The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-18
THE COMMITTEE ON CRIME.
A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE INTERCOLLEGIATE
POLICE, GAMBLERS, THIEVES, BANco MEN
AND sonED DOVES SUGGESTIONS

I
AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
The select committee appointed by the Legislature of
1875 investigate the OF the increase Of crime
in tho city ofNew York yesterday presented their re.
port OF the testimony before them consisting of about
g. 600 pages OF printed matter. The report reviews
every department of the city government under con
troll OF the Legislature and all the city institutions
that within its jurisdiction
They examined the four Commissioners OF Police the
superintendent two out OF the four inspectors and
number Of captains; nearly all the police justices
and many OF the clerks Of criminal courts two Of tho
coroners and one ex coroner District Attorney lin
part only that official declined to appear before the
committee when subsequently invited for reasons
stated in the correspondence page 1912, ct sea-;
| the three Commissioners OF Charities and
| Correction, and many OF thor principal
subordinaes, and the heads of the various private
corporations to whose custody criminals committed
The committee visited in person all the penal institu
tons under the custody OF the Commissioners OF Char
tiles and Correcton-L e. the City Prison, the Peni-
Tertiary, the Workhouse the Schooshp Mercury and
Hart's Island, and also the House OF Refuge the Cath
! Ollie Proecory and the Juvenile Asylum. In each OF
these institutions after thorough personal Inspection
| the committee swore the spot the principal wit
nesses attanabe In some cases inmates of the inst
buttons were examined touching their treatment and
mode Of life.
| SORE SPOTS
The part of the report devoted the police quite
lengthy one and is very upon Captain McCul-
och and mis- administration OF the Twenty ninth pre-
cinct The notorious Annie Small is quoted in the
port having gwen evidence in the matter and the
OF Sarah Meyers another Infamous character said
TO be the 'wcKedcs woman In New York, whose deal
ings with police justices and captains are well known,
receives considerable attention.
POLICE BEATS
Concerning the police the Commissioners say there is
doubt that the force is sufficiently large. They
say 800 additional absolutely necessary, and
1900 additional would probably be many at
appears that the total number OF night posts in the
city of New York is $40; the aggregate length of the
night posts is SIS miles, furlongs SO rods, yards
The average length Of each night post is mile and
rods The total force OF paromen in patrol precincts
1916; average absent from any cause, 4os; average
effective force, 1883; average effective force each
night 769; length OF each actual night post
mile % rods and yards aggregate length of day posts
s25 miles, furlUngs 3S rods and yards average eff
fectve day force, SS4"
GRADING SALARIES
The committee recommend three grades OF patrol
pay. First, $500 per annum second, 81, 600
third, 81, 200 They pronounce the payment of mex
perenced and experienced men at the same rate ab
surd. They recommend that the force be divided as
nearly possible into these three grades in equal pro-
portions The salary OF sergeants ought be raised
10 ST. $50 per annum, and that OF captains to So co.,
and OF inspectors to s. 00o The report recommends
the creation of the Office Of assistant superintendent OF
police which officer shall BIO charged especially with
the management OF the criminal duties pertaining TO
the Superntendent's office; the details of crime and
both ward and Headquarters the general charge of all
that is expressly directed in the government OF the
police force to the prevention and detection Of crime
The committee say that the Headquarters and ward
detectives ought longer TO be separate and ndepend
ent forces They also recommend secret system of
detective police, saying that the publication of the
OF detectives in special often prevents the
detection OF crime. The pay OF detectives should
range from ST. 500 81 600 year They say that the
existence of gambling house precinct ought 10 be
in itself a for the OF the captain
ommend that all gambling instruments be de-
stroyed, whereas they are now often returned to the
gamblers Upon tho subject of panel houses, banco
games lottery and horse robberies they think
additional legislation necessary If the police do their
duty
Speaking OF the general belief among the public
OF levying black mail women OF i'll fame, the
port adds:Brought face TO face with this fact, the
question remains Tor the legislative body OF this State
to decide whether not IL is wise TO continue the
nominal legal ban under which prostitution is placed,
TO close the eyes OF the lawmaknR power TO fact
which their hearts cannot ignore and putting aside all
considerations OF local welfare OF the greatest happi
OF the greatest number to on in tho future
nent healthy reforms. whatevoy may be the odium
incurred by the suggestion among honest peo-
|
ignorant of its passions and of their fatal
effects, the committee willing to take II upon
themselves in earnestly recommending TO the Legisia-
ture the regulating permitting. or IL the word be
not deemed Offensive the licensing OF prostitution In
the interest of the wellbeing the decorum, the de-
cency OF society in the interest OF the peace and
happiness of by lar the greatest number Of people;
the interest OF the preservation Of the purity Of the
guardians OF the pubic peace in the interest OF public
health and for the sake Of thousands yet unborn, the
committee earnestly urge upon tho Legislature as the
only OF graphing with the social evil the grant,
ing the police the power of regulation, Of ocaliza-
ton and medical visitation What fees, IL any should
be paid oud be left judgment OF the Board of
| Commissioners OF Police.
POLICE COURTS.
The committee make some very sweeping and thor
ough suggestions In regard to what should be done by
the Legislature regard 10 reforms in police
The six present courts should probably be- continued
with justice apiece and Ave other courts dIstrib
uted with reference partly to the density of the Grim
na population and partly to the question OF territorial
Jurisdiction, to equaize the labor among the
eleven courts as nearly possibe and the committee
see no reason why these 1--WE additional courts should
not be held certain designated police station houses
reduction OF the salaries OF future justices to s. 600
year, and decrease in the number Of clerks and
altered that any justice may commit person charged
with that offence second time for much longer
period Singuarly enough this now tho law in
! York The justices should be allowed TO take
bail pending examination. IL should be
obligatory on the police justices to have court
on Sunday afternoon, say from five to seven
admit 70 bail for the whole city The prisons attached
TO the police courts under the control Of the Com
missoners OF Charities and Correction, should be under
the control OF the police justices, under such rcgua
tons as they may make Instead OF squad OF police
attached to each court who papers, errands
and perform other similar duties for the police Justices
the justices should BIO allowed appoint three four
attendants to zach court at small salaries who should
do this duty Justices should not be limited 70 500 In
exactng bail in excise cases The police justices here
after TO be appointed should be lawyers OF certain
duration OF practice The District Attorney should
from to time make return to the police justices
individually, OF tho disposition OF cases sent him By
them. THIS would enable police justice 10 give In
"a lon
the purposes Of the history OF criminal transactions,
and would tend largely 10 tx the responsibility Tor the
failure OF justice which, unfortunately, ensucs In 20
many cases.
BOARD.
The committee recommend an immediate abolition or
the Excise Board for many reasons which they
give length The committee regard the Excise Com