New-York tribune., 1891-03-07
ARE THEY TRYING TO BRIBE
POLICEMEN SAID TO HAVE A CORRUPTION
FUND.
RUMORs THAT THEY HAVE RAISED $4,000 TO
SPEND AT ALBANY TO HAVE THEIR
SALARIES RAISED.

Rumors that policemen in this city were raising a
large corruption fund TO influence legislation at Albany
In their favor reached the Police Board few weeks
oco They were discussed by the Commissioners at pi
vate session. the presence OF Chief Inspector Bynes
and Mr. Byrncs asked TO make an investigation.
lie has not made any report to the Commissioners on
,bat subect vet On Tuesday last the Commissioners
received a dispatch from Albany saying that a bill
had been introduced in the Assembly providing for an
Increase i'm the salaries Of patrOmen. They sent n
rnly strongly expressing their dsapprOval OF such
measure and declaring that the policemen In New
York received ample pay for their services ~ has
heon learned since that the bill introduced by
Assemblyman Stein on February q, and 1T Is known a'
Assembly bill No. 4I5. If the bill becomes a law
the salary of every patrolman who has served one
wear on January / next will be $1,000 year; two
vears, service after that date will ente policeman
IN draw 81 800 year: four years service Will bring
the salary TO 81 400 and after five years service
policeman must receive 81 800 year Snch law
would not only add 1900 year to the paw OF each OF
the paromen but would make larger drains upon inc
pension fund as soon the men began 10 retire on
halfpay.
Yesterday the attention Of the Commissioners was
called to a report that the sum of $1oooo had Deen
contributed by the policemen TO secure the passage Oh
the hill Although Inspector Byrnes and the Com
missoners could not verify the report there was reason
for believing that it was true. Weeks ago the police
men, through delegates from each precinct RAISED
$500 to pay lawyer for the preparation OF the Dill
II is said that the delegates received word from Albany
that much larger sum was needed to grease the wheels
of legislation There story that sum promised
nv the serceants for increasing their salaries from
81 GOO TO $1,000 each had not been paid II the
serceants had given up 800 apiece, according TO
promise the money had got aStIay. Ihis
time il was to be cash or no increase
in the salaries The sum OF SlOooo was
mentioned but the agents at Albany at cngth agreed
N take SO OOO The plan of taxing each policeman
50, for that purpose mooed. The policemen
wore willing TO pay So apiece for an Increase oil
stOo a wear in each of their salaries but tlcy III
sisted upon keeping string tied to the money untii
the hin became a law. Ii said yesterday That
most of the policemen had contributed win inc
understanding that the money was TO be placed III
banks by the delegates and returned VITA interest
IL the bill misCarried.
Inspector Byrnes refused to tell what he knew
about the corruption fund yesterday, saying that his
Commissioners. President MacLean said he had no
information to impart OH the subject commissioner
NcCrave and Voorhis said they had no proof that
such a fund had been raised. They thought that II
the policemen had been engaged IN such "A scleHle
some way Of Furnishing them ought TO be ucylNcl
Mr. Martin declared that tlie lhtesteation sao'lt no
not be permitted stop until the truth or iasy oil
the report established Men wh" bco,uhe
policemen earned less than $500 a year before tIcy
became members of the force, he said. Their .ay
as policemen LIBERAL and they coma be ctlicu
ON pensions such not received by any othcr
class of public employees after twenty years service
II was an outrage. he thought 10 attempt to brDe
the Legislature TO grant a further increase OF pay