New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-22


just befvrs elections. Daring the time that MattheS
4. Brennan. now Police Justice, KEEP. that establ,h'
Iuent in person. il was the resort Of "crosd known
a. the monroe Hall Boys nearly all of whom were
among the Mayors police Of that Ward when dis
banded. About six years ago Matthew I. Brennan
was made Police Captain of the Sixth Ward and there
las ever since existed strong, ruling political cuque
in the police force comprising the Monroe hau
Boys" a great proportion Of whom have been en-
listed as policemen. Included in the NUMBER WIS
the late Police Captain, 10. Dowlng TAKEN together,
as "crowd" they sharp fighters, and wei cal
culated 10 bring the Ward to submission. When
Matthew I. Brennan was elected Police Justice, aud 1t
becsm. necessary to appoint captain in his place
I.euts. Bingham and Fierty, experienced aud worthy
officers. were overlooked as not well adapted to the
peculiar work to be done and Joseph DO Wing one of
ihe old Monroe Hall boys" wac selected as the ft
man for the succession. Accordingly he was made
cautaip and continued to hold that Office until the 81
inst. uncer Brennaus control. Harry Howard,
Chief Engineer Of the New-York Fire Department"
tsee the scroll Ia the eagles beak, his Office in
Elizsbeth street, has been active member OF the
Brennan Monros.Hal clique, and owes his political
promotions, and all, to that connection. In fact
the ties that bound him TO that crowd" were 80
strong that when they transferred from Monroe
Hall TO the Ststion-lIouse, he followed and "bunked"
with them iu the Tombs. Under Brennan's auspices
Harry was elected to the Assembly and afterwaId be-
came Alderman of the Sixth Ward. During the Pc
nod that he was AL Alderman, circumstance trans
pred which illustrates how this clique, by the use Of
police authority, subdued political opposition. We
published an OF the affair at the time, and nov
reproduce ii from THE TRIBUNE of Feb. II, 1855:
"ALD. HOWARD IN THE THIRD TIER."-A singular
performance came off last night in the third tier
loon Of the Broadway Theater, IN which Harry
Howard Alderman Of the Sixth Ward, Police Capt
Bowling and one William Potter, employee III the
United States Public Stores the principal actors
The occurrences, as witnessed by the by-standers
were substantially as follows few minutes before
the curtain fell al the close OF the last piece, Howard
and bowling went into the rum saloon of the third
tier and Howard, apparently without the least provo
cation from Potter, told him Potter to clear out
oftbere and 90 into the Fourteenth Ward, where he
belonged, and Immediately struck him. Potter upon
being struck remarked What do you strike Inc
for n Whereupon Howard again pitched in to him,
Bowling making apparent effort ~ hinder Howard
and serving Potter by the hair held him with bis
head down Howard, meantime, kicked Potter four
or five times about the head. When Potter was let
mp lac remarked to Howard, You're a pretty
Alderman " Howard again made for him.
when Bowling instead Of holding Howard
seized Potter again by the hair, and
while he was holding him with his head down, How
ard improved the opportunity by administering five or
Fix more kicks most of which took effect in Potters
face. Capt Bowling then led Potter by the hair, say
ing Come out you thief, IN going TO show you up"
and started off with him. Potter at liberty half
an hour afterward when he stated that they put him
into CELL but after discharged him, after max
ing him promise that he would take no proceedings
against them. The diticulty SAID TO be Of q pri-
vale nature of two three years. standing, and mas
been aggravated probably by the Hard and Soft
scbism IN the Democracy.
eve presume that Mayor Wood will look into this
snatter. 1t may be that Aid. Howard and Capt. Dow
ling are innocent OF any improper conduct Whatever
but the affair looked TO the bysanders as though, III
, their zeal to preserve the peace, the Alderman, at
d least had worked little harder than the case re-
qured. If the prisoner was thief, what magistrate
discharged him from arrest If he was not n thief
why was he arrested The case ought 10 be thor
oughly investigated that the credit and glory due to
fhe amable and gentlemanly Howard and the vigant
Capt. Bowling may be duly awarded to them we
shall expect to it fully sifted and impartialy ad-
Indicated"
II was aferward ascertained upOu inquiry, that Pot
Ter did not bear the reputation of thief He resided
in the Fourteenth Ward, which is in the same Con-
Rreseional District the Sixth, and was devoted to
the interests Of the Hon. John Kelly, NJ {. This WAS
his oepse and for tlis he was publicly beaten, and
Cegraded-so far Yves in their poverty an arrest
on the charge of being tAief. Had he resisted the
assault or resented the insult, he would have been
liable then to the charge of ressance to the Police
The Mayor sent for Capt. Bowling, and after be
coming satisfied of his guilt IN abusing MS power ne
simply reprimanded him.
But the work of subduing opposition to the ruling
pened ii at Officer Wooley of the First Ward-who
was on daty every evening the theater and who knew
Potter 10 be an inoflensve man-was not present when
the assault was made. When told of it, he remarked
that il he had been there he would not have allowed
Observation-Disclosures though ne was Of the Ward-to
conduct himself in that manner; and would have put
him out of the theater. For saying this, fierce on
slaueht was made upon Mr.. Woolley. Aid. Howard
demanded of Mr. Marshall, the lessee OF the theater,
. tbe right as Alderman of the Ward, TO
designate the officer who should attend in
the theater But Mr.. Marshall was immovase.
These prosecutors next induced the Mayor TO put
Officer Woolley back from the Broadway squad to
patrol duty in the Ward By which means he would be
obliged to discontinue duty at the ihester Bot Otoer
Wooey brought influences to bear to get reinstated
They again caused his removal, when he obtained
transfer 10 the Third Ward under arrangements which
allowed him to continue duty at the theater, and the
Sixth Ward Dead Rabbit gang thus failed to punish
him. Potter however was not so fortunate. Through
the influence of the Hon. John Kelly, N. G. of the
Fourteenth Ward in whose interest he was, they could
not procure his dismissal from the place p the United
States Public Stores which Mr. Kelly had procured for
him. but they continued their malignity toward him
whenever an opportunity occurred until about year
afterward he was murdered in the Sixth Ward, near
the Dead Rabbit neighborhood, by some OF that party
of Dead Rabbits who trained in the service of this
ruling clique. On the night of April 26, 1885, ne was
noested in Doyer street, in the vicinity of the Dead
Rabbit neighborhOod by two brothers STANDBY who,
with Others, followed him into Chatham street, where
a fght ensued and one of them stabbed him fatally.