New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-15
TIE PROCEEDINGS.

Then the Committee was called TO order
Mr. Hcss he desired To call attention to- supposed
violation tc part OF the Police COMMISSIONERS
in making arr ontmcnts This in relation TO the ap-
po.ntuen Gould and Walters, alleged to nave be'n
previously residents @; Owego The charter OF 1873
cave the Commits oneIs power 10 appoint any man VINO
lad been citizen " the State OF New-York and not
necessarily OF the City Of NewYorS, for gwen tlme' III
reply Mr. Townsend slid that the commissioners put Ill
tie hands al every policeman printed copy o. the fcgu
a,joS ono az tnc rules being that man could be ap
pointed the force until he had been ciizen OF the
city three months
District Attorney phclps who had been sitting among
tlc reporters ;cn addressed the Committee III substance
as follows
Iwas ,nfc, tnnate enough to he absent from the city
during the two last sessions 81 the Committee IL WEIGH
lime some testimony was taken affecting the manage
n,ent 81 the oiicc which hold regret that was not
Present. Tor | think could hive made some sns
gestloas t.at would have aid~d the Committee
in arriving ut tire trdth 1t seems to me-
il ;tuc uon the failure or success OF N Office like
nine it ia necessary for you TO be- advised Oh
the volume OF business transacted in the Office; ana
have had prepared careful settlement embracing the
business of the Dist, ct-AttOrHeJ's Office from 1870
up 10 september 81 this year desire 10 call 'he
nitcnti0a % the Committee 10 another fact The fac
tics lor tie prosecution ana trial Of criminals by tc5
stand to-day precisely the jhat they were III me
wear Isl when the act authorizing he appointment OF
CITY Judge this city passed. Crilhil cases are
ehuo. y confined 50 the Court OF G' neral Sessions
and the Court OF Oyer and Terminer. Now the volume
OF business transacted III Atorncy Gnce may
be perhaps adequately conecivedby the iact that during
the last year les Than 1914 convictions were had IN
those courts beside those cases in which persons we've &C
clt q and discharged. Now, it evident that il would
be almost Impossible under that state OF facts 10 secure
the necessary degree OF attention to every iudI'laull
case. During the time which / nave hed
this Office there have $50 indictments found 1Hs4
Il Il ltu
ions have been had All that up can
not nc pressed 10 trial is matter OF ply se I'M
POSSIBILITY During the past two wears there nave been
more trials and conylcons had than in tie whole
OF the tIrcc years That proco0cd.
As had tic honor 20 Suggest moment ago, MI
Phelps continued it becomes absolutely essential mat
IN pro coating oiccr shall select the that are to be
scs,utcd 10 the jury found upon entering upon my
duties THAI il lad been tire practice, so far "a was
able Ia ascertain, to employ the energies Vi
the Office in the prosecution or the hlsMr
grades of CrlmCs rather tnsn IN occupying ihc
tim ot the courts and jures with those oheses which
are 90 led msdercanors. Now OF the more important
IN .leneanors ofonscs against the gambling lWs
the selling lottery tickets the Keeping of disordeIy
house. and violations "a tue Excise law found tha'
during the three years previous 10 INV term there
were no convictions trials. so far as cih
learn for Of, ecs against tbe lottery gambling or CX-
else laws Those oienses which are peculiarly
matter Of police regulation. You cannot suppress lot
ery olcpscs in the without seriously interfering
with other aud more important basiness ii Is entirely
within tne power the police 10 apprchend lottery aud
policy dealers aud TO punish item with the facilities af-
fored at the Special Sessions Now would suggest that
some Of these general considerations he taken M by TIE
Committee would suggest further that they may save
themselves time and misappIehenson If the Com
mi, zee or counsel should in there is anything
winch appears demand investigation connected with
the prosecuting officer, Cd upon Inc prOscodtlus Occr
himself. or some connected VITA his Office.
Mr. Phelps then said he would cite an instance: Tes-
tmony was taken at the lat meeting in regard TO Tie
case Of william q. Lambert, charged With dealing Ill
would Dc that there sort Of laiiy III the way
FL which that prisoner came 10 ne released Lambert Ht
remained the T0mte from August, 1873. 10 March 80,
lq74 lie was DISCHARGED. Tne first paper To- be seen
opening the indictment against BIN was "a letter
flOm Detective SAMPSON, who had charge or the
case, stating that he had no doubt Lambert was
O bad man. lat he he hal nothing 10 90
with stealing the securities. and that lie Iad
not enough evidence to convict him under The
charge. Under those circumstances, Lambert was DIS
CHARGED. Now, Mir. Phelps concluded, he understood
counsel wOd be 10 the trouble OF recalling the detective,
calico. the matter might have been easily explained MI
Phelps mentioned tee four wlelo lie
might have explained IN 4 moment what the committee
Ia. found difficulty ia understanding.
The chairman said IL fair that IL should be under
aOod by Mr.. Phelps and b! the pubic Ina, me pres NJ
Investigation mas not proceeding AGAINST the Dtul
attorneys Office but Investigation of crime IN lils
,siy lie also thanked Nj Phelps for the Offer Of nioi
saiion. The following is TIE cable which -dr Phelps
presented TO the Committee:
RECORD OF CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS.
To nj