New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-17
POLICE COMMISSIONERS INDIGNANT.
THE ASSEMBLY INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES hf

THE AssrMpIY INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES RE-
PORT CALLED vILLAINOUs THEORY.
There was no meeting Of the Board OF Police yes yes
terday to take notice Of the Assembly Investigating
Committees report on the Police Department, anu
the report was not subject of much comment az
Police Headquarters The only ofnclal WHY @
indignation at the language of the committee Was
Commissioner Mason. who returned on ihurs1ay
from Florida in vigorous health he was III HIS
Office nearly all day and made critlcai eAsln a
tiOn of the report, which ne denouhcou u" o""e
terms follows:
This report is the most vianous thing OF tne km
have been guilty Of malicious fal.ehood Mr.. Roosevelt
and other members OF the committee elmer knew al @
the means of knowing that several things declared to be
facts in the report are untrue That statement TO the
effect that superintendent Walne Is no Longer capaoe 10
perform the duties his office is untrue His failure
TO number certain which ranspred while be was III
Europe explained to the committee Wien NC 10
covered from his transient Illness Ii Is untrue that lne
Commissioners have systematically violated or ignored
their rules. on the contrary the 1ules nave pen
committee TO cite in which either pub
lie the department suffered by sucn piocsedng ne
as good as any the force some OF the III me
report made entirely upon the authority OF % 81
whose testimony would he mpeached in any court on
justice Those statements contradced atY Dy ie
testimony of reputable witnesses Is an a,rocious luz
10 say that the Commissioners have connlyed NJ tne o
terry policy business There not particle OF evidence
before the committee TO sustain such anu
declare 1t 10 he wul preVa11catlon. Neh nS dare
that single member of that committee w9uu o" ne
to under oath that he believes the declaration " 10
true
Commissioner Nichols said
In order to make fair report the committee ought TO
have taken into consideration the known oad cIaIicei
of OF II looks IT they
implicit faith in the testimony OF the rogues me GN
dence fairly weighed will not sustain the report Mna
said the discipline OF the force shows tnat to
committee know little about II, hu wlne tHtS Wy W
throw some discredit upon the COnlnlssOnersncy are
obliged to admit that there has been STEADY lnPIt
ment in the police force II Is asserted tnal the Gon
mssiOners have connivcd at lottery ana policy business
being carried in the city. Noy now ridiculous tpdl
assertion the OF the testimony that the cy has
been free from lottery. poncy ana crime III gen
era as during the last year So II the commissioners
were connivng would there be a steady wpine out oil
such praccesl The committee say that because u
Grand Jury made prescntment against me poIce chI
tains purely eX-pare testimony the CohlssloneIs
ought have placed the captains on trial II II lac.
that the Commissioners urgently requested the foreman
the Jury. clerk of the court and the DISTRICT A.
tOrney supply with the testimony ON Whlch INC
presentnent made, but could mol get th ie.tl
mOny and had basis for charges. although noh lhc
asked for an opportunity TO prove that the pre-
sentiment was unjust Them do not agree win the
committee in the belief that One-headed commissioner
would best for the Police Department 1here II too
much work for Possibly two commissioners
would be able attend the trials Of policemen the
financial work and the general management OF affairs as
well as four commissioners. far tht report refers
to me individually. | wish To say that ma re away
Joined hands heartily with the Oher commissioners III
the effort to put down in the city, and that nave
never In sympathy with the lottery policy OF CAMP
ing fraternity.
Chief Clerk Hawley said
The main object of the report, apparently Is to make
one headed Commission for this department. most
unwise move in my opinion. If we were to nave only
one Commissioner. to he appointed ny me mayor Wih-
the Intervention OF any confirming power, tncIe
would be eventually al the head OF the Ponce Depart
ment partisan Democratic politician VINO would seek 10
use whole influence of the department to increase
the Democratic majOrities at elections III TINS CITY