The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-11
8G0OKLYN POLICE INVESTIGATION.

HAS TO SAY IN HIS OWN BEHALF-WHAT WILL
THE DECISION BE
Yesterday the third and last session Of the Brooklyn
Board OF Police and Excise Commissioners was held
Headquarters Of Court and Livingston Streets
upon the charges and Specifications preferred against
Superintendent John s. Folk by Commissioner John
Pyburn The superintendent has been connected with
the police of that city since 1S35fory years-and for
twenty years he has the head or executive Of the
force In politics he has always been repub-
hcan About month ago be was
moned TO appear before the new Board of
Commissioners, by ono Of their members TO answer
charges Of incompeency and inef1cency He asked
why the murderer Of Hartgan had been arrested;
why the perpetrator of the robbery Of assault upon
Arthur Heaney the Atlantic street pawnbroker, had
not been apprehended what measures had been taken
looking TO the detection Of the perpetrators OF
the robbery of the Long Island Bank; what
had been done to effect the arrest Of
the burglar who entered the residence
of Mr. Aaron shute Tompkins avenue,
in June last, and shot the proprietor He further
cited to explain what magistrate William H. Neeves,
the English embezzler had been arragned before prior
TO his surrender to the British detective spttals The
charges against Mr. Folk were prosecuted by Anthony
Barrett, counsel for the Police Board while the de-
PENDANT represented by County Judge Troy The
A. Fok-son of the defendant--who testified to the
arrest of Neeves by him and his surrender
of the prsoner-who was not taken be-
fore any magistrate-to the English officer. He
also gave testimony to what had been
accomplished by the detective corps in the several
cited Sergeant Frost in charge Of the detective
squad, told Of the general working of his bureau
bearing upon the cited in the charges Inspector
Waddy testified as TO his knowledge of the department
and Endorsed the judgment and capacity Of his superior
officer Sergeant Carpenter testified also, but his evil
dence was not of any special moment. The only wit
called for the defence the defendant who
the opening of tho court yesterday took the witness
chair and
TESTIFIED IN FMS OWN BEHALF
He said he was Deputy Superintendent of Police
under the metropolitan administration and had charge
of the Brooklyn Department.; had held his present
position for nearly two years; his duties at his
Office from nine O'Clock in the morning, when he
ceved the reports of the captains and exercised gem
eral supervision over the department. orders we're
ceived by him from the Commissioners; remembered
the Hartigan murder, which occurred the afternoon
before he received the report OF the occurrence;
the delay in reporting IL was owing to the failure of re-
porting it at the station house until Eve or six hours
after il occurred; witness informed 10 the
adopted by the police the night before;
suited with Captain Smith, Of the First precinct about
it, who reported everything in detail to him the next
day. the Captains actions in the were partly the
result OF his consultation with the witness; the
search for the murderers of Hartgan was con-
tnued for some time, - and all she news
papers published the names OF tho supposed
murderers; in the opinion of the witness these
publications tend to hinder the ends OF justice by
giving the suspected parties warming everything that
experience could suggest done TO the
of the suspected parties; as to
THE LONG ISLAND BANK ROBBERY,
witness first heard of that while the cars the
attempt TO break into the bank first made Sun
day morning and he was informed OF it the
ing; simultaneously with the report Sergeant Frost
and Captain Worth the Second precinct went 10 work
to discover the offenders; the steps taken by those
officers exactly in accordance with the views OF
the witness; the next day monday he found
boy who was working in the store near the boarding
house of the suspected robbers and the Superintendent
used him to identify themj the men were shortly af-
terward discovered; the detectives and officers were
engaged in the hunt for the men constantly until the
criminals were discovered that robbery was also pub
shed in full in the papers; all that could possibly be
done in the matter done by the officers; when the
ROBBERY ARTHUR HEAVY
occurred witness confined to his house being Sick
his return to duty he took charge of the
Der of arrests and attempted identhcations ensued but
held for the crime when the Tompkins
burglary and assault occurred witness testified that he
was made acquainted with the facts the same
precinct Mr.. Schultz lived; everything that
could be done in that was done, and the
pursuit of the criminal was continued for
more than week; mounted policemen and detectives
engaged in actual search under his orders Wit
81 did everything that thought necessary,
and am satisfied that the man Mooney, who is now in
for another crime is the perpetator Of the Schultz
assault and burglary; Mrs Schultz said she left the i'm
preston OF her fingers his arm, and when Mooney
stripped found the marks; think every officer
in this city did all he could to arrest the man who com
mitted the offence"
Witness said he introduced to Detective Sptt2ls
by Sergeant Frost the English officer told him that his
business here TO arrest man who had been rob-
bing in England that he (Sptals) had followed him all
the country and had come 70 the conclusion that
the then in Brookyn he asked for detective
20 assist him. and the Superintendent called in his son.
William Folk, as he knew the people where Neeves was
then stopping; witness talked with Neeves at
Headquarters after he had been arrested; Neeves did
not admit any offence exactly but said If nc went back
he would settle all the difficulty he said he wanted SO 60
back England; If he did desire TO il
10 Of he W
United States Court for final disposition but as the
prisoner anxious to go back witness asked his son
TO give him to Detective Spittals this done
and the fact duly reported to witness; the Board OF
Commissioners also informed of the fact
Superintendent Folk said 81 have at all times
Whine superintendent given my own personal care
and attention 10 the department. with the purpose OF
dischargng my full duty; it does not occur to me
now that have omitted TO do anything which might
have done; the Board that was appointed by con-
sisted of Commissioners JOurdan, Briggs and Jansen"
On the examination Mr. Folk said that the pris-
Necvcs, who sent 10 prison for
ten years in England for embezzing was surren,
dered by him TO Detective Spals, who, he believed,
had extradtion papers from what the officer told him;
did take any pains 10 inform himself ON She subject
OF extradiion papers before assisting the detectives
the law does not say that prisoner must first be
brought before magistrate; did not recoliect telling
his son on that morning to go on the Long Island Bank
robbery case;
SERGEANT FRosT MUST HAVE lEEN ASLEEP
II he says he never Neeves - did not a cent
whether Neeves went back TO England not was not
aware Of any ruo'of the department that required him
rights; had told Captain smith 10 do all in his
power to effect the arrest of the Hartigan
murderer; knew that the guilty parties must have been
well known in the neighborhood; had officer O'Brien de-
tailed that case, he knew the parties; still of
the opinion that Mooney Is the who fred NJ Mr..
Schultz had any words with Inspector Waddy
with regard TO the detective force the questions put to
Detective Folk in regard to what had been done to de-
the bank robbers in the witness Judgment pre-
vented the arrest of two who suspected OF
the crime did not know OF Mr.. Heany receiving back
portions of the stolen property.
AT this point the
EXAMINATION CLosRD,
Judge Troy saying that they would not take up the
lime Of The Board With argument Counsellor Barrett
satisfied Thus terminated the against super
intendent Folk.
WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS.
reporter of the HERALD inquired of the Superin-
tendent what he intended to do in the Board of
Commissioners should give decision against HIM
upon the evidence elected. Mr.. Folk said he
had but one course 10 pursue IN such an
event and that bring the
before the supreme Court and lay the testimony before
that tribunal for their decision The whole examination
VIVA he