The New York herald., 1851-08-19

The Office Of the Chief of Police should be administered
without party bias, and with view only to the welfare
of the public But your committee have yet to learn
that candidate from party will not be as free from
artisan bias candidate from the other The state
ment that an officer selected from the minority party
would hold himself aloof from political influence while
one selected from the majority would be subjected 10
isuch influence papaby absurd as to carry with 1t
Is own refutation.
sd It was shown on the occasion Of the Astor Place
riot that nominee who has been presented by the
Mayor to this Board is waiting in one OF the essential
the police force with that efficiency OF which II Is
capable in the suppression of riots and the
1t is known on the frs outbreak of this riot Mon
day night, the close Of Mr Havemeyer's admins
traton the mpunity with which the rioters were per-
mted to commit acts Of violence TO destroy property
and life in presence Of the Chief OF Police and
his officers without the Interpolation Of such preventive
efforts could have been easily made was cause OF the
succeeding calamitous outrsgss.
In consequence Of the inefHciency Of the police
Monday night 1t was currently believed by the rioters
that eectua resistance would be offered to the sub
sequent execution Of their plans Emboldened by this
circ umstance mob organized to attack burn aud
destroy the Asor Place Opera House while occupied by
two thousand people On the following Thursday the
business Of preparing to meet the mob first laid be-
fore Mayor woodruff BY the Chief Of Police who then
stated that the police force insufficient and that 1t
would be necessary call for the military and uowith
standing this opinion Of the Chief of Police he had not
taken precauon arrest those who known to
have participated in the ot Of Monday night those
who be leaders OF the riot planned for Thursday
night notwithstanding nearly 3days had interviewed from
that paraors for this most formidable riot had been
going for week or mere previous to the time wheu
in the opinion of the Chief Of Police, the military was
necessary preserve the peace Yet during this inter-
val he had made ecrts to prevent suppress the
riot in its ncpent measures though well directed et
for this effect would undoubtedly have avoided the
fatal conseque nces which ensued
The conduct Of the Chief Of Police that most dis
astrous night shows his uutDess to command great
emers ehces Mayor Woodruff who had but Just eutered
the duties Of his Office entrusted a. was proper he
should the management of the police under general
tirelv IN the Of
repce his position justly devolved on him that
responsibility.
opinion that military force WAS necessary as given
by the Chief OF Police (whose position entitled his
opinion on such point to be received as hnai anhory)
and thou this opinion coincided 10 by the mag
terial authorities consulted on the occasion. Mayor
Woodruff nevertheless to such action, aud
only gave conditional order for the military TO rem
d. at certain place there to be called by the
Chief OF Police IT, trial he should fud the police III
Efficient Positive orders were also given to the Chief
Of Police to proceed TO the place OF danger with
all the police force he could command for such
service, and 10 all his efforts to quel the
riot; but, In the event of his force being insult
fcient then TO send for tbs military How did the
Chief Ct Police fulfil this order! He repaired to
the Aor Place Opera House with but one quarter OF the
police while subsequent nights when n much less
force necessary. he ordered to the scene double
the number men instead of drawing circle around
the house in placing ptlcemeD at such points as would
best enable stay the progress Of the mob and
protect the Chief Of Police retired within the
theatre with the g~atsr part Of his force leaving outside
sequeptl driven in The mob then left In uuds-
puted and almost undisturbed procession on the out
side and for an hour CT more battered the walls aud
windows of the bulldog without resistance Thus was
fulfilled the command TO exhaust the entire police force
efforts to suppress the riot Notwithstanding the
Chief Of Police u have early abandoned earnest
effort to use the poll in resstance to tn. mob he
nevertheless failed TO fulfil the order to send for the mill
taIy when he should End the police unavar aud hence
the mob had undispued possession OF the field for
hour or mere during which time 10 gathered siren 9Th
and btcness sufcient to impe 10 attack the military
The Coroner,s jury which held an Inquest those
who had fallen tins OCCASION gave In their verdict
(Which suhoned the opinion that the police force
was sufficient 70 have quelled the disturbance -
VERDICT OF ruE coaoSNRs JURY.
That the decs ased prs TO their deaths by gun
shot wounds and the yuns being fred by the military
the authorities justified under the existing circum
stances In ordering the military 70 fire upon the mob.
And further beeve, that Il larger number Of police.
had been ordered out the necessity OF resort to
the ule Of the military might have been avoided.
Your committee coincide with this opinion, and be-
eve that II the orders Of the Mayor had been ooeyed
and the whole available strength Of tbs police employe
under compete leader the calamites Of that bloody
night might have been avoided
ath The nominee whose name has been presented b
this Board has been guilty Of neglect Of duty to an
extent The regulations Of the depar msut
require that be should visit the several station houses
in three months, and report on their condition.
cleanliness SCI and also that he should examine qusr
ery the books kept at Those places Yet It appears that
station houses which he has not visited oncs
year There aso has been great lsxy In such general
enforcement OF laws and ordinances Is demanded by
public convenience and the preservation Of puolie or
der BY the last two quarterly reports OF the Chief o.
Police Il will be durng the six months ending hsc
81 1851 only forty bye complaints were made ey
he humber Of arrest. is this Offence doe. not appear
although this oderce by law Is misdemeanor aud ms
frequent Occurrence forms subject Of general ds,st
faction The total nber of arrests for tue almost un
versnl viola ton Cooperation ordinances auounts To
four hundred and ninety during these six months
that s about he per day or one arrest per ~eek zoe
...hv vafA nnfia IA. ANNA mai
o arrests for fighting IN the streets was but two hn rec
and seventy twobst L. -sthan wo per day or ABOUT
ten per The bumfr of arrests for Keeping d-or
Derry bouses hut ifiy one-tha H. Ices thsn two
per week The number 81 arrests for gambling but irY
fix l.ss than per week The number of srrs't f5r
s.irg lottery policies. Int eleven luss than tvo rsr
month. In the first of these two quarterly trports,
tber. are ~ rpred sever hundred aud my houses -e.
ing liquor wuhsut license. white but tso arrests w,re
usde for this the second guarier eight h1n
Or, aud frty.,oven uuiiccns.d houses reported
while but one arrest WA made.
Thus. " appsars that there is want OF con-tsot
discriminattg aud juaiccus enforcement Of tue or
din u he Crporai.u -nd the prtvalent and ian
geious on.uc.s uf street fighting. Committing p.ronal
yol engaging In street hrasis IT keepinsdts-
orderly houses. of keeping up-n unlicensed grgsries
tbe resorts fptor'iiuses Nssapuhes A.u ue'ss
drscrp'ions suhrItd 10 exist 70 an Alarming s-nt
while the ibts possb a the police under its prc-ent
Chief 20 srrest the of the-e srwins -s see ns
pfodu-e but little fi-rt These evs Aot S"ciNty
sufrraute Of va.t puuhru Of io~ aud dangerous deos
- vice xising cub ms.mean0rs and spotinR the
aee s the cts In slmost every direction are undouoi
public violence H31 gu. vt murder wntch an begin
binx To- csxcr RAJ aisrn In tne minds II or eL-
Thts e,cnl pet hnueshese brcs dug lacYs ~ every
vice sBd ipfamy ~hirh have b. tuerr9 - grns IN
ort VIZ iatn - la~ uud-r the u&ot " ths
pres. Chi~ e ic- ~ frui,fdt OF the n.
Of that ~ population, wheh de nand'
he ntrposiisn Of more active aud tfsnient police
srrsnp, mrDt
The police s,si.m of this city. placed az should 10
under sbler smen y undvubteiS capable OF =.
coming the best IN the wgsd; but at yrsent nsud
oue strong aodirg mind. TO develops the latent ts8n
vhich ss In ils depart nent There sxity ~ ala
citlne ssd want proper directDs b. the ean.ts
the sh,eh greatly mpair itr uasf,Ress Tl,s 20
htical ssd personal fsgrittm which 40 Ions beet
tractis-d IN IN. 'c- 0& Chsf Of poce. has had tie ma
'ural sext 10 wesken Ne energy aa depres th sprit
a the best IN the der erRTtment sh,are lie
seftkBg of srtaer and whose a1erit "a
tl@ them to pacte ~ prcmotss. nos hid % oth-r-
UDsr wiser and asser guidance te police dsDsr uen
usftad Of being tb> subjes OF cssscess cOmpnt it
maLd the cosstsnt rcfpses ard admiration ~ a
reaes OF citiztns IL would sipe fiun tho city nir
ssap of polistiuB untousl ed-sssy TIA sEsu- I'd
q crime nov threatening iBuBdatiOu; A. w'uld q sno
the hre Of unrrs'rsired violence, Ieging sith "
| destruction; II wuuld bssptify the sdihce Of ,2pl
perc, and would extend broadly and securely tt