Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-12
Chief
Tells of Vice in
HdmtrdmCk

Former Hamtramck Police Chief
Barney X. Nowicki today faced a
defense cross examination after
testifying at the county graft trial
that the only times ex-Sheriff
/ Thomas Wilcox's and ex-Prosecu-
tor Duncan McCrea's offices made
complaints gainst Hamtramck
vice resorts was when the resorts
were closed.
Nowicki identified number of
formal complaints at the trial yes
terday of SO persons, including a
number of former county officials,
on charges of conspiring to pro-
mote gambling and vice in Wayne
County. The complaints are regu-
larry sent to suburban law officers
by county officials when the latter
receive tips on illegal enterprises.
FIGURsKrs FRIEND
The former police chiefs testi-
mony began with how he got his
Job through Michael Figurski
/ Hamtramck political figure and a
defendant in the trial.
'In January. 1899. met
Flgurski by appointment in an
automobile" Nowicki testified,
"and discussed the possibilities
OF me being police chief and
(Walter) Kanar being mayor.
He told me that Alex Cell
(alleged Hamtrack vice lord,
now dead) would give $500 to
see William Berg continue as
chief but that he himself pre-
ferred me for the Job. told him
didn't have that kind of money
and he said we could take care
of that later.
was appointed acting police
chief February 2. Four days
later Figurski came to me and
told me to keep all the joints
closed. Then complaints against
the places began coming I'm from
the sheriff's and prosecutors
Offices"
FOUND PLACES CLOSED
O'Hara at this point read into
the record copies of reports show
ing that Hamtrack police had in
vestigated and found the places
closed. Nowicki testified:
"April 8 Ffgurski told me
matters had been Strengthened
out with the prosecutors and
could 60 again-all but 1871
Joseph Campau (allegedly oper-
ated by Sam Gross, a witness)
which Figursh told me was not
to open.
"They stayed open until
August, 1899, when the grand
jury began. No complaints came
In when they closed because of
the grand jury. the complaints
began coming In again from the
prosecutors and sheriff's Offices"
Nowicki said 1t was arranged
that he was to get $500 a month
for his part, but that the first five
months of his graft was withheld
by Figurski to make up the $1,50t
n price for his job as acting chief
II REBUTTAL TESTIMONY
III Nowicki's testimony was intro
H duced to refute defense claims tina
II the defendants, far from protect
n ing the resorts as charged, actual.
\ sought to have local authorize
HI close them.
II Earlier. Robert big Miserable
n Younts had testified that $50 slo
II machines in Wayne County nettet
N a gross take" of $1,000 a day.
III The former rum-runner, natty II
N brown tweeds. testified that hal
III the daily take" went to the owne
IA of the store or bar where the slo
VI machine was placed and that tn,
N other half went to Harry Ten
N nessee SLIM Kivlin, one of tn
IA graft defendants.
N Younts was brought back from
ri Leavenworth Penitentiary. wherl
II he is serving federal liquor sen
tence, to testify at the trial. A
n United States deputy m RS h a
n guarded him in the court room.
III WORKED FOR KIVLIN
H Younts said he first worked fol
n Kivlin in 1885, receiving 81 day
n as doorTnan at a dice game Kivlir
n operated in River Rouge Begin
n ming in January, 1887, he a Sc
\ placed, and collected from Kivlin',
"A slot machines, he said.
II "The top number OF machines
that Kivlin had out was las to
A $780," he said. these were In
n Wayne County, exclusive Of De-
n troit and Inkster. Ben Lands
berg "a defendant) had the ma
chimes In Inkster. Klvlin told
me that Joe Semetko (also a de-
4 fendanO had the slot machines
4 in Lochmoor."
Il DhsunfAusSf