The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-08
What Commissioner Smith Thinks Of
His Colleagues.
THE FORCE CORRUPT AND DEMORALIzED
The Failure Of Disbecker 8
Proposed Coalition.
President Matsen and the Police
Gazette.

The proceedings OF the Board OF Police Commis-
sioners yesterday were OF an exceedingly lively
and interesting nature, SURPRISING by far any
thing OF the kind since the organization Of the
present Board. General Smith was up in arms
and dealt warlike and telling blows in every
direction. From the President down to the
humblest patrolman all came In alike for share
OF the denuncation he so generously bestowed
upon the department., and the abuses and causes
OF corruption existing in the government OF the
force were handled without gloves and paraded
In all their nakedness 80 the gaze Of the Commits
Bloners. When the Board adjourned from It's
regular weekly session ON Friday 1t was with the
understanding that another meeting should be
held yesterday, but proceedings OF the character
OF those that transpired yesterday were entirely
unexpected by any person, save, perhaps, Com
siener Smith, as 1t seemed to be the general i'm
preston that business Of a routine nature alone
would be transacted.
The cause OF the trouble yesterday, briefly sum-
married. is as follows :-On the I'd OF last month
the Committee on Rules and Discipline, of which
General Smith Is chairman submitted to the
Board series OF amendments TO the rules Of the
police manual, making several important changes
therein. Among the most prominent was tnat OF
dividing the city into four inspection districts,
and assigning in command OF each an Inspector
o: police. The proposed amendments mad long
before been a subject OF careful consideration In
the committee, and when IL was decided to report
favoraby upon them to the full Board, IN open
session, each member Of the commission had fully
and unqualihedly Endorsed them. They were &C
cordingly presented and adopted without dis
senting voice, and forwarded IN the regular
course OF proceedings TO the superintendent
for PRONUNCIATION to the various precincts.
few days afterward the attention OF
Commissioner voorhis was called by the Superin-
tendenE To varioug annarontv c0n0ictiuo and oh.
scure passages IN the amendments The Com
missioner thereuDon suggested to the Superin-
tendent that he should hold q consultation with
che four inspectors and all carefully aIalyze the
amendments and report to him any changes,
alterations or suggestions that might appear to
them from their long police experience as neces-
sary or desirable. when he would lay the matter
before the Beard for action.
The result OF these deliberations were several
suggestions for alterations and additional rules
on the part OF the Superintendent and inspec-
tors, and the same were, as per understanding,
laid by Commissioner voorhis before the Commit
zee on Rules and Discipline. At o meeting OF this
committee on Friday General Smith took certain
exceptions and left the room; bus the amend
ments were, Notwithstanding passed by the re-
naming members OF the Board, Messrs. Matsen,
Voorhis and Disbecker.
At the meeting OF the Board yesterday, Com.
missIoners Matsen, Voorhis and Smith present,
Dlspecker being absent General Smith, as chair
man OF the committee, presented the following as
the amendments and additions to the rules
adopted July q announcing at the same time that
ne Intended 10 vote against them ALL
Resolved That the following rules be and hereby
amended TO read as folloWs:-
RULE "A. The superintendent shall keep at his Office
books of record. which shall be entered
firstyA record OF orders Issued from his Office:
bis own Office as wen as those OF the Office OF District
Third-A record Of suspicious and places in
the city Of New York
COMMITTED in the city OF new YORK for which no ar
fn@A record of houses OF prostitution sssisnarton
houses, gambling houses and dsorderly dsreputabe
names Of the owners and &epers thereof WI" 'n'
the IN his district ana @ los %
eiplne Of the force therein He shall weekly and as
ton in his district, and he snail make cause be
his district while duty may necessary satisfy
% 1ace hTe se eof are s
other officers in COMMAND Of members Of the force IN
iortnwith 70 the snpsrnteadent He shall then care
son his own OF The Gues Of himself and aids Tor the
previous twcny-tour hours with such remarks on the
at the Central Office at such hour the superintendent
as may the force within district and SEQ that
they are promptly and properly distributed therein
companies court squads &C. will report at the district
Al nine NJ they viii carefully examine the repolts
OF seTgeants ana made 70 me superintendent
are correctly out bring them the Inspectors
with the morning returns The morning returns shall
be made oct in manner matter and form as directed
lice aud shall contain accurate and faithful COPIES or
OF the entries and memorandums each and every
hours including tho disposition by the courts of all
by the courts the in each such discharge
The officers IN command wli carefully examine their
arc properly entered They shall make daily supple;
the disposition OF which is reported on the
morning returns The morning returns shall be signed
Ia dcO nj arcfo nad
by the captain When errors discovered expiana-
geant who signs the shah notified to attend at
s cas se to sa or e. explain them
at the office of the superintendent They shall quarterly
writing to the superintendent setting forth the condi.
the manner which the books are Reps in their respee
tive districts with such suggestions regard to them
and insure 9 thorough performance o: duty.
dered By the Board Of Poe hail assign one or
~ rotation TO attend to t6e nigh; duty pertaining TO the
attend 70 the duty pertaining to the Central Prmen
terminate At ana eight shd a NJ Sunday duty viii begin at
RUE 2s. To each Inspector shall be assigned for once
and inspection duty sucn sd the force the Board
RrLE 81 CAPTAINS and sergeants In command Of com
an" and a Ha as % a.
Tsd AND snail nn ePS oac 70 n c in
and The 81 a. sas a IN each case knOwn
The only alterations made to the rules ADOPTED
on July we're In rules "A, 200 and 2ll. The former
was cleared OF some oDscurlties and the two latter
but slightly altered. The alterations In rules 200
and I'll can be readily seen by comparing the
original published below with the amendments
above:-
ORIGINAL RULES 200 AND oil.
RuLE zoo Each inspector shall be responsible for the
preservation of the peace his district and tor the DIS
cpiiuc OF the force under his command He shall daily
inspect be inspected thoroughly each station
house III his district and shall make cause TO be made
such inspections of the members The force In his dis
uct while on duty may be necessary TO satisfy him
sell lhstth duties are properly performed lie shall
ceVc tue reports OF the Captains other officers
nand OF members OF the force in his district a NJ.
dally, ana carefully examine them. and make such
MARKS tneIe9n as may be proper and transmit them in
person logsther with his own report TO the Central Of
nee A. such hour the superintendent NAV direct
which time he shall receive such orders AS may AFFECT
the force within his district and see that thew are
pron2ty ana properly distributed within mis- district
RULE 2ll-lnspectors shall report In person daily NJ
the Office OF the superinte ndent They sha from iime
TO time submit reports in writing the superntend-
ent setting forth condition each statIon honse
and other police quarters and the in which the
books are kept in their respective districts with sueh
suggestions regard to them viii conduce to the
OF ind iusur