New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-10
PUBLIC MEETINGS
LEGIsL ALIVE POLICE COMMITTEE.

The Legislative Police Committee net at lOl oclo.n
on Saturday morning, in the LibrAry.r room Of n.
City Hall. Au the members Of tue COMMITTEES war.
present.
Justice WELSH Of the Tombs Police Court N.
qufsiod permission to make some explanations on
certain portions of HE evidence as published by the
press. Ny impressions and experience on the sasec.
of 4" sbyserDg'', be said, were mainly obtained Will
was Police Clerk ct the Tombs. When | ~
elected Magis wss detailed to tae Essex Marts,
Police Court, from which kept those suspected psr
cons pretty clear | was detailed to the Tonbs lest
August, but owing TO the confusion which has since
existed ere through the cor tentoDs of the clerks or
their positions and the changing about of officers
nave been unable TO give the subject much attention.
IN regard 10 police officers receiving fees, | knew
scmetong OF this by runor only bu. always So
,Lo a'or.u 70 correct every abuse OF the kind
hdoons, so-caueo, should hsve been en- oloved 10 far
rel OUT sncn abuses as these Mock ion cases have
generally been disposed OF at the Mayors or CLsfs
Office. Not more than two or three cases aver c.os
before me The papers general, speak aoproxinyIy
OF these instances, as reporters supplied With be
information, for example, that "that indefa,iy.bIs
Officer, Jones' made tue sharks disgcrge.' regard
i. the duty of the Chief and bis subordinass 10 coat
evidence OF all places OF this kind and lay Il beons
the magistrates for their sctiop. have never seen
any systematic Efforts to that end The same thins
should be core in the case of gambling houses ani
houses of pros tuition II the right kind of yi,anrs
was exercised by The Chief and his force these evil,
might be corrected The Chief, TO my kno Wedge
has never been Ia Police Court since have been on
the bench. l have heard of only one case where's
mock auction Ger was convicted. If the Chief of
Police should folio up these cases. and ferret out the
Il s,imony, thtse men woal0 not escape justice.
Speaking Of the officers he stated that many of them
igr GRANT that they were unable 10 state case
intellgby, and prisoners frequently got clear n
eequeIce The Police Courts of this city have become
so important. and the Guties of the magistrate 30
arduous, that | think they need the services Of
an officer from tie bureau of the Dis riot Attor-
ney TO ass's, and represent that OH isl.
Capt. WALLING, sworu-Am Police Captsin Of the
Eighs ebtr Ward; have been captain two yes q Last
September have been in the Dep .rtment about seven
years; The Chief Of Police has inspect ID the Station
House in my ward t~iee, | think within the year
past have heard Of his being in the ward on two or
three other occssors think he does not visit the up-
toxn wards officially often those in the 10 ger
portion of the city; there three four houses Of
prostitution within my districts there was an assigns
ton house also; il was my practice to station police
man b. fore tots house in . evening with dark Ian
tern, who woulc turn the light on every person whe
entered the place by this me sns many were prevent
ed f ON going there; | know of one or two policy
offices in my districts OF them is ostensiby an ei
cbaIg office, bu. suspect it is policy office; two
officers would no: DE likely to sit or stand together
q corner other placs If ] had force enough under
my charge; have refused to discharge arrested per-
the order of the msgs1a,e or Recorder there
is law which permits captains to exercise discretion
in certain cases as to 6ischarging those arrested law
ysis have applied TO me in behalf Of their clients who
under srest at my Station House. and proposed,
in of my cooperation TO do what was fair hsve
heard Of lawyers paying b. okerage fees TO keepers
snd deputy keepers Of prisons tor clients procured for
them by such keepers persons arrested in my ward
and seLt 10 the Police Court have frequently been
seen at liberty soon after certain friends of such per-
sons arrested have stated TO me that could not keep
such parties in prison. and that they would have then,
out Directly If they could raise sl0 how they got
out do not know.
JEDEDrAH W. HART, Seventeenth Ward-Hsys
been captain for four yeaB; the Chef of Police hes
not vifited my Station House duriog yesr psst 10 my
knowledge have heard that he hes been there at ess
oooe; the Mayor has been there once AZ least wibm
the same time there houses of prostitution 10 my
ward; l have reported them to the Chiefs Office;
there two houses only that know OF IN the ward
that are properly houses of that sort there was one
mere the pToprletress of that house caused to DO
arrested sid appeared against her; do not know
WI lat disposition was MADE OF the case; have as
charged persons arrested 90 the order OF the Msyor
Q d CITY Judge know 80 ns'biDg abou. " skinning"
rhat is know l.; do hot kno Y any hing from en-.
% rieI ce further than have had handftis OF m0pe
offered me BY prisoners aud their friends; have never
taken fartbing my self.
ABRAHAM BEALE, agent Of the INew-Yo.k Prisoe
Afsociauon-My business leads ne into contact viii
police courts and their practice; have occupied ths
position for about two years; az all the police courn
think the evidence is generally onesided; the prs.
oner has lot usually fair chance TO be heard often
evidence; ieaI it is the practice Of our justices 10
conouct these cases with too much precipit.ncy; %
the cese OF who is sent to The Island for some
petty offense on insufficient evidence his family d
devoted to desitution and lrretrevabe ruin; have
known 10 be iItCxic steI while dschargDg
their official outies; | have seen them sitting fsmiL
iary on the bench with impope persons taki0g from
the N chew of TO )acco or cigar thus demeaniag the
dignity Of the office, and exercising very injurious
fueI ce; parties ed who destitute of friend.
or fumes, have no good opportunity to obtain council
Boce OF proceeding L. tins the officer, when in TIE
act of taking prisoner to the court, will say 10 him.
Old fellow this Ia rather bad osse--you will wan
agOod lawyer orb on may be sent up for long tstnt
Well, 60 you know reliable ons that can geti
"Yes, con refer you to one; "Hew much will il
COST "AbOut twenty five dollars will perhaps gA
you clear' whereupon the prisoner is introduced 70
the law, err, ard the latter allows the officer Q rg
centsge; / sppesr in behalf of prisoners slmM
every court cay; AIN not lawyer; | have news
received a cert by way of remuneration; think =
would be better tor the promotion of justice that P
lice magistrates should be lawyers especially ousai
they rot to be elected by the people; have knows
prisoner 10 be locked up for eigh. weeks before e.
animation msxm of our Association i. not to in'sr'
fere in the case Of the prisoner after he has BEEN
Convicted; alone differ with the Assocsusn
on this point, and think that mu3h good may
be accomplished by conversations with the pfisonS
previous 10 bis IL carceratiOni sincerely believe nS
out Of the thousand convics in prison, at less tGo
hunor. ought Lever to have been sent there. 10 u
lustrs ion of the practice Of shysterlng" witness
related the following fact, which occurred within
year or two past. A certain Tombs lawyer, who vs.
last Winter Assembly man, and this Fall csndi.
cate for the 5 a,e Senate, was retained as c)unse
by poor unfortunate, charged wit, petit larceny sna
did the thing for his client in this wise The pnsoa1
hsvii no money! in lieu of ten dol.r fee, gave no
lawyer al oroe for considerable quantity Of clothing
and some books to be used only as collateral un.l
could pay the amount when relessed. After serving
term OF two months OH the leland, AID being dschs
he repaired TO the hon. member Of Assembly for tna
purLose of recovering his wardrobe On iDquuing,
an oDg other things for certain cloak and new pan
Of N. ~. he vas inotmed that the cloak had be6n