The evening world., 1893-12-19
The "Finest" Are Bound To-
gether in a Secret Society.
It's Influence May Be Felt In the
Byrnes Turn-Down Plot.
Mayor Gilroy Replies to DR.. Park
t''e hurst's Charges.

eionerS on one mana ana Supt' bSile7
on the other, a big factor has been over
looked in the policemen themselves. 1t
will doubtless be a surprise TO many,
when the fact is known that the mem
hers Of the "FineS,". are fully organized.
and that in Its way the organization Is
more powerful than any trade union.
Nearly three years have elapsed since
a..few of the patrolmen got together to
consult over their grievances. 1t was
said at that time that the policemen
had to do, cons!derabls dirty, work"
OF came at long and irregular Intervals,
while roundsmen made life a burden. II
was openly talked OF anon" the men
that while they had to do all the nasty
work, while others reaped a harvest. they
were treated like dogs.
The result was the forming Of an or,
the real objects should be- hidden. The
hy-laws said the men had only banded
together for mutual benefit, and the
afnount paid in each month was only to
guarantee n little over funeral expenses
to the relatives in case of death.
The story Of the growth of that organ
iZation would make an interesting chap
ter--how the men met stealthily, Mt
night In out OF the way places, and how
codes Of signals were arranged to give
while meetings were being held. No Of
ficial of any kind was allowed to mem;
bership, and 1t was expressly stipulated
that in case any member was promoted
he should at once give up whatever Office
he held In the organization
On secret lines the movement was
worked until nearly two-thirds OF all the
patrolmen in the Department had been
Initiated, then they branched out openly.
~ when the Commissioners heard of
II they were filed with alarm.
The organization was frowned upon.
Every effort was made to break 1t up.
but the roll OF membership kept on In,
,al 1,A .v-a. rA tlANF haIl
their first annual reunion in Suffers
Harlem River Park.
Finding that they could not break up
the organization. and not thoroughly un-
Outstanding what 1t really meant, II is
charged that the Commissioners and
their henchmen and ward heelers tried
to turn 1t into n Tammany adjunct.
During the last election, at one of the
meetings a score of resolutions were In
troduced, indorsing the candidate of n
speaking. kicke out Of the meeting
room.
The fact that the NOR have hern able
and compare notes. has been the biggest
danger to the alleged ~blackmailsrs.
Very little goes on in the Department
at assent that the officers OF the or
ganiza ton do not know all about. They
are fully alive to the present, situation
and what the remova of Supt. Byrnes
would mean. The power they exercise
may be felt at any moment
Among the rank and file of the orgnni-
xation II was the expectation at one time
that they would be able. at n not too re-
mote period. to dictate their own terms.
The organization is said TO have
originated largely In the failure to obtain
cd that a bill for that purpose was de-
feated In the Legislature on the dictation
OF the officials here.
1.-THE World has II right when II
says that not Captains, but politicians.
rule the precincts" said an official nj
Headquarters this morning, " know OF
q fair instance which demonstrates the
pull of certain s~aloon-keeperS.
"A policeman one sunday requested "A
saloon-keeper to draw down his shades,
90 that i would b." less evident that
the excise law. The policeman was told
to attend to his own affairs. The ser
geant was notified, and he made IA SINH
was also met with n rebuff,
''The sergeant ordered the saloon,
keeper arrested, II" got on IN court, and
a few days afterwards the sergeant wa
transferred by ORDER of the commits ion
srs from one emo OF ,he city to ,hc otltr.
That is not encouraging to The police
man who would do his duty, Il it,
Among the city officials who visited
Police Headquarters this morning were
pol;se Jns M,e Diyytr T Tma Excise Com
1t was the calm before tnt storm that
was observable at Police H"adqnart.rs
this morning. The unusual ]activitE dis
Ing. Supt. Byrncs was ut his desk at
the usual time. but the Commissioners
were. II anything, late In getting down.
The Superintendent preserves ii policy
of silence regarding the scheme ON the
part OF some of the commissioners L.
GUST him from office, but there is AN air
of confidence in his bearing which gives
the impression that the " turning down
process may result disastrously 10 thu
promoters. Thu iatter-the Commission
ers-will hold "A meeting this afternoon,
and they will probably b. heard from
Doubtless another series of denial" VIII be
the result. 1t may be that being driver
into a corner they may turn aud light.
Mayor GllrOy Is WLtchiu tn" stlassl,
with interest. He said yr.t"rIty and II,
reiterates this morning, mat II amy rrpl'
table citizen would prefer charges hSaIIlrl
the Commissioners h." Tould be- ready q,
hear them. Replying t. his uil'ranrr ~
that point. Rev. Dr. Parknurst said las.
night:
"Our complaints have been laid he
fore the Mayor, and they hay" %"liciir'
no attention. We repeated the com
ago as Chairman of the Commissioners
OF Jurors. and he, instead 81 bringing
II before that body a. he Was bouu,
TO do in his official capacity, brought !
before the Grand Jury, one Of which
body was the very party We had com
planned Of; That's The way we ar
treated and Snubbei every time"
The Grand Juror referred 70 wa
Hugh Sleyin, who was charged wit
running, several liquor stores aud VIC
latlnB the Excise law.
Rev. DR. Pgrkhurst Is just as aCcu
rate in these statements as h. has be-.
in all the others made by him and In tn
policy he is pursuing Mayor Gllru
said to an Evening World" roporte
this morning.
In the iirst place. he never pr-rrrre
charges 10 me against the Police Con
missioners or any one else. He did sen
to me a list of disgrderly houses, with
letter explaining that II was a copy Of
list forwarded at the same time 70 III
Police Commissioners.
Il sent the matter I the Police Con-
mlssioners, and in course " time r.
ceived a report upon II, u copy OF whio
was doubtless forwarded u Rev. u
Parkhurst at the same time.
AS 10 his second complaint. he dl1 NJ
address me properly when he spell
about my not having brought the ma
tsr to the Commissioners Of Jurors,
he says was my duty. | am not Chat
man OF that Board, and any complain
of that nature should be made 10 Il
Chairman, who happens TO be Record
Smyth.
Thirdly, when he speaks OF my ha'
ing brought the matter TO the Graz
Jury when one of the persons charg,
was a member of that body, | was n,
In Chicago representing the city of Ne
Yo X and had no knowledge Of Il
matter. The papers were sent 10 Il
Grand Jury by my. secretary at the !
quest OF the Grand Jury. l think tn