The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-16

Jefferson and st. Bernard, has been for the seven
1 past years. on an average, $7e0, 472 81 per an
mum, when, according TO the last authorities, IN
infinitely more efficient force, under difierens
system, can be entertained at an expense not "a
| ceedinE $500, 900. -.
Under the present odious system, the salaries
paid the commissioners, superintendent ana Clerk
amount to very near $4,000, and tbs emu,
nous amount, paid for services 90 ind9eicnuy
rendered, does not inclCde the annual addiuonS
payment made to each commissioner Q. sl1oo
under simple resolution OF the Doaro, Ior VI ;,
| which they have agreed to call "secret service
that amount they sllege is PAID 70 sPeclal us'
tective whose duties are va1cas,y v Ts P,as;
| dent OF the board, says: "He employs oetec-
tive to watch over the force in his special ostrc.
who is to report TO him as to the discipline, EN-
cheney. and faithfulness OF Dotn omcers an0
| privates." ,,
Commissioner Murdock, Treasurer OF the board
| emnIovs three detectives. says Commissioner
| Murdoch "They only furnish me such lnformar
! ton as I want-more particularly In regard &c
| gambling. Still l never couio ge' W sne p'ao9
| Here we see police commissioner employing
| three detectives to take him to some gambling
place, "and he never can get to the place ne
| wants to get to-" Commissioner Murdoch further
| saws: 81 presume it is under the authority OF q
! resolution passed by the board employ three
special detectives. found the system in vogue
when l went there, and / adopted It," Your
committee cannot find the authority even OF a
simple resolution for the employment OF three
detectives by single commissioner
But gambling houses are so difficult OF detec-
| ton that the Jealous Mr.. Murdoch tells us even
his three detectives can not find one
Lieut.. Gov. G. G. Antoine ingenuous!y in
formed your committee that he also employs q
special detective to watch over the efficiency OF
| the force-said detective reports to him alone
Besides he employs an officer, "whO acts as .
sort OF body guard" and another officer who Is
might Waterman at my residence-roundaDout
my residence, SIR" says the Lieutenant Gov
ernor, who thus costs the State in personal
guardianship something near $500.
The other commissioners have each special de-
tectives In q word, your committee find that
| the board appropriated regularly the sum o.
| $3.50, 900 year for the last seven years.
Your committee must state that they were not
able to establish the bona tfde employment OF
| such detectives, the commissioners perempto-
/ rily refusing to give names for fear OF impair
| ing the usefulness OF their respective de-
| tectives; depriving them OF their usefulness IN
| watching over the efficiency of force, which,
| according to Superintendent Loans own es.
innate, is nearly one-third "good for moth
ing!" Your committee have in the record
accompanying this report tabulated estimate
Of 500 privates, he marks 116 N. G. Ono
Good y, and yet all the detectives OF all the
commissioners are watching, night and day.
! over that force, which still remains unchanged.
| and for that secret service we pay $500:
Your committee find that Gov. w. p. Kellogg
did, on the day of July, 1875 commission one
Harry 8. Armstrong, associate editor OF the New
Orleans Times as assistant clerk in the First Mu-
nicipal Police Court, at salary OF Sl5O0 per an
mum. Said Armstrong, by authority OF the Gov
| ernor and with his consent, employed substl-
tute, a mere youth, at salary of $40 per month,
to fill said position at said court Mr.. Armstrong;
name being borne on the my rolls of said court,
and he with Jealous regularity has drawn and is
still drawing the full salary attached to said
clerkshp.
At the same court and under like conditions,
Mr.. w. Fl. Moon, clerk at the st. James Hotel,
was commissioned by Gov. Kellogg. Mr.. Moons
substitute is paid $50 per month; the full salary
attached to that clerkship is. according to Mr..
two above-named gentlemen, which are OF
record.
In these two particular transactions the Gov
ernor was fully aware OF the injustice he was Gre
ating and gave his full consent thereto. And
these acts, your committee are Of opinion, are
misdemeanors in Office and the judge who al
lowed such peculiar transactions is, to say the
least, very complaisant
Your committee were struck at the very thresh-
old Of their investigations with the exceeding
prevalence OF that crying evil, bunkO. The daily
newspapers were filed with editorial comments
and emphatic protests from citizens against this
Infamous practice, and yet the Superintendent
of Police and the Captains of the different pre-
cincts to which the evil was confined. renamed
In complete indifference until the curious investi-
cation taken by Commissioner Ryan lead to trial
before the Metropolitan Police Board OF Superin-
tendent VIM. F. Loan, which. as is well known,
eliminated in his acquittal.
Your committee prosecuted with vigor an in
vestigation of this matter, and We have deliber-
ately concluded that the Metropolitan Police
Board themselves are responsible for the exist.
ence and immunity Of buako. Each member Of
the board, as we have said, employs . special
detective, whose sole duty it is to make q report
to his employer upon all matters OF police, and
more especially is he to report as to the. disci-
pline, efficiency and general good conduct OF the
police force itself.
Section 43, Of act 3d. session Of 1869, provides
that upon the report in writing OF any member
Of the metropolitan forcs that there are good
grounds for believing any premises or rooms
within the metropolitan district to be used or
kept as common gaming house, etc., it shall be
lawful for he Board Of Commissioners to author
ize, in writing, any member or members OF the
police force to enter the same, who may forth
with arrest all persons there found offending
against the law, etc.
After examining host of witnesses, your COM
mittee failed to find single instance in which
either the Board, the Superintendent, or the cap
tains Of precincts have acted under that section
Of the law. We find, on the contrary, strange
and absolute apathy extending throughout the
entire police force. We do not hesitate to st
tribute the same to the virtues OF money. Your
mail is levied by the metropolitan police suthor-
ties upon the gambling establishments, extend
ing from the board themselves down to and incu-
sive of captains.
Your committee have been at great difficulty
in obtaining positive and direct testimony on
that occasion. Yet, we have established it be-
yond peradventure in the testimony Of DR.. Griffin,
q professional gambler who for seven years
has served as intermediary between the police
authorities and the gamblers of the Second Dis
trict. And, also, in the evidence Of Mr.. Daniel
Wilson, the proprietor of gambling establish
ment.
Mr. Daniel Wilson's testimony, under oath,
says he keeps . gambling institution on Royal
street, near Canal; that this DR.. Griffin visits
him regularly twice month to blackmail him in
the sum of $50 each time, or say 500 per month.
This money Wilson pays with the clear under
standing "that he is not to be troubled by the
police"
MIR. Wilson says "I first made his (Grifin's)
acquaintance about three years ago, for short
time. had place then on Canal street. He
came to me and represented himself as the party
that transacted that kind Of business. OF course,
that was all satisfactory to me. He has been in
the habit of visiting me about one year."
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