Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-12-09
BYRNES MORE PACIFIC
He Replies to Dr. Parkhurst in
 an Elaborate Defense.
tus OPINION OF THE SOCIAL EVIL.

The Superintendent Defies the Clergyman
 to Meet It Says He Would Gladly Have
 the Doctor for an Ally-Detective Gard
 nor Indicted.
 NEW YORK, Dec. 9.-The broadside that Dr. Parkhurst poured into the Police De- partment in reply to the pronunciamento of Supt. Byrnes was among the chief top ics discussed in the metropolis yesterday, and it seemed to be the common belief that the superintendent had caught 8 Tar tar.
 Some unprejudiced observers thought that Mr. Byrnes was unwise when he courted public controversy and tried to measure wits with the clergyman. Then again many held that the adroit reply of Dr. Parkhurst had put the superintendent in defensive position, from which he would find it difficult to extricate himself with credit.
 The more Supt. Byrnes thought of Dr. Parllhur t's reply to his accusations the moro puzzled he became. He did not know whether to answer it or not. First he would and then he wouldn't, and then again he would. He reached the last con- clusion last night when he issued state mcnt, addressed to no one in particular. .
 It was shown to Dr. Parkhurst later on. He said that a previous engagement pre- vented him from making answer to the latest effusion of the Superintendent of Police. He promised to read it, and then, if he thought it wise, he would respond to it tonight. He wanted it understood, however, that he did not pledge himself to reply to it.
 In his statement of last night Superin- tendent Byrnes says:
 ''Yes, have read over very carefully the statements made by Dr. Parkhurst, and, as far as could expect, they corobo- rate what have said about him and his methods. have to thank Dr. Parkhurst for making the issue he has raised, at last sharp and clear. I had given him credit before-as it now appears wrongly-from his public utterances on platform and in the pulpit, for being in the field to help suppress vice and crime. That was what his society was organized for, and what his predecessor labored for. Dr. Park hurst says flatly that Is not his aim. He is not trying to suppress gambling or to repress the social evil. He is in the field to attack the police.
 ''It is easy for me now to understand why he has never asked my help or offered to help me, thing which has never been clear to me before. He is not an ally; he is an enemy"
 The superintendent claims that the so- cial evil is worse in European cities than here. He says that since the middle of April, when he took office, he has closed 440 houses of i'll repute, arresting 2,752 inmates; 34 gambling houses, with 2S6 ar rests, and 32 policy shops, with 49 arrests.
 The superintendent insists that to give unfortunate women chance to reform is the work of Christian charity, not of the police.
 After agreeing to help the clergyman to suppress any known place of i'll resort MT. Byrnes says:
 The doctor chooses to charge me with trying to shift the responsibility from my shoulders over upon his. I will be char itable. He does not know me, or he would not make the charge. No one has ever laid that to my door before, justly or un- justly.
 "There is a disadvantage in accepting as true all the transformation about po- lice officer which sneaks and slanderers are pcddling out to him daily, namely, | that it leads the purchaser altogether of | the track. Perhaps I should say that it would be a disadvantage were he in the | field trying to improve the morals of the community as well as he can, as am, | because in that event he would lose an | ally by his course instead of gaining one. | But if, as he says, he is just bent on at tacking the police, then, of course, such transformation is useful and to the point. y