New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-16
PRICE THREE CENTS.
CONDITION OF THE POLICE
THE COMMISSIONERS CRITICISED.
ONE HEAD BETTER THAN FoUR-ABUsEs Dis
COVERED BY THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.

Theodore Roosevelt W. 7. O'Seil, George G Erwin ahs
Thomas V. Walsh and is as follows;
The character OF the subordinate employees that Is Of
the majority of the patrolmen and Of many, u
not most OF the captains, IL beyond quesuol
good; indeed. It is matter OF surprise that IL
should stand 80 high, considering the viciom
system OF appointing that prevails, and the ihdheehes
good discipline that has been displayed by tine heads VI
the Department IL u.s. Of course, Impossible 70 ge. tno
best service OF ordinary policeman no matter now
good he may naturally be, unless his superors give mn
active encouragement in his efforts 10 40
rgbt,and hold him to strict accountability when
he fails in any way to perform bis duty. ins
responsibility for evil rests wholly with fhe com
missioners Superintendent walling. formerly by all
accounts most honest and trustworthy public servant
is now shown by his testimony, and by the ef
traordnary apology made for him by Commissioners
French ncapactated by age from performing the duties
required by his position.
THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE sINGLE-HEADED.
At the outset found fatal defect in the present y
tem viz: The fact that the commission Is iourheadeu
There should commissioner who should e'her
be apponted to hold during good behavior or else VINO
should take and leave Office with inc
Mayor appointing HIM. There Is sosootey
not single advantage In haVng houi
heads while the disadvantages are innumerable' AZ
present, there may be even two good comms'
soners the Board and yet If the others are Dad they
are poweress and all that can be done Is TO cohcenn
the Board as WHOLE 1t being impossible to discriminate
between the innocent and the guilty WIN many
headed commission, mOreoveI the lOngtefned system
works badly; Mayor nherts from his predecessor -
i WERE most of the Board and goes out OF ONCE long
before his appOntees; consequence thefe may oc in
office at any time inefficient commissioner responsi-
Bile TO no one and appointed by man who has Dmseh
ceased 10 hold public position for quite term OF years.
There ought to be but head, who should oe he'a
rfdy accountable to the Mayor and the latter In turu
will be judged by the people accordingly as lis "ppoe'
does or does not do well
The RULES OF THE DEPARTMENT
As authorized by statute the Department has adopted
set OF rules Whch their face are almost perfect anu
which If rgidy followed out, would make the discipline
and government OF force very nearly fautess pus
"a matter OF .act many instances, little or no atten'
on il maid TO them and certain OF the most lmportsns
are systematically violated or ignored This Is notably
the cas- in regard to the examinations and reeSansr
tions OF applicants for admission to the lore"
before the Board OF Surgeons, where thd
proceedings are sometimes really farcca in cnaracter
in regard to the rules which soemnly warn members OK
the force against trying help themselves by outside ln
uence whereas the upon the backs OF the
appcatons a. well as the direct testimony OF Chief
Clerk Hawley show that political con'derat10ns are
often and probably generally the cohIroNihe opes'
and in regard the rules requiring police captains 10 DO
tried for nonperformsnce Of their duty, which ae IN
many cases simply dsregarded Indeedth commissioners
seem only to paid attention to the rules 50 far as IL
suited their own convenience to do So
CoNNIvANCE At CERTAIN FORMS OF CRIME.
The constant disregard of their rules by tne COM
misoners though very properly exposing them to severe
criticism is still evil that can be In great part reacheo
by leesation for instance by Including The department.
within the provisions OF the Civil Service Reform Dill
But there are graver instances Of wrongdong where the
system is not to blame, but where the commissioners
have failed and seemingly wuy failed, TO do their duty
as required by law We speak OF their failure to en'
force the laws against gambling and the Illegal
sale OF liquor, and TO certain extent
of their failure to enforce the laws against
prostitution Beyond doubt the graver offences against
property and person meet Win no syPSlny D % eI ha
But the classes crime alluded to-classes WHerS tho
voiator Is peculiarly susceptible or being DlcAmieu-
have NOT n oar opinion been treated they wodd nave
been the Commissioners had been honestly drsnous ot
dong their duty. Again We wish to ca attention 10 te
fact that we consider the heads of the department. re-
sponsible its shortcomings; the subordJtes eAceps
in dyidual ca ses nearly so much TO blame no
police capita or paromln be expected to vigorously
enforce the laws if he finds that his superior. are null %
ferent whether he does so or not; SIN less ne lus
that they actually hostile TO his taxing decided steps,
TIE LOTTERY POLICY BUSINESS.
Down to within the last two years the lottery policy
business and kindred forms OF gambling were conducted
in New-York in the most open and defiant manner ana
TO an extent which 1t absolutely unpdonahe OF the
police authorities permit The evidence taken before
Us shows very clearly the following i2ets: e,,.ho,
oseeoynnfhs fact must have been patent to the police
authorities and indeed was brought 10 'he noee AGAIN
anu IhiEdmt would not have been difficult to break up
the business Outside societies aud prly ate individuals
with the half PnkeTtOn's detectives, were aDle % put
an end 10 il in many places; and finally nr@ey, nos
manly, by the police themselves, the o"siAeSs was
brought down TO Insignificant proportions. ,
rthelese, the usinessnourshed or years
without beng mteriered with TO any appreclaQle eAteh
and was only finally broken up afIer the 'muNe naa
been taken by the private individuals ana soeees oo'o
TItbEibe account books and tie private memoranda
taken nom the neadguarer OF te pVRSy igH made NV
their persons III the course Oh sole Vi Us. ,, - as
PmkertoIs show numerous entries o expenses
nualy under the head OF Police m0nies or some ao-
breviaon thereof and in many instances lhese eHtes
were accompanied by the name or the aDDfevldtlOn OF
tbe name Of Le captain In whose precinct the policy shop
was. one Plnkerton's detectives, who ior several
gard to The protection afforded by the police 10 the pohcy
men, aud he was couOOorstod by another "iAeSS' .
ioriuer policy clerk In the clearest nahheI. , oov
slXth-fOn,emeu themselves sometimes play p0h9y.
Members OF force were discovered In the Poy sDops
while me game was full blast without interfering WIN
t. In ono particularly agrant instance the offender was
tried by toe Board upon t1e Wason aftes
what was merel ulicrons trayesty tal' IN other
psrs' as there is very strong reason TO believe,
by certain policemen. Gambling Shops tnas
break ND were broken up by outside societies or ndivd-
usls. These tgets were brought 10 the .ouye VI uo
Board; but the latter seemed to pay htte' any, heed 70
seventh.-Comparng the percentage Of convictions Sc
cured to lie Total number OF arrests made oy
the po ice Authorities and by the outside sOcetles We
md that in the Latter case 1t is many mes larger thsn
EIghi-fhe commissioners themselves showed singi-
70 the OncnceS agal the laws
Tnis was explicitly testified t. by eXC9mn issoner Eoor
his who insjaneed in particular Commission NICHOLS
On occasion TWO gent emen waited upon ahOther
Commissioner, Mr. Mason, TO complain OF the nagrant
way which the policy business carried on IN an
office adjoining theirs, and 10 ask him hiuSen come
and verify the statements; but they were dlshsse
In u most cavalier manner without any neeo
being paid 10 their charge. Again. Grand Jury on
one occasion made strong pres.ntnent against Two or
the police captains. This presentmen Win tno
names of the witnesses whose testimony was made,
wus given 10 sioncr French yet the captains I'M
pcated brought TO tral by the renee ON
he
wnrtuer The accused CAPTAINS innocent or guilty
Ninih-One OF the regulations adopted by the board
cod apparently have but object viz To hamper tne
outside parties before spoken OF IN their efforts TO break
up the policy business.
rsking of the above facts into consideration the con-