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The Detroit Tribune
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
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Montreal Councilor Arnoff, from the reformist Civic Action League elected last November, admits to receiving death threats amid anti-corruption drive against police vice tolerance, leading him to silence; several officers suspended, U.S. racketeers expelled to suburbs.
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The usually-voluble member of the Civic Action League, which captured key positions in the Montreal government in last November's municipal election, made the statement in tight-lipped interview.
"There's not a word I can say." Arnoff declared. "I have family to think of."
"Has somebody been in touch with you?" he was asked.
"What do you think?"
"Was it a threat?"
"The best thing for me to do is to shut up. You'd be surprised if you knew what I found out yesterday. I never knew who was in it and how big it was, until yesterday. Let me tell you, this thing is beyond us. There's nothing we can do.
"If I had money I'd get out of the country for about three months."
One reporter reminded Arnoff that no city councilor was ever killed for reform activities.
"I don't exaggerate, my life isn't worth two cents," Arnoff replied.
"Has your life been threatened?" he was asked.
"Yes," he answered.
Councilor Arnoff is a representative of Montreal's district No. 5 on the city council. The district has figured prominently in shake-up
Action League captured 28 of 66 elective posts on city council last November.
The election of Mayor Drapeau and his Civic Action League supporters came on the heels of a long report by Mr. Justice Francois Caron accusing top members of Montreal police force of tolerating organized vice.
One of the first acts of Mayor Drapeau was to push through an order by Mr. Justice Caron for the suspension of Police Director J. A. Langlois.
Since then a number of officers high in the city's police department have resigned or been suspended. Last Monday the city suspended six special constables and two veteran police captains who are alleged to have permitted nightclubs to stay open after hours.
Some of the establishments were alleged to have paid $20 weekly for protection in their after-hours operation.
Recently, it was reported United States racket organizers had tried to set up elaborate gambling operations in Montreal since the Kefauver inquiry made things too hot for them on their home grounds.
Vice-buster Pacifique Plante, now assistant police director under Mayor Drapeau's administration, said the U. S. racket organizers were driven out of Montreal proper but were trying to operate from Montreal suburbs.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Montreal
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Outcome
councilor arnoff received threats and chose to remain silent; several police officers resigned or were suspended; u.s. racket organizers driven out of montreal proper but attempting operations in suburbs.
Event Details
Councilor Arnoff, a member of the Civic Action League that won key positions in Montreal's municipal election last November, stated in an interview that he cannot speak due to threats to his life and family, having learned the extent of the opposing forces yesterday. He represents district No. 5. The League captured 28 of 66 elective posts. Following a report by Mr. Justice Caron accusing police of tolerating vice, Mayor Drapeau suspended Police Director J. A. Langlois. Several high-ranking officers resigned or were suspended, including six special constables and two captains last Monday for permitting after-hours nightclub operations allegedly protected for $20 weekly. U.S. racket organizers, pushed out after the Kefauver inquiry, tried setting up gambling in Montreal but were driven to suburbs by Vice-buster Pacifique Plante.