The scandal of 1916 was the raid on the gambling joint at 401
Broadway. It would be just an ordinary crime if it didn’t expose how
corrupt the Chelsea Police Department was at the time. Apparently,
Chelsea policemen were told to look the other way when they came
across dens of gaming and gambling. With this acceptance–if not,
welcome–in the city, more and more criminals were renting out rooms
in cheap tenements to ply their trade.
The scandalous incident that had all of Chelsea talking was
written up in the July 1st 1916 edition of The Chelsea Gazette. It is
titled “Gamblers Routed”. It recounts how a private
organization called The Watch and Word Society approached Chelsea
Chief of Police White with a request for police officers. Chief White
detailed five officers and J. Frank Chase of the Ward and Watch
Society with a warrant to search the premises of 401 Broadway, Chelsea.
Warrant in hand, Mr. Chase and the officers raided the building.
All the officers were in uniform and when the criminals saw them,
they didn’t flinch an inch. The cards and money were moving as fast
as when they weren’t there. Obviously, the criminals did not think
these officers were anything, but their friends. They felt that the
police were on their side. The Chelsea Gazette recounts: “When
the officers entered the room, the game was going on full blast.
Those who were playing looked up at the officers and kept right on,
not seeming at all disturbed by their presence.” It was only
when Mr. Chase showed these thugs a warrant did they stop playing.
The thugs were promptly arrested and brought to the police station.
Several hundred Chelseans were outside the building when these
thugs were hauled out. Many residents had filed complaints to the
police station that this establishment was operating in Chelsea. None
of the complaints were acted upon. It had to take a private
organization to jolt these thugs out of the city.
It was an embarrassment to the Chelsea Police Chief that these
thugs didn’t even budge when they saw uniformed officers. It was a
further embarrassment to have this witnessed by hundreds of people
and written up in the paper.
In light of this, Police Chief White issued an order that read:
“All officers will be held responsible for any gambling or
illegal liquor selling on their beat and must report such within 48
hours. Sergeants of police in each division will be held responsible
and will be subject to suspension if failing to make such a
report.” The question in most Chelsean’s minds was what happens
after the report is filed. Does the gambling establishment continue
to make a mockery of the law enforcement in Chelsea? Does the report
get filed away in a dusty draw or is this complaint acted upon?
It would be erroneous to claim that all of Chelsea was corrupt.
For most Chelseans were disgusted at these dens of iniquity. They
were spoiling the city, plain and simple. But it was clear that 1916
had brought with it an administration that didn’t care. This
administration saw crime infesting its city and yet, let it flourish.
Why? The Chelsea Gazette claims that the people who had control of
the city didn’t live in the City. They might have property there, but
their homes were in other parts. They would carelessly look the other
way when the welfare and beauty of the city was in serious jeopardy.