New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-08
A Summary OLE TIE REPORT.

II is fact, recognized not less by the police
men themselves andthc officials at the head Of h force
than by pubic generally that the hhest ponce III
the world is just about the most deInoraIlIed Of
all organized bodies. Attention was latey called Gums
condition OF affairs by Commissioner Joel b. Erhardt'
who publicly declared that tnc decentralization was PR
marty the fault Of the Board itSef OF when
he was a member. Subsequently he was di-
rected TO lay the facts upon which he D'sed
his conclusions before Mayor cooper ""u
after some hesitation he did concluding his reclia!
OIL THURSDAY. HIS tcstimony-if it can be called So
covers over 900 pages Of legal cap, lut the material
facts could be embraced in onetenlh the space f"r
mulated. The long talk with the Mayor was dcsu'"iE
aud dointed hut brings out very clearly the reasons
WHY Mr. Erhardt made pubic assertions 10 The Board
why he hesiatcd in replying TO the Mayors demands
for the and his peculiar position as the accuse Oh
himself aud his cOufederatcs.
MI Ehardt, since going into the Board has been
known IS its most active discipuarian. He seemed to
have mania for discipline and he frequently expressed
hope 10 rcmain in the Board until he could effect the
perfect discipline OF the force The influence OF pol
clans on the Board particularly obnoxious to nlm'
Under the present Board aud Largely through
MIR. Eriardrs personal efforts, the police force
soon greatly improved in efficiency and morale
II was therefore, particularly annoying to him.
Of all the commissioners that about two months before
The last city election the force suddenly became greatly
demOralzei in every branch. THIS was manifested I'D
various Drunkenness OF the lit ii "tc'hc "I'
insly frequent, and punishment of their offences De-
came light Captains admitted that lax discipline pre-
vailed in their immediate commands, and did not pre-
tend TO deny that the disOrd"ry elements in their pre-
cucts were restrained than in years before Concert
sa.oons gambling houses and like dives" which were
almost bauished after the overthrow OF the Tweed
Ring, sprang up in every quarter, and niue
effort was made to suppress them. The Excise
law, which the police arc expected TO enforce, was
wholly disIegardcd. ignored md ndiculcd Polucalm-
nucncc manifested Itself in hundreds Of ways and finally
ut election time the non-partisan Police Board was
found to interfere for party purposes i'll the selection OF
polling places and in secret orders To police captains
The demorali cation extended the Board itself-n
fact, began there; and manifested IN discordant
meetings and general playing at cross-purposcs. Yet
The Board which had so nearly perfected the
discipline Of the force in preyiousycars
III tie statements made to the MayOr-for Others were
called to confirm MI Erhardt-Supcrinendent Wall
lnc xcs the period which decentralization first be
came apparent about two months before the election
Of last Fail but Mr. Elhardt is understood t. say thdt
II really began at the lime the commissions OF himself
md Mr. Wheeler expired and their vacancies not
promptly fl ed. The moment their tenure Of Office be-
came doubtful much OF Their power over the men was
gone The GENERALIZATION became general when
the last election gave the city power 10
tie Anti-TaInmany Democrats; for the other
two commissioners General Smith and Mr.. Nichols he
iouycd to the defeated faction and their rcappontmont
members OF the should hold in great tear andre
spect supcrors had guarantee Of power IL the
future Captains, inspectors ana superntcndcnt@ can
ONLY be removed they hold their positions
for life or good behavior, while the commissioners are
subject TO more summary disposition on political
grounds.
SINGULAR ATTITUDE OF Mr.. ERHARDT.
RECOGNIZING the growing decentralization Of the force
MIR Erlardt undertook to arouse the Board To united
action to remedy affairs. He did this publicly hut
without much efe't The Board ignored most of his
statements and smisscd the only one of the charges
which were brought after partially lnvesugtnglt The
other members could not apparently be brought 10
undcrta axe revival OF the old morale, ana theeupon
MI Erhardt IN "a communication TO Mayor Cooper
called his attention the allegations which he mad made
10 IA, Board itself The Mayor requested him
10 make specific charges, which Mr. Erhardt
declined 20 do. Atter some further delay, the Mayor
peremptorily directed Mr. Erhardt to furnish Inn
with the facts upon which hc Lad based HIS al cations,
md these Mr. ErlaTdt IN the eeycral conversations
held has doLc But he refused positively TO appear in
the ATTITUDE IF OF his fellow members, claim
Ing that should simply lay the facts before thc Mayor
for MS official acton. Nj Erhardt discaiwcd any per-
SOMA an moses. and it il shown by the record,
pcarcd reluctantly, because he feared the investigation
by the NJ ,yOr would not be far one
Tins extraordinary position Of Mr.. Erhard was not
day's session. and 1t greatly surprised and annoyed
tnuc the inquiry on the next day, which was sunday;
but inc tv,r declined 10 do this. M Erhardt
rcsponed TO- ii~ 6y soto roce remark that there lad
mn Sinday meetings on The subicc, Ihc N:nyor III.
0uired to wha; MI Erhardt alluded, when the latter
I Icpst { tt' MSyar Cn two Suny Sycns had hG
cOuvcr,atlaus with General smith and two Of The
latteIs friends, Generals ". D. FtanAln and &c WI
son TIE Manor admitted this t. b. true ana explained
the rcaso rs for IA interview.
docs not tlaR ;hI> investigation VIII bc far one
"Cmdidly, MI Mayo was the reply, " l do not"
RrrAEreE Al THE MAYORS CoNvEEsAlloNs.'
The record contains many other passages which to
show that throughout the whole o. the conversations
MI Erhardt f,It that there disposition on the
Mayor part to protect Genc,al smith, and he was
very guarded in all Ills Statements The Mayor
frequently directed the photographer 20 omit
some Of Mr.. Erhardts replies. Du Nj Erhardt insisted
that they should b. taken The s,no-apher OF coursc
obeycd the Mayors ORDERS ana MI ErnarIt cd. attcu
ton to the defective record. An entire lerVou
spent IN dspuung the record. aud finally Corpora
ton Cuunse' Whitney called Ia 10 settle some
mo.t,d point A. to the language used The MIYoi az
pcucd 10 Tue steh"SI'lh'' J." Niun nv ,"' 49, ''
auy thing material. The stenoSIaphtt "d NOT Know
what was material. The Corporation CoutsD Was asked
the same question aud Replied somewhat dhh"Ncu ana
not nttlc dI>gUstei:
better stIlke out TIE whole Id record"
Take that down" sad tie Mayor, aud Mr.. whitney,
ord o. material.
public private session and requested that thc in
fu"' nIivatr FIX mn Nj Whitney was prrr,'lf Tor
some tune, Nj ElhIrdt utcrposiIE only az objection
IL . uicSel.t as counsel 10 tie Mayor The sptCuC a-
Irgt;ious of MI Erar { are not IN number md
he sell dId not look upon one or them as serious,
and gave them simply Us cumulative evidence OF The
Generalization Of INC Board.
o. neglect OF duty. Ac specified that Of forty meet
incs during 1875 o. tue Committee on Finance General
Snith, Sir. Waceicr aud Mr kcAohl, the former at
tcuocd Ouay three. NLAc th,rc GA. u To have Dccn
seventy meetings Of the Committee on Ru and u sci
pine, composed OF al the Commission - only ten Lad
bee n,d DUNG TIL same period. or the seventy
mceInz, Of The Board OF Health General snith at
tended only three. Nothing slld U shOW-Whai II
IL understood Will be urged lu explanation OF these abb
eeic.. of General Smun-that he mt, have been on
OtH,rdIcs mat he 10 only eX-uflCiU member o. the
board Il Heath.
ms SLNECA UNDER "PINAFoRE" COLOhs.