The morning call., 1893-07-29
BURNS TOOK HIS SHARE.
Was the Police Department Made
Use of ?
rlcDADE AND HIS PROTEGE.
The Democratic Sheriff Should Ex-
plain Why He Holds Billy
Deane in Office.


bosses have been called upon TO solve, and
as might have been expected the solution
is as remote as ever. The 800 places have
been filled. it is true, hut as result there
are 2700 men, each of whom looks upon
himself as a power, wondering "where
they are at" and devoting a considerable
portion of their waking hours 10 the very
pleasant occupation OF abusing the men
who are supposed TO manage politics.
Many of them. no doubt, are very worthy
gentlemen from partisan standpoint and
have been active in furthering the inter-
ests of their particular organization, and
now that they have been left in the cold
they are wondering how it all happened
and why they have not been cared fer in
the distribution of fat places.
just at present the personnel Of the en-
ployes in the Office of the new License
Collector is being fully discussed. and the
dissatisfaction is open and inSistent. In
the first place it is charged that Fred Lees,
who was named for the position by Mayor
Ellert and Treasurer Widber, was never
anything but machine man of the rank
est type. Despite the influence of the
elder Lees Fred was never elevated to any
position OF prominence, for the reason that
he was not regarded as having more than
ordinary political sagacity, and 1t was
found that subordinate positions would
keep him in line. When Crimmins kept
his saloon on Third street Fred Lees wasa
constant hanger-on at these political head
quarters and ready to undertake the bid
ding Of the bosses.
In time there came a change. Kelly and
Crimmins were driven out of power
Their it was that Lees grew am bilious of
higher honors than had been allowed him,
and he fixed his eve on the License Office as
a good. snug harbor for couple OF years.
Just how he succeeded in reaching the
goal cf his desires will probably never be
known. but there is grave suspicion that
ex-Boss Kelly and the heads of the Police
Department had more than mere finger
in the pie. At any rate. Dan NJ. Burns.
who is one of the Commissioners, is be-
lieved to have used his influence for Lees,
and witnesses can be found in considera-
bic numbers who remein Der that Chief
Crowley haunted the new City Hall for
DAYS when the fight was warmest.
Detective Glennon and other members
of the force were also active, and as
result some peculiar stories are afloat.
One of them is that the members of the
Board of Supervisors. in which the power
of confirmation lay, were promised num-
Der Of places on the force, and there is
reason to believe that such bargain was
made. Two of the Supervisors have al
ready succeeded IN having friends APP
pointed to vacancies. and the Police Com
missioners have suddenly developed an
extraordinary amount of zeal in dismissing
men from the force. No less than six have
had their stars taken away within a COM
paratively short time, and there are quite
a number more who are said to be in peril
of dismissal.
The peculiar part Of it all is that Burns
seems to be factor of the combination.
His intimate political friend. Tailor Cur
ley, is one Of Lees bondsmen, and two of
the deputies were named by Burns. One
is Ed Conroy. who is Dick Chute's brother
in-law and idus AchateS, and the other,a
son Of Sergeant McKenna of the police
force. Another deputy is son of Chief
Crowley. Still another is a friend of Su-
pervisor Kennedy. who is chairman of the
Police Committee. 1t was only few
months ago. it will be remem bered. that
Captain Lees. in a printed interview, criti-
cized Burns most numerically, and init
mated that the Commissioner was an unfit
man for the place. for the reason that If
allowed to serve he would drag the Police
Department into politics. Can it be posi-
BILE. people are now asking, that the pre-
diction has proved true and that the cap
tain is assisting in the drag?
Another example of the power of the
machine is found in the fact that Billy
BlattDer, who was and is Phil Crimmins'
most devoted henchman, was made chief
deputy in spite of the vigorous protests of
Mayor Ebert Despite this. however. Boss
Kelly had his way. and Blattner went in
with the smiling approval of Fred Lees
and his hackers.
The attitude of the Supervisors is
equally peculiar. For instance. on the
morning of the day on which Lees name
came up for confirmation caucus was
held, and only three voted for the ap-
pointee. Then it was that Chief Crow
ley and others paid visit to the
new City Hall. and when evening came
the Supervisors discovered that they were
unanimous for Lees. just what caused
the sudden change is still matter of
speculation.
Now that it is all over people are won
dering just how much was gained by the
defeat of the Kelly gang at the polls, and
why 1t is that the same old crowd are in
office with the aid of the old City Hall
employees.
Still another glazing instance of machine
politics is found in the Sheriff's Office in
the person of William A. Deane. McDade
was nominated through boss influence in
the Democratic municipal convention to
the rich Office which he now holds. 1t is
not surprising, therefore, that he should
have soft spot in his heart for boss
henchmen, though bearing the Republican
stamp. In this case, however. the penchant
has been so pronounced as to excite un-
favorable comment among members of his
own party. Times are hard. many per-
sons are out of employment, and needy
Democrats are asking why McDade should
find a soft billet for Republican when
80 many of his Democratic supporters have
been given the cold shoulder. To make
matters worse, Deane was an offensive
partisan during the last election. Holding
a position in the Office of County Clerk
Blattn er-by grace of his relationship to NJ.
II do Younp-be was loud in his advocacy