100 YEARS AGO Big leads in whiskey case 50 YEARS AGO Jail abuse report made public

The investigation into the theft of nine barrels of whiskey from a Tivoli Street warehouse zeroed in on the guard on duty at the time. In an interview with Roscoe Irwin, collector of internal revenue and director-in-chief of the current probe, watchman Joseph Henchy said he had reported for work at midnight for his overnight shift, but left for home 20 minutes later because of rain. Irwin suspended him until further investigation, but intimated he believed Henchy was involved somehow. Henchy’s shift partner, Joseph Smith, had been on sick leave for the past week and was not considered a person of interest.

The other area of exploration for Irwin and his men was the imprint of the tracks of an auto truck thought to be part of the robbery as the vehicle that carried off the barrels. Two Albany policemen, working with Secret Service agents, matched the tracks to the tires of a truck well known in

Albany, found the vehicle and questioned the owner. The man denied any knowledge, but eventually admitted the truck was “out” at the time. He said he’d driven the truck to Columbia Street and Broadway where he had arranged to let an unnamed man take it. He claimed to not know why.

More recreational activities and a more comprehensive rehabilitation program may prevent immoral acts between prisoners at the Albany County jail, suggested a grand jury. The sealed report on its five-month investigation of acts of sexual abuse at the jail, along with other jail functions, was released by County Judge Martin Schenck and handed out by District Attorney Arnold W. Proskin at a news conference. The prosecutor felt the report was comprehensive and a “fair appraisal.”