New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-18

made public by THE TRIBUNE i'll some lorh
more or less positive and convincing. lha
captains of police should corruptly take pay
| from the worst and lowest of criminals as tli'
| Committee now officially asserts, will not sur
mise those who have read in years past the expo
sitiou of notice rascality in these columns 1ha'
police officers and police Justices alike Shouio
have Jointly levied tribute on gambling heliS anu
policy shops and dens of vier class VIII ho'
ostonish the readers of THE TRIBUNE whose
memories date back to the time when Jourdaii
and Kelso ruled the police and Downing con
trolled the minor courts. The statement
that detectives have conspired with Iofg-
ers and thieves to aid their escape VIII
remind most TRIBUNE readers OF the
exposure in these columns OF the manner III
which Can't. Irving aud Detective Farley ie-
ceiyed the Bank of England forgcrs in 1877.
The decentralization of the District Attorney 5
Office is told in IN array of facts not specially
new to u.s. The whole report IN fact reads 10
one intimately familiar with the history OF the
city like fair and careful condensation OF
lhc local events of the past three ol four
years.
The decentralization of the police and the
corruption in the District Attorneys Once
form the burden of the report. There are
pointed ont minor errors of administration IN
yariou. other departments the present police
courts the Coroner's office, the Sheriff olilce
and the yarou, prisons and reiornaiorlcs. for
instanrr-and some important reforms are sug-
gc,ted. but the report has mainly to do with
the mala,lministratIon of the Police and the
milf ..,tt-
cludcs that here lie the most potent causes of
The increase of crime in the city. The de
moraIization and corruption of the police have
turned what should be the guardian OF the
public into protection of the plumber
ers of the people and the destroycrs
of the public peace. Negligence aud lne'ii-
cheney in the District Attorneys Office have
made that Department, which should be net
10 catch rogues q loopholc for their escape.
This L. the sum total of the arraignmcnt oil
these two departments by the committee ANA
there is very little question thai when the re-
port was written II wa Il correct prcsentmcnt.
II j. furthermore true that the visible I'M
proyemcnt Lately made in the police ut
least is a Wholesome result of this Committees
investigation. II il without question. a. the
Committee APPLY SAYS, that the decentralization
and corruption of the police were from III"
top downward" While this was not true OF
the District Attorneys office under MIR. Phelps.
If is nevertheless the fact that the APP
parent corruption there was Il c"nSr-
,Icncc of that officers easy and negligent
conduct of it, aiiIir>. And in both DiSllIct-
Attorney, Office and the Police Department
the pcrrcptiblc improvement of late has been
n consequence of changes in the Supporters.
Mr.. Phelps has certainly devoted himself with
more energy and discretion t" the dis
charge of his duties since the election
than he did before And from the
removal of Matscll and DSbcclcr, than whom
Ncw-lork has seldom seen more Inefficient
officers. dates the improvement going on III
the police force. There IL no question that
such improvement Is going on. and 1t i the one
ray of light which relieves the gloomy picture
drawn hy the Commute" ON CRIME and JuStl-
lies lis existence and il, action.
II j. moi too much Ia say that this reform IL
largely due to the very existence of this Com
mt:rc. II was terror while II sal Ia wee IN
all if, yariou, forms. The worst dcnS of
New York were closed during IT. SittnS-.
rorr1lpt officers of the police were suddenly
arraigncd and dismissed 10y Supcri"rS who
made show of virtue III order Ia
appcasc the Committee on Crime. Grim
inal, He'd l. city Ia avoid The witness
stand Prisons were renovated Ia receive
the visiting committee. Lutte reforms in every
direction were enforced from fear where II
sense of duty had not before compelled them.
and this gradual reform still goes quietly on.
Give us ano her such honest. industrious and
tlorough searching committee, with ~ rnihu.
siaStic and fearless n counselor ~ John ID.
Townsend 10 cut ont its work, and that re-
form will some day be- very ncar.l perfected.