The Scandal of 1922

Back in 2015, Gossips retold, in multiple installments, the story of the scandal of 1922, when Hudson was raided by the state police, illegal booze was seized (it was the early years of Prohibition), its producers and sellers were arrested, the chief of police was suspended, and the Hudson Police Department was taken over by the state police. Because seven years have passed since Gossips told the story, and because today, March 8, 2022, is the 100th anniversary of the raid, I will share once again the account of the raid that appeared in the Columbia Republican on March 14, 1922. (The Columbia Republican was a weekly newspaper.) Bear in mind as you read the account and envision the events described, that in 1922 the Hudson police were headquartered at 327 Warren Street, then City Hall, now Hudson Hall. The police station was located in the northeast corner of the building, where the offices of Hudson Hall staff are now located.

One of the biggest prohibition raids ever staged in Hudson Thursday night was followed by the suspension of Chief of Police John Cruise, Jr., and the placing of Lieut. H. J. Negell, of the State Police, in charge of the Hudson Police Department. Lieut. Negell took charge with a sergeant and four State troopers assisting him. No other changes were made in the personnel of the department.

The events taking place with such rapidity without the slightest warning came like a bomb-shell and hundreds of persons surrounded police headquarters from 9 o'clock until the early hours of Friday morning.

It was between 8 and 9 o'clock that ten Federal prohibition inspectors and six members of the State Constabulary, as the result of arrangements entered into by the Commission of Public Safety, swooped down on Hudson. They were armed with about forty search warrants and operating with automobiles all ready for action they raced hither with their cars visiting countless places.

In a short time the cars began drawing up in front of headquarters.

The "booze" seized was placed in cars and taken to Albany. At headquarters the following appeared after the operations of the agents: Charles Curcio, Miss Ray Church, A. Feiler, Edward Dillon, Michael Fitzgerald, Benjamin Hagadorn, James Hogan, Theodore Brandow, Thomas McCue, and Henry Langlois.

It is understood that the intention of the agents is to have all persons accused summoned to appear before a United States Commissioner in New York city next Monday. . . .

The seized "wet goods" was taken to Albany after the raid, the agent saying "there was a whole lot."

The Commissioners of Public Safety were at police headquarters during all the operations. Immediately after the raids the Commission went into session, following which they gave out the following statement, relative to the suspension of Chief Cruise and the placing of a State Police official in charge:--

"The Commission of Public Safety has been aware since they assumed office last June that Hudson has been a long way from being clean from the point of view of the sale of intoxicants and prostitution. Commencing with the first meeting of the new Commission, Chief Cruise had been repeatedly requested to improve the situation. He has repeatedly reported to the Commission that no such situation existed and that if it did, neither he nor his men were able to correct it, giving as a reason that they were too well-known.

"After an opportunity of seven months had been given Chief Cruise to work out methods by which the law could be enforced, it was decided by the Commission to employ outside aid. As a result of the decision to investigate, two operatives of a private agency were brought to Hudson and in slightly less than two weeks, these agents were able to submit a report of thirty-one pages with corroborating affidavits which clearly show that absolutely no attempt was being made by the police of the city to correct a state of affairs which permitted the maintenance of twenty-four places that habitually and openly dealt in the sale of intoxicants, neither was any attempt being made to suppress a number of disorderly houses, houses of assignation or their procurers and runners, nor was any effort made to suppress the illicit manufacture of "hootch" by one or more persons who catered to the lower class of saloons, although information concerning members of these establishments had been given Chief Cruise by both the District Attorney and Public Safety Commission.

"Under the direction of the Commission, the private operatives placed the information in their possession before the United States Commissioner Hitchcock at New York yesterday and warrants were issued and search warrants obtained for premises that were strongly suspected of storing and selling intoxicants. The suspension of Chief Cruise is due to his repeated statements that he could not enforce the law; although it is admitted that his responsibilities in the premises require such enforcement and most everyone knew the possibility of obtaining the needed evidence by the most cursory inspection of the premises the Chief had on his list of suspects for months past. One of his statements is particularly ludicrous, viz, one in which he states that the men of the force visited the suspected premises twice daily for the purpose of observing violations. The private agents employed have reported on this and their statement is that almost without exception, the uniformed officers walk into the suspected premises, say "Hello" to the bartender and walk out.

"It is not possible to go into detail with regard to disorderly houses, as this is purely a matter for the District Attorney, who will be provided with the necessary information.

"Chief Cruise will, in due time, be placed on trial for dereliction of duty and in the meantime his position will be filled by an acting Chief, supplied and recommended by Major Chandler of the State Constabulary."

The Columbia Republican called the raid and takeover "the greatest shake-up ever experienced in the Hudson police department." The report went on to say that there were twenty-two warrants yet to be served, "and something further is rather looked for almost at anytime now."

For those curious about the Commission of Public Safety, it was made up of three men who had been appointed by Mayor Henry C. Galster. Galster, who was a physician and had volunteered to serve in World War I, was the mayor of Hudson for one term, from 1921 through 1922. The three men he appointed to the Commission of Public Safety were Sherwood V. Whitbeck, a fellow medical man; Charles A. Van Deusen, a bank president; and William Petry, who owned the Hudson Garage, located in the building at Columbia and Green streets which had been the Gifford-Wood Company. More about these men can be found here.

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