The New York Times/1882/09/08/Raiding The Policy Men

by The New York Times

Raiding The Policy Men

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Arrests By Central Office Detectives In The Gamblers' Head-quarters

What is called a raid was made yesterday afternoon by Central Office detectives on room No. 1 on the first floor of No. 599 Broadway, where it is alleged there is an office of the Louisiana Lottery and certain "policy" business is transacted. The descent was not a remarkable success, as little if any evidence was secured against the persons who were arrested, and only two of them were held by Justice Bixby. One was held as a proprietor in the "policy" business, and the other was committed for contempt of court in refusing to answer questions put by the magistrate. Many raids have been made at No. 599 Broadway, but somehow or other few convictions of the arrested persons are on record. The premises are said to be the head-quarters of persons opposed to what is known as the Simmons clique. Five men Adams, Clark or McGuire, Oppington or Uppington, Field, and Bernstein - are said by the Police to be the "backers" of the policy shops, whose returns are sent to No. 599 Broadway. The number of "policy" shops "backed" here is from 20 to 50, and rumor has it that the money sent to the head-quarters from them amounts to from $300 to $600 a day. A week ago Inspector Byrnes planned a raid on the place and detailed Detective Sergeants Kush and Weinberg to collect evidence. They employed a man to do work where they would be apt to be identified. They were soon able to discover that the men at headquarters employed "runners" to collect the returns and money from the "policy" shop keepers, and to hand them the "drawings." On Tuesday the detectives traced an old man to No. 599 Broadway, waited for him, and saw him open the "slip" of a drawing in a Broadway stage. He delivered it at a "policy" shop in Fourth-avenue. The detectives made the customary affidavits before Justice Bixby yesterday morning, and were granted warrants for the descent, which was made at 12:40 o'clock. Charles Adams, James McGuire, alias Clark; Thomas Tully, John Wilson, or Winson; and Louis and Charles Lindauer were arrested. Tully threw a bundle of returns from policy shops out of a window, but it was picked up in Broadway by a detective: No books and a few papers of importance were found, but the Police will open a strong box which was fitted with a combination lock. Several "runners" who called at the office after the raid was made were detained. The prisoners were arraigned at the Jefferson Market Police Court and all were discharged except McGuire and Tully. McGuire would have been discharged but for the testimony of an old man who said he was janitor of the place, that policy business was transacted there, and that McGuire paid him his wages. McGuire was required to give $2,000 bail for examination, and Tully's bail was $500. The "policy" men affected to deride the raid as a failure.