The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-11
THE LRGISLATIVE POLICE COMMITTEES.

BI.nhman- Capt. Leo nard, and Mx. Gray,
Keeper Of the city Prison - Farther DIS
closures OF Criminal Abuses, &c., DO, DC.
The Committee of the Legislature appointed to inves
tsse the existing in the police system Of New
York and Brooklyn met yesterday In the City Hall, and
examined several witnesses All the members were pre-
sent consisting Senators Crosby charman) and Hop
AIMS and Assemblymen Baker Stuyvesant and O'Keeh.
The first witness examined Abraham Beae, agent
Of the New York Prison Association, whose esmony
vas not concluded the last day Of the investigation
Mr. Crosby asked him he would continue hisgtesmony
I. regard to abuses that he know TO exist.
/. am afraid, said Mr.. B. in reply, to any
questions with that perspcuity that would
desire. In looking over the newspapers, I see
hat half of what said Is In correctly reported;
paper stated that in opinion Judges should be ele,tsd
should appointed and elected another that said
under solemn oath, had seen magistrates dcunk
the M
et who should bc feed this system Of reporting will d.
% ny yssn Ss s
toyou Did you ever see magistrate drunk the
bench" that you answered yes
Mr. Bes,e.-I did sir.
MIR. Crosby Then IL is reported.
Mr.. stuy vessnt.-would you have any objections to
giving the Of the lawyer referred to in the
ported, in which he obtained money from poor womau
under pretence of geHiDg her husbend from Backwels
island A. Htis any satisfaction TO the ptlemen, might
say lis not Fricay Saturday Sunday am in the
habit Of visiting the city prison; the seps-
sometimes young prisoners placed in company wi h
alder oiencers on last Saturday saw seventeen boys
and pipes put in for burglary, for petty
larceny and some for assault and battery; ooys
allowed better furniture in their rooms; know OF
boy who vas taken up as witness, named George Hah
away Who has been In prison fifteen days in default of
$sss sai he has had no opportunities to clean himself
and has been without soap towel clean shirt daring
that time, and has In all probability lost hs situ lou
The mpgisrate knew at the TINE he con'Dsed hin to
Prison his could furnish ths bail; nevsr
que ted magistrate to leave in my charge oc ia
vesigation; have never known of case in which
an officer took warrant fer assault and ,attary
during the cay and neglected 10 it. res'iog
party at night, and deaining him from his family the
station Rouse have known u en- of O prsjnsr
having been dismissed without examination; I have
never known o. prisoner being kept in the sixth ward
station house some DAYS before txiu'Daton
Mr. Stu, vesan stated here, hat while al the rouibs
sunday morning he saw party temporarily counittgd
tns keeper Of the prison and 90 cischarged.
Mr. Beale said be desLeo to make few oosev stions
the sysem OF prison discipline, and the necessity Of max
Mr. Gro by said, I'll they wanted to know at pre- SEM
was about the city prison.
Mr.. Beale proceeded remark that Friday last he
WIS on Backweils Lland, when about forty prisoners
money the fee for lawyer ranging from 81 to S25--
and that man called ''rorge Joc,' said to
have ken constable, was in The habit OF
whiting the Inland ard takisg off or
Prisoners . week; be alse called ON Mr.. Kellogg
10 know how 1t was Done, wien Mr. X. in
formed hmth he did know unless it by
corpus; he afterwards called upon tho District Attorney,
in future for that he him elf should put stop Il.
Mr. Hopkins-Is Porgfe Joe constable nows
Mr.. Beals--I believe not
This closed Mr.. Bsaes evidence and the Mex witness
eshed was
Edmond Blpnkman who testified A. folows:-I am q
hwyer know Of some abuses il criminal jurispru-
DEL arge number OF emales who arrested by
the order Ct the Mayor charged with beeing street
walkers they were taken up one night; was applied to
the next morIirg by their friends n,embers
Ct their fan ef the persons who applied to ne hasios
respectable, and not street walkers, ia accordance
With their request, applied to the Recorder Of the city
In one case for wit Of habtas corpns did this the
petition Of The sister husbans
the facts and defect in the ord of commitment
occasion, day two after again spped % f,r
similar application in behalf Of female who, ap ,ear
o3t between the hours and in the evening for the
purpose Of procuring medicine for member of fimy
vi was ill-whlle ste on ia. way from the drug
store with the medicine in her hard she was ed
BY an officer, and arrested as street walker aud taken
In that particular case was Obliged to apply for writ
of habas corpus and writ of oorayt, for the wr
Sore u Thy @ Ta hfued
On the cetloa on the morning Of her di charge there
before Justice Roosevelt and all the parties dis
shGged
In reply question from NJ oKee:e as to what fac.
Or facts were necessary TO prove woman to be street.
walker, the witness replied that the fact Of prostitution
should tesproved 1t has been held continued the wit
that where street walker conducts herself properly
IN the streets she should lie protected by the authoes
Mr.. stuyvesant-Dou't you thick II the Mayor broke
up those fashionable houses it would put stop to pros
witness That is question could MT answer.
Mr. O'ketf-Coujdn't you tell prostitute Ia the
twipkRpg OF an eyer
witness-some people might, and pc ,ple nigh,
M Hoykius-An expert has right to give an opinion
before the Sommttee anu Mr. Okeeir appears TO be one
daughter
Mr. O'Keete- Every ,ne Is an expert who has been In
New York but few months.
Mr. Hopk'ns-nd understand You to say that those
20 10 persons discharged for want Of sufficient
winess-I could not gay, but the two l represented
we're respectable parties.
Captain Leonard, sworn, testified az fonows--l am
captain Of the Sec md police dstrict my duties de-
dned by written instructions and verbal ORDERS make
daily returns the Chiefs office every morning, and To
The maeis rate the Of persons arrested; do
know hat the Chief Of Police has visited my staff
within the last year think he has been once within the
last two years; have heard OF person being dis
charged wi bout an examinations the magistrate NAV
have heard the and discharged have heard OF peo
discharged for thro wing ashes the street and tn ~
fences discharged without penalty; had | the roTc"
myself .oult have dore the thing; there Cus
gaabg house in John street, and here ia another in
Ann street gave ali the tfoInaon in my power bout
TO the Distric: Attorney don't think have the right
to suppress gambling houss; cf er has right
60 into such house without W rr.nt; lever kne
Of the Chief taking any measures supp them; in
they can oniy meet few ia their beat; l make
CSief o. Of Police not yis ing the STATEN house
should state that the rules equ ed him 90 visit them
them to 10 visited be bas mech ~ he d.
hims eli in his Office aud think outd,o. e-intend-
ent would be of great service to the department 1t Il the
& Of c The Captain to take charge 81 The Police S r..
been ut all fires but recently he has not he under
stand at that last night In Fulton street; 1t Is the duty
Of the police to caution people against entering mocs
auction stores; Micke, when he was Mayor had posters
placed opposite them warning strangers but they did
good for the auconeers told the strangers that the
poster intended for the next door, and the
aAy others who did business near the auction store
begged Of the Mayor take away his posters OF he
suctoreers had banner opposite to the Mayors place Of
business cautioning the public against buying his short
cut" UAugh'er.
Mr.. Crosby-The money made by the mock auconeers
made out Of oiiIons2
Captain LeonaIe-No, sic, it is made out Of those
from the rural districts; knew OF In.
stance where q Fourteenth ward policemen got bit;
In regard TO gambling houses ami policy dealsrs the
witness sad that In ninety nnv Of every hun
dred complaints made agAins. them f,r the sole
Yurpose OF I-skipg money out Of them nevss knew
ssse where complaints made from honessnctives;
mere one thing would wish TO speak Of ttace have
Seen member OF the department some eight or ten
haYA IN fhn niarhnr uanf1 Mi drAx ardI