New-York tribune., 1893-12-24
DE. PIPEUTRST IND MR. NICOII.


1t is unfortunate that there should he an issue
Of fact between the District Attorney and the
president of the Society for the Prevention Of
Crime. And il is considerably more unfOrtu-
nate for Mr. Nicoll than for Dr. Parkhurst for
when the community has To accept one of two
statements it generally accepts the more cred
ible But taking Mr. Ncoll'S version OF I'M
contradictcd facts at its face value. we must
say that It is not designed to enhance his
reputation for sincerity and sagaciIy He ey-
plains that he was avcrse 10 precipitating an
attack upon the whole Police Department last
August or September, because at that time
tens Of thousands of men were out Of work
and constantly excited TO acts of desperation
by watchful Anarchists This is about as feeble
an excuse as even SO versatile and adrOit a
man as Mr.. Nicol could invent. In the first
place there was far less hopeless misery then
than there is now. and. in the second place,
if the city had Eccn so threatened at that time
the surest way Of averting danger would have
been TO hold up the guardians Of the public
peace 10 a high standard of discipline and etii
cheney. thus proving to the elements Of disorder
that The authorities were alert and determined.
Furthermore. concodng benevolent motive
TO Mr. Nicoll we cannot accept his theory that
10 any such extent as he nagines DR. Park
hurst is not foolish laundering zealot, but IN
exceedingly able and rcsourccfu man. Fight
ing long against formidable obstacles. he has
won a position which his advcrsaries were de-
tcrmined that he should never occupy. Il posi-
ton in which he commands the confidence and
respect of this community, and inspires the
official protectors of crime with terror. He is
To, lilo. f,rh all
those questions Of time and method which the
District Attorney has been socltous 10 decide
for him. What he has needed and failed to get
has been the steady. energetic performance OF
his plain duty by the public prosecutor. Mr.
Nicol was assuming function which did not
belong 10 him. and the exercise Of which was
not at all likely to produce useful results. when
Le proposed that Dr. Parkhurs, should put him
self in the hands Of an eminent police official
to be helped hndercd according 10 that Off
cialS notions Of advantage and propriety. Or
Parkhurst is not TO be blamed for declining 10
engage judicious mentor on Mr. Ncoll's
recommendation.
Not the least interesting part Of Mr.. Ncol1s
statement Is that in which. after alluding TO
committed. he says that he advised him 10 asso
ciate with himself every helpful factor in the
community, and adds: Il told him that such
factor was Superintendent Byrnes told
him that | had known the Superintendent for
many years. had known him To Withstand the
most extraordinary political Influences Now
il would be extremely interesting 10 learn what
these most extraordinary political influences
are which Superintendent Byrnes has been
withstanding. The expression is Il supcrlativcly
strong one. II excludes the supposiiiOn that
Mr. Nicoll refers 10 the demands Of some petty
barroom magnate with police court pull II
II means anything AT all, il must mean that
Superintendent Byrncs has resisted tremendous
pressure at the risk Of his official head. Who
applied that pressure and found the Superin-
tendent adamant:
The District-Attorncy il apparently able 10
perform an eminent public service AT the very
end Of his term of office-a service which might
far surpass in value any which hc has thus far
rendered to not ungratcful city He has
divulged part Of a secret He ought not I" hide
the rest Of IL.