The New York herald., 1875-07-20
THE BROOKLYN POLICE MUDDLE.


CHARGES OF INooAfPETENcY PREFRRRFD AGAINST
SUPERINTENDENT FoLK-wHAT THAT VET
ERAN OFFICIAL SAYS AS 10 HIS RECORD AND
TIE SITUATION.
the storm which has been gathering about the
heads OF some Of the members OF the Brooklyn Po-
! lice department Dur,t with considerable lorce,
metaphor, ,cally speaking, yesterday. ABOUT the
ears OF the superintendent OF the force, Mr. John
| s. Folk. Early IN the forenoon there was cOnslfer-
| able busTle apparent In the corridors and abont
tn rooms oil the Commissioners at Headquarters,
and rumor was rife that something was likely TO
grow out oil the delOerauons OF the Board. This
assertion was strengthened when several OF the
leaders OF the MAJORITY party were noticed MT
ting about and cOnve sing with tne Commissions
ers. Anthony Barrett, counsel ior the Boaru, was
sent for aud was lnstruc ell 10 draft charges and
specldca zoos aRaiDst the Superinten0ent, waich
he did under the direction OF Commissioner yOhn
Pyblrn About nal past one O'Clock the follow
ing document was handed 10 Mr.. Folk, who read
IL calmly
Police HEADOuARrERs. BRooKLrS, July 10, 1878.
thereby charge Jonu .. FolK o. the oohce force OF
hS h 6iy Of 81 b d win being 70 iHai
the commission an offence against the laws Of the
O s "d ws 90 hY orc ae rules and
FT-lhat he has not taken easOnnbiy proper action
TO- cause he arrest Of 'he ersons ensased IN ne mur
roe roc tue Long an Ban %SIch 3 s ~" the ro1BerS
OF arthur He my the pawnoroker, at MS store, IA
AID attempt 10 roo Mr. Aaron shute at us residence
| Secoad- hal he wfongmily, unayuly and without
Tar5sh' wa Ia caused me arrest Of "pe ne wa9 H. NeYes on
knowingy unlawful and en- rary 10 The rule OF ths
said Neeves mso the custody pi Detective spites Of
without 6rnsnS ssia Neeyes betr. any m, ss,rate or
ohsr proper ordcer that he miSh be informed OF his
IISd-rqat he mas not properly directed the means a.
offences against the law ana also the stolen
properly ''A'' 'H' ~ JGh% J fSbtRN. Commissioner.
The specifications are Endorsed as iollows:-
| superintenlent john s. FoLK:You are hereby noti-
lions viii take place on Tnursday, tne 2a inst, az
ySur Wesses b. Lam ING o6e usFs M'n
| Having oigested the contents OF the document
the superintendent lett the building and secured
COUNSEL as ne Is determined to aefeuu himself pe-
lore tue Board TO the utmost extent OF his ability.
| reporter of the HERALD subsequently mad Y con-
! versatlon with ,im 10 the suDJoIned eiiect:-
| sUPERIN1E 1ENDENT FOLKS RECORD.
"What 90 you propose to do with reference to
these charges of incompetency, Superintendent Yu
"Well, have no o1Jectlon to ap ear before the
and 10 meet these charges fully one OF the local
papers SAID lew Gays ago mat II was mo uoe IN
sioners snoulu go Tor my SCALP rlsnt away mat
Is about wnat 1t means. one tmng That appears
Ss 0Sa cSarTs me . sea' ons .s 9 an5 vino %fss
time comp'anaDt Commissioner and Judge
in the case. But l presume he knows
say word against this business II the Board mad
the power OF law TO remove me; bat as to the
excuse that have not done my duty. that ls abb
suTd and DON'T peeve that ANYBODY thinks other
wIse.n
.'now long have you been on the police-thirty.
i've years, Is 1t not, Mr.. Folk Z"
't Is longer than that, OF ana on. worked
at my trade, that of carpenter, for time, and 1
VAS also a member OF he BOARD OF superintend-
ents or the Poor. | went on the ponce the hrst
ngnt after the great fire IN New YORK In 1884 or
1888. went on as chance watchman and vas
soon made lu watchman. La thos, days the force
ddu't NUMBER over thirty men. Here IS return
nln laln nuuln Ia tgan annd
when he produced from his desk). There were
two captains for the iorce. | WAS also one OF tue
Tne marsnals ala the duties OI court officers and
detectives. AS marshal | received tne lndorse-
Smith and otaers Now, II had been sucn o seal
lawag,' so many ctHens OF higa standing would
that ia,d in my power to detect eSidoers A'i /
have made some excellent arrests. There Is the
Case OF old Mr.. Hodgeklss, VINO was beaten and
robbed by four men tne highway and died
from MS injuries. caught the whole four OF the
ROBBERS, VINO went to State Prison for life and
died there. In 1850 the law was changed ana
was elected Cnle OF Police, the first who ever
elected in Brooklyn. ! ran against ex-snerin
JENKINS, very popular man. too, AMI was elected
by 500 majority. The term was Tor TWO years. In
1852 ran against Edward Pe. linen had to
ngnt against all the foreign element, who were all
against me for having arrested Kane and sem him
back 10 ireland to be RED Ior murder. Demo-
ing that was rife, and said should not oe beaten
/ wen by ITO majority. In 1854 the Legislature
changed enc law and made the term OF once three
instead OF two years. i entered tho race again.
This time murderer IRON Williamsburg was a
candidate against me. beat him 5000 votes.
When the Metropolitan Police law came in 1857 |
was appointed deputy superintendent. After
ward ! was Inspector In charge OF BrOokyn. In
1869 was leglslated out and Mr.. CampDell was
put In my place. In 1872 tneY made new law
and was appointed inspector OF police under
Campbell. In 1873 Campoell went out OF OH Q bv
the same process Of legls alton that went out
under In lS70.n
"Durln0 your varied and long service on the
police were charges preferred against you, Super
! lntendenC I'
''Yes; was placed on trial before the Metro
! polltan Board when M. Slranahan was a member
oil that bO0y | struck a man on the mead Wltn
club In queling a HghJ In Williamsburg between
Engine companies Nos. ana T. | paid some
money to lawyer, Nat Wariing' to take notes.
l was iuIly acqui' ted by the ard. A good many
! years ago there was q nreman's riot in jay street
(when was Chief OF P0llce), aud was summoned
before the Common Council 1 don't remember
/ give me pleasure now, as | nave said. TO make
! any explanation the Board may denland fr-m me.
! will say tals, tuat there has never been Detter
( work done tnan was done on those very
/ Cases cited by the Commissioners Ia tue
! charges There never was better WORK dUne "
! the whole department..
! eyes, out you didn't do 1t, saws Mr.. Pynurn
"Why should l do at My place a. e
at Headquarters. 1t Is not my duJ o. -
| out on the streets aud MAKE arrests 1 nave
done tnat when It was necessary. have mace 40
appointments, nor have | ASKED for any, tuAt 4
have got no bad, delinquent men on the lOrce.
They nave appointed men VINO nave been guilty OF
all sorts Of offences. however, so i suppose tney
must know how lt Is themselves. The records OF
the Court of Sessions will show now We'll police
nave done their duty from the numOer oil cOnyic-
tlons. But suppose It's all right now. nughT
(the Boss) and the rest OF the leaders go on
There Is no need OF any more trouble"