New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-22
BYRNES LIKES HIS CENSUS
SHOULD THE POLICE ALWAYS TAKE TIP
HE swEARS THAT THERE WAS NO EFFORT MADE
TO EXCEED THE FEDERAL COUNT.


TO EXCEED THE FEDERAL COUNT.
Chief Inspector Byrnes was the principal witness
cxamined nv the Assembly Special Committee on
remuneration and REINFORCEMENT in Part II, superior
Court Yesterday Wright HOlcOmb. the chairman.
nrcsIded as usual and Mr.. Mott, the representative
OF the Federal Department OF Justice was not present.
the proceedings began without the customary "ut
between the state and the Nation Inspector ByrheS
uas called m tell the committee how much superior
the police count Of the cy's population had been 10
the Federal enumeration. In reply to Mr. Bartletts
onestons the Inspector said the police force was strictly
nonpaItsan being composed OF men OF all political
faiths In the fall OF 1890, in the absence Of Superh-
tendent Murray, lie received from the Police Cohlh'-
sloners their orders concerning the Recommendation OIL
the CITY, These orders in the form OF Tesoiu-
ton, adopted by the Board on september 10 i0"''
Continuing, lie said
a consulted with some OF the Commissioners anu
the Mayor and it was determined that the best way
10 take the census was by the election uistrlcts'
Detailed Instructions OF the most explicit character
were given TO the officers selected 10 do the enumerat
ing. with view to avoiding the duplication OF names
of persons at their homes and places OF business Iee
were detailed for the work 941 men, the most III
tengent and therefore the qualified Officers OF the
fSyce gave TO the captains personal INSTRUCTORS
to be by them transmitted 10 the men, no" tie "oih
Of enumeration to be DONE
Tire Inspector declared that no instructions mad
been given 10 the men that II was Important u N'
the couDt OF the population as large as possible IL
was not true. he said, that the ponce census was
specially designed to exceed the Federal enumeration
The police census began on september 49, he SAID,
and the last book was returned on october Ia Inc
actual work done each day between a. H. ana
6 o. M, one officer being assigned to each election
district. After p. m. the men were allowed ume
for supper, and were kept in the station mouse 10
sleep. He did not want the men to go out ana
in
houses ut night, they formed reserve Tor cases
of emergency. The captains read instructions 10
the men at 40 each morning, ana at
night the men turned in their books sigred ana seeu
The books were then sent to Police Headquarters anu
a receipt for each was taken wheh IL was
sent to the Mayors Office. In this way ne
had a double check on the books, so that IL
was mpossib.s for any book TO be tampereo
with or lost II was the aim Of the Department u
complete the census quickly possible consistent
with accuracy only the name. sex and residence Vi
each person taken. The policemen whc dlu INC
work received only their regular pay ana consequently
had 10 pecuniary interest in the result. The extra
cost TO the Department did not, he thought, exceed
5000 or 300, and that for the printing From
his experience lie said he should judge that the ponce
census was very accurate, except that IL ala MOI HI
clude $4,000 or 10000 of floating population-peope
who have no homes mostly longshoremen and sailors
In his Judgment 171O715 was conservative census
nd at 10000 less tndn tnc truS pOpuIdIiV'
Mr. Bartlett asked Inspector Byrnes If he knew any
thing about some of Federal enumeratorS ana the
INSPECTOR said he knew that two OF the at easl "erc
profe ssional thieves, ana had server tiic tu
lie heard that one of the enumd ators was tiei WhO
he knew and sent for him 10 come TO romeo Heau
0narters The thief told him he was working III luton
Market and had reformed. He was recommended, ne
said by a LAWYER named Morrison and Police Juslce
Taintor sent foy Morrison and asked him If he had
recommended any other criminal He admitted liat
he had one other, and gave his name Mr. i'yThes uld
not want to tell the names OF teSe 'aete V n nr
when pressed by MIR bartlett The first OF these pro
fessonal thieves. the Inspector said, was George %.
Davis alias Edward ". Jones' alias 4" Bundy. lis
Iicu,e was No. .i58 in the ROgues Gallery at Police
Jesdouarters lie had served time in Massachusetts
as vol a. i'm York. He had never reformed, was
professional thief In 1890 and is professional tei
now The other was William c LiebnoW shopMter'
whose picture i'm The R0gucs' Gallery is No LIE ne
had been convicted of rand larceny in Copnectcut ana
New York. The Inspector believed the census shoula
mittee adjourned until IL a. Friday, February %