The New York herald., 1878-11-05

Smith, President of the Police Board, in
which he said he had been informed by some
gentlemen who had waited upon him. that Inspector
Thorne, Captains Williams. Allare and other members
of the police force had been requested by one or more
of the commissioners ito exert their political niu-
at the coming election" The Mayor. in concud-
ing his letter. asked be informed whether the state
ment was correct not
To this communication, which sent by His
Honor Friday last. General Smith replied fol-
lows the letter not being received by Mayor Ely until
yesterday afternoon:-
DEAR sIaIn The conversation did me the honor to
expected your letter the asking to give
BY member or members Of the Police Board or me@bss
s DSs Sss for s I'M ssS Of
Your - well % a to myself = answer your
distinctly informed that my name had not been
In ssnnecga with the matter m which hs s
information you desire requires an INVESTIGATION which
powers but docs not within the powers
ni s as s
you only ascertain by direct reference to eoeagues
groat respect your obedent servant W. y. SMITH.
CAME ABOUT
The occurrences which led to the correspondence
between Mayor Ely and the President Of the Police
Board were told to HERALD reporter last night by
prominent city official.
"You may remember" said the gentleman, "that
during tho latter part of last week meeting Of the
Board Of Police Commissioners was held ut tho resi-
dence of General Smith. who too ill
to leave his house At this meeting the
four Commissioners. Messrs. Smith. Nichols
Erhardt and Wheeler were present. The two
former democrats. the others belonging to the
publican organization At that session Of the Board
one of the republican members. Mr.. Erhardt. I be-
Neye. made few remarks in which he limited very
strongly that his democratic colleagues seeking
influence certain members of the force in reference
to their political affiliations. Mr.. Nichols, who is
member of the Taminany Hall General Committee,
did not make much Of reply to what Mr.. Erhardt
had said, and, the fact leaking out the
adherents Of Edward Cooper immediately became
alarmed and committee of them waited upon the
Mayor in reference to the matter. But the matter did
not end here for at the next meeting Of the Police
Board the subject was again brought up and all the
resolutions which were introduced by either Mr.. Err
hardt Mr.. Wheeler on the subject Of issuing in
structions to the policemen to rgidly enforce the
Election law lost through the opposition OF
Messrs. Smith and Nichols The friends OF the COM
bination. however. had in the meantime heard that
Mr.. Nichols had sought to influence Captains Williams.
Alare and Others and had charges drawn up against
the Commissioner, which they intended to submit to
elusive evidence was obtained The fact that Captain
Williams and the other members Of the force who, it
is alleged. Mr. Nichols sought TO influence are warm
personal friends OF the helped to make
the story seem more plausible to the Cooper men.
who at first felt very uneasy about the matter.
all will be exerted either by the Commissioners or
their subordinates although it is possible that Com
missioner Nichols may seek to influence in some de-
gree the men whom he has appointed"
Mayor Ely did not like to express an opinion about
the insinuations which had been made against the
Police Board but said he had done his duty in laying
the matter before the President Of the Board He
could not tell what he would yet do in relation to the
matter
MEETING POLICE BOARD.
Late yesterday afternoon when the Police Commiss
sioners convened to adopt certain relative
the OF the election laws. resolutions
were offered by Commissioner Wheeler en-
bodying certain restrictions regarding the
Captain Of the Eighth and the acting Captain
OF the Tenth precincts against whom, it would seem.
allegations of intimidating voters had been made
had been bruited about relative to their having
and by their personal influence and tho pres
tige they enjoyed by virtue of. their official
standing had sought to advance Their interests M sn
resolutions Of Commissioner Wheeler such con-
duct was sigmatized as reprehensible. and the
political machine was discountenanccd. The
resolutions, however, couched in expressions
that gave offence to the democratic members Of the
Board. who summarily noted them down All they
did in unison was to indorse measures which had
been taken for preserving the public peace and nsur-
Just after the meeting Commissioner Nichols went
off to Tammany Hall. which he left in carriage with
the s Mayor letter oonS not bs
WHAT COMMISSIONER ERHARDr sAYs.
Commissioner Erhardt. when approached, seemed
reticent to speak Of it, He said that he and General
Smith differed many points relative to police
discipline that he did not feel at liberty til
express himself on the subject. He said. how
ever, that he believed Il lay with the
Board to check any improper use of office made by
any of its members. That power certainly belonged
body and should be exercised without waiting for
the Mayor interference He had reason TO believe that
Commissioner had intmated to certain police cap
the anti -Tammany ticket This could be easily con-
vcyed to members of the force indirectly and he be-
leved some such willy method had been employed
PRESIDENT SMITH THE SUBJECT.
President Smith said the Police Commissioners
could put such investigation as had been sug-
gested into force because they could not investigate
themselves He did not know that any Commissioner
had told any captain or inspector that the Board
desired them to oppose the antiTammany ticket He
said he had nothing further to say about the matter
except to deny the statement that Captain lyman had
been transferred for political reasons He had voted
for the measure because brother commissioner had
made specific charges against him.
COMMISSIONERS wHEELER's EXPLANATION.
Commissioner Wheeler said he had few days ago
been waited upon by prominent officer of the
Police Department, who asked him IL II true that
he lthe COMMISSIONER supporting the Tammany
tisket. He replied that he was not. A short time
afterward q poline captain had called and asked the
same question. To him the same answer was given
Again another captain appeared and asked the same
question; and the Commissioner. making inquiries
found that an impression had gone abroad among
the members Of the force to the effect tina
he and Commissioner Erhardt actively support
ing the Tammany ticket. lie had done every thing
within proper bounds to disabuse the minds OF the
force of such dea O course the notion was absurd
He was a republican. and IL ridiculous to suppose
that he would support party directly opposed TO his
own. He would vote the combination ticket and do
was decidedly opposed TO the moddng in politics Of the
Police Department and II he could, would deal
severely with any captain who did The captains
of police. especially in certain wards of the city
held terrible power over certain classes
of people and could institute system Of in
timidstion and terrorism that would ut
terly destroy the effect of the election
franchise He would prevent such intimidation as
far ~ he possibly could while he was q member OF
tho Board, and he only sorry that police cap
tain or sergeant could not be broken for
mcddling in politics. number OF citi-
zens had within the past few days
called upon him at Police Headquarters and COM
planned OF the unjust and unfair action of the Cap
tain Of the Eighth precinct and the acting Captain Of
tho Tenth. These men. they claimed. by threats
intimidating large number of voters. and he
determined to put stop to IT, To this end he had
introduced resolution in the Board of Police men,
tioning the in point. and stating very plainly
that such conduct on the part Of police
officer would not be tolerated. Tho resolutions
was objected to by General Smith tho grounds that
tho two captains mentioned were democrats He had