket is still
1evying its toll on one in every five
Americans, and the other rackets which
f1ourished in l930-3l are still thriving
on the island once ruled with an iron
hand by Boss" Tweed. And what q
clumsy amateur was Tweed beside any
one of a handful of grafters who DOM
mate the rackets in the old town today!
Yet when the average Gothamite sat
down to his Thanksgiving dinner in
November, 1880. he had reason to be-
lieve that the rackets would go with
the Winters SHOWS and that many of
the local racketeers would sniff the
next vernal breeze through the steel
bars of Sing Sing. For, less than two
weeks before, Thomas c. T. Grain. dis
trict attorney of New York County de-
nounced the racketoering situation as
tntolerable as prelude to forming
committee, on which sat many dis
tinguished men. to advise him in his
war on racketeers.
Grain had the most expencive and
elaborate prosecuting force of any ccm-
munity in the world. And at his beck
and call stood the police force CT the
City CT New York, 10000 strong.
Heading his advisory committee of
citizens was Charles C! Birmingham,
former president of the Association of
the Bar of the City of New York.
Associated with him and ether dis
tinguished members CT the community
on the committee to aid in the war on
racketeers were two racketeers. One
of them was thus described by a high
police official: He is the biggest
racketeer in the City of New York
The other was little fellow whose
ernual eXtortions Gid not net him more
than a good. comfortable living. as liv-
ing standards are known to his kind In
good years he earned less than $4,000
q year.
OF course. Birmingham quickly de-
tached himself from the sideShow which
bore the grandloquent title Of Com
mittee on Public Safety. 1t did moth
ing. Others followed the example of
Birmingham. Al. er some months the
mountain of Grain labored; but it did
not bring forth even the traditional
mouse Il was barren.
Then moribund organization that
was formed in 1892 to effect reforms
in the city administration, the City
Club, awakened from =. sleep Of II years
into which it had been cast by the
SvengaN CT the New Tammany, cld
lodged charges against Grain with the
Governor.
After Samuel Ceabury investigated
the charges ct the request of the Gov
ernor. he condemned the Com mittee on
Public Safety as "a futile gesture p2rc
of 1.-The much-herelded warfare UPON
racketeers which ended in a complete
end abject surrender by the law en-
forcement authorities in New York
County" He held that in the abb
sence of oishonerty or willful neglect
or incompetency dangerous to the pub
lie welfare, removal of elected oftciolT
by the Governor is not the remedy for
public indifference in the nomination
and election of public officers" Which
Is sound democratic doctrine
During the inquiry Seabury barred a
shocking condition in the Office of the
district attorney, and adduced evidence
disclosing a corrupt alliance between
some one in the prosecutors Office nnd
the racketeers Crane was warning
against.
1t was through the testimony of Will
liam FelloWes Morgan that this alliance
was revealed Morgan is one of the
blue bloods of the town and a leader
in what was called the Four Hundred
IN the respondent times of Ward Nc
Allister.
Morgan had read Grains announce
ment of his war on racketeers and
wrote him Of the eXtortion practiced
for 10 years by a group of racketeerS in
and around the picturesque and most
malodorous pile, the Fulton Fish Mar
ket. Morgan was president of the Mid
Gle Atlantic Fisheries Association, COM
posed of individuals and corporations
owning far-flung fishing fleets. He sub
sequently saw an assistant district at
torney. and after repeated efforts to
see Grain he received a letter asking
him to call with the evidence.
The mailing Of this letter was known
to the racketeers before Morgan had
opened it. When the society leader
and head Of the fisheries association met
the district attorney he said
Il want you to know that the letter
you mailed to me was known to have
been mailed by the racketeers in the
Grain made no response to this.
Other Leaks Revealed.
But this was not the only leak for
the racketeers also obtained posses
sion of the important memorandum
Morgan had given to the district at
torney on which was recorded the
names Of 40 fish dealers who could
testify against the racketeers And
Morgan asked the prosecutor how the
gangsteSs obtained this document.
One Of them must have gotten 1t
out of the Office" Grain replied.
Morgan next introduced the name
Of powerful Tammany district leader
and legislator. Peter j. Hamill, who
succeeded Alfred E. Smith as a State
Assemblyman from the first New York
district and later became leader Of
the district upon the death of the
sheriff. Thomas F. Foley, affectionately
described by former Gov. Smith as his
political godfather.
Hamill and Joseph LAMA, business
sgent of the United Sea Food Workers
Union. Familiarity known as Socks"
ANA, visited Morgan when he was
especially annoyed by the racketeers.
Morgan vas hazy regarding the con-
v2rsation. but recalled making protests
to Hamill because of the monies
ANA collected and the methods he
employed
Morgan further testified that before
Grain was district attorney he had
gone to Joab H. Banton, then the
NV York County prosecutor, and
complained OF the extortions he
charged to LAMA, whose union is af-
fliated with the A. F. of L. Morgan
added He (Ranton) said he would
take it up with the American Fed
Grafton of. Labor and that If they did
not clean shop he would do it himself
But the evils continued.
The experiences Of Morgan and his
associates with the district attorneys
Office were such that many decided