The evening world., 1893-12-19
The "Finest" Are Bound To-
gether in a Secret Society.
Its influence May Be Felt In the
Byrnes Turn-Down Plot.
Mayor Gilroy Replies to DR.. Park
bursts Charges.

HIOHtIH III oic hhiho aiu SepNs
on the other, a big factor has been over
looked in the policemen themselves. 1t
win doubtless be q surprise to many,
when the fact IL known that the MEM
bers Of the Finest" are fully organized.
and that in its way the organization Ii
more powerful than any trade union.
Nearly three years have elapsed since
q few of the patrolmen got together to
consult over their grievances. 1t was
said ut that time that the policemen
had to do considerable dirty work"
They were. besides, badly treated. Days
or came at long and irregular intervals.
while roundsmen made life a burden. 1t
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
g~anization on secret lines, SO that
the real objects should be hidden. The
bylaws said the men had only banded
together for mutual benefit. and, the
amount paid in each mont was only to
guarantee a little over funeral expenses
to the relatives in case Of death.
isation would make an interesting chap
ter-how the men met stealthily. at
night in out Of the way places, and how
SO1 : Ss s u n Tsle laas' APPROACH %
while meetings were being held. No Of
ncial OF any kind was allowed to mem:
OerBnlp, ana IL was expressly btlpuldttu
that in case any member was promoted
he should at once give up whatever office
he held in the organization.
v on se Snst, n 1inss the mEyem of al, T tss
patrolmen in the Department had been
Initiated, then they branched out openly;
snf the wh we're eh slle SpW WITH aiarm' heard OF
The organization was frowned upon.
Every effort was made to break II up,
but the roll Of membership kept on In,
4 AEAnQtn0 and nna Vanr A0n thew hold
their first annual reunion in Suffers
Harlem River Park.
Finding, that they could not break up
the organization. and not thoroughly I'M
derstanding what 1t really meant. 1t is
charged that the Commissioners and
their henchmen And ward hselers tried
During the last election, at one OF the
meetings q score of resolutions were in
trodueed, ind9rsing the eandidat te,o OF a
speaking. kicked out OF the meeting
The fact that the men have been able
and compare notes. has been. the biggest
danger to. the alleged blackmaiiers.
Very little goes on In the Department
ganlzation do not know all about. They
are fully alive to the present situation
and what the ,r removal Of SSupt' Byrn1ss
may be felt at n moment.
Among the rank and file Of the organi-
cation 1t was the expectation at one time
mote period, to dictate their own terms.
The organization is said to have
originated largely in the failure to obtain
ed that a bill for that purpose was de.
feated in the Legislature on the dictation
OF " Vt S'"S word PERI has it right when I,
says that not Captains, but politicians,
rule the precincts" said an official al
H~eadauarters this morning. II know Of
pull OF certain saloon-keepers.
"A policeman one Sunday requested n
saloon-keeper to draw down his shades.
80 that It would be less evident that
he was doing business in violation OF
the excise law. The policeman was told
to attend to his own affairs. The ser
lar request of the saloon-keeper. but
was also met Will a rebuff.
The sergeant ordered the saloon;
q few days afterwards the sergeant was
transferred by order of the Commission
ers from one emo of the city to the other
man who would do his duty, IS IT."
Among the city officials who visited
Police Headquarters this morning were
Police Justice Diver and Excise Com
missioner Michael c. Murphy.
1t was the calm before the storm tina
was observable at Police HeadQuarters
played yesterday by officials was lack
Ing. supt. Byrnes was ut his desk a
the usual ime but the Commissioner
were. II anything. late In getting down
The Superintendent preserves a polio.
of silence regarding the scheme on tn,
part of some of the Commissioners Z
Dust him from office, but there Is an al
of confidence in his bearing which give
the impression that the " turning down
process may result disastrously to tn
promoters. The latter-the Commission
ers-will hold n meeting this afternoon
and they will probably be heard from
Doubtless another series OF denials will b
the result. 1t may be that being drive
into a corner they may turn and night.
Mayor Gilroy is watchin the struggl
with interest He said Yesterday. and h
reiterates this morning, that If any repu
table citizen would prefer charges agalns
the Commissioners he would be ready I
hear them. Replying to his utterance o
that point, Rev. DR.. ParEhurst said las
"Ou complaints have been laid be
fore the Mayor, and they have elicite
no attention. We repeated the con
plants and made one to him a viii
ago as Chairman of the Commissioners
Of Jurors. and he; instead OF bringin
to do in his official capacity, brought
before the Grand Jury. one of whic
body was the very party we had con
treated and snubbed every time"
The Grand Juror referred to wa
hugh slevln, who was charged wit
running several liquor stores and vi,
lating the Excise law.
Rev. DIR Parkhurst is Just as acc
rate In these statements as he has be-
in all the others made by him and In Il
policy HI is pursuing Mayor Cir,
said to an Evening World report
this morning.
I'm the first place. he never PREFER
charges TO me against the Police Cor
missioners or any one else. He did sci
TO me a list Of disorderly houses, with
letter explaining that 1t was a copy OF
list forwarded at the same time TO I
Police Commissioners.
II sent the mattel I the Police Coz
missioners, and in course OF time
ceived a report upon IL, a copy OF viii
was doubtless forwarded TO Rev. /
Parkhurst at the same time.
"As to his second complaint, he did I
address me properly when he spea
about my not having brought the mi
ter to the Commissioner OF Jurors,
he says was my duty. | am not Cha
man of that Board, and any complain
of that nature should be made TO I
Chairman. who happens to be RecorC
Smyth.
Thirdly, when he speaks OF my hs
Ing brought the matter to the Ora
Jury when one OF the persons chars
was a member OF that body, j was IN
In Chicago representing the city OF n
70 k and had no knowledge OF
matter. The papers were sent TO
Grand Jury by my. secretary at the