, 1892-03-22
GAVE THEM DETAILS
How a New York Preacher
Scored Tammany.
Doctor Parkhurst Remews His ATT
tack ON Municipal Corruption
HE Gathers Evidence and Facts
for the District Atternav


He Gathers Evidence and Facts
for the District Attorney.
NEW York, March 21.-The Rev. Dr.
Charles r. Parkhurst Of the Madison
Square Presbyterian church, defed his po-
sition in relation to the recent charges
which he made against the administrators
Of the city government, and added few
details to the accusations of corruption in
municipal matters. The church was
crowded. DR.. Parkhurst preached from the
text: tThe wicked walk on every side
when the yilest men are exalted Psalms
12, ill.,
In the course Of his startling sermon he
said:
sEThe charge has been made that the dis
course given here four weeks ago was en-
tirely general, and was not characterized
by that defniteness, or by that sharpness
of detail that would commend tito the CON
ddence of a judicial mind. Now, details
confess were the last things that [ sus-
pected the Virtuous people of this city
would need, or that the administration of
this city would want. It was with some
surprise, therefore, that / understood that
It was officially stated, that while ministers
like myself were willing to sit in their own
houses and vltuperate the city government
1T was impossible to get them to secure evi-
denee that would help to effect suspension
OF violation of law. / did not imagine it
would be a part Of my ministerial duty to
go to the slums and help catch the rascals,
especially as the police are paid nearly
$1,000 900 year for doing it themselves. But
it is never too late to learnsz l, therefore
selected seven names of parties that i'm
aglned might occasionally be guilty of yio-
lation Of Excise laws, and having secured
such as my council deemed sufficient, met
the district attorney. Opportunity of off
clal intercourse being denied me (I omitted
Just nOWto mention the fact that the seven
names selected were of parties that are
away up in the confidence of the Tammany
counclI, y put the names of the parties be-
fore the district attorney, and he said that
we could take them before the grand iurv.
and that he would secure me the oppor-
tunity.
81 was admitted to the grand Jury. and
was courteously informed that attending
to such matters was not exactly in their
line, and was invited to first try my luck
with the police court. Application was
therefore made TO the police court, and
witnesses were obtained. That was the
first CLEAN Of hope that broke upon us,
and, down to today, tits the last gleam.
week last Monday we all gathered again
at the Tombs, counsel and witnesses, only.
to have the Judge tell us that we could
come again this week. | said four weeks
age that oar municipal administration
showed a languid interest in the conyic-
tlOn OF criminals [ was dealing in gener-
alities. Now there is specification
seven Of them. Go, put them along with
the grand jury's presentment.
he work of gathering evidence thus
.bppT0 GREW fInOp IN in i11farnS a5,C
nation. Last Sunday, therefore, while we
were quietly praying for the matter Of
foreign missions, had a force of five de-
tectlves trying to discover where the police
department showed no practical RESPONSE
bility to its obligation to enforce Excise
law.
DR.. Parkhurst said that be had reports
from twenty-five precincts, showing the
number of saloons in each open last Sun.
day In all he found 254 saloons open,
with 2,43S people present. This, heclaimed
was not pulpit grandiloquence, but munich
pal experience, backed up by hard, cold
atfidavits. This was not the only work
that his detectives did They found
gambling houses and houses of disorderly
character.
The preacher said that there was a gam
bling house in full blast a little above For
tieth street and Madison avenue, and pol
icy shop three blocks above his own church,
Odu ~ A4IASL LILLY yOuIlS Iu6ll M6IG seen
coming last Tuesday. He had also list Of
thirty houses ofill-fame in the nineteenth
precinct. All of them were visited by his
friends or his detectives March 10 and Ill.
And now, fathers and mothers, y he
SAID, II am trying to help your sons [
never knew till within Two weeks how al
most Impossible it is for a young man to
be ia the impetuous swim of New York
City life under present conditions and still
be temperate and clean. | had supposed
that the coarse, bestiaI vices were fenced
OFT from youthful contact with some show,
at least Of police restriction. So far as
have been able to reach the circumstances
OF the case l did not discover the re-
strictions.
'There is little advantage in preaching
the gospel to a young man on Sunday if he
is going to be sitting on the edge of a Tam
y-maintained hell the rest Of the week
Do not tell me that [ don't know what [
am talking about. [ will make stand
against this corruption though there are
presentments as thick as autumn leaves
in Vallambrosa or snowhakes in a March
blizzard.
The obligations of our police depart
ment to enforce law are, distinct, and their
failure to do it is just as distinct. Their
failure to do it proceeds either from com
plicity or -incompetency. They can take
their choice. I do not believe that any
considerable number Of people in New
York consider them incompetent. It is
disproyed by the ability with which GER
tain parts of their obligations are dis
charged.
In closing / will say to Tammany: For
four weeks you have been winning under
the sting of general Indictment, and have
been calling for particulars. This morning
I have given you particulars -254-258-of
them. Now, what are you going to do
about it ~
II should be ia Every House.