The record-union., 1893-12-09
new YORK POLICE.
System and Work of the Metropolitan
Detectives.
Superintendent Byrnes and His Won
derful knowledge of the Crimi-
nal Element.

NEW YORK, Dec. 2.-For a week now
the Police Department of this city has
been the subject of much interest here,
and as the occasion of the concentration
OF the attention on this branch of the mu-
nIcIpal government is trial which may
last for several weeks, the interest is apt
TO be continued for some time. Whether
or not the testimony presented in the
progress of the case will realize the hopes
OF New Workers and prove the abuses
and evils which everyone knows exist,
and thus open the way to their correction
or removal, is very doubtful, and, it
seems at present, is very improbable.
The case is that of Captain of Police
William S. Devery, who is charged with
Willful and persistent neglect of duty in
having permitted to continue disorderly
houses within stones throw Of his sta
tion-house in the Eleventh Precinct
This charge was brought by DR.. Park
hurSts Society for the Prevention of
Vice and on an Indictment found by
the Grand Jury November 29th. DR..
Parkhurst's agents sent to the Commits
sioners a list of the houses with a COM
plant over month ago, and describing
minutely the nature of the business con-
Quoted in them. Captain Devery investi-
gated and reported no cause for COM
plant. Appeal was made to the Superin-
tendent of Police, who repeated the ex-
animation through an inspector and like
wise reported no cause. Addressing
again the Commissioners of Police, the
society was referred to the Superinten-
dent, who re-examined and again re-
ported the premises as inotfensiYe.
On the same day that the Board of Com
missioners received the final reports of
Superintendent Byrnes and of Captain
Devery, and exonerated the latter, DR..
Parkhursts agents had the inmates of
these houses arrested and procured con-
victions in four out of five cases. En-
couraged thus, the society went before
the Grand Jury, with the result Of an in
dictment of Deyery in four counts. Now
the society believe they have a clear
case and they trust they can have evil
dence accepted by the court which Will
compel a complete reorganization of
the department. Their satisfaction is
complete and general, and it is also keen
and particular, for they all are very
human beings, and this same Captain
Devery is the man who laid the trap
which disgraced Agent Gardiner, one Of
the society's corps OF subordinates.
DeVery gave woman marked bills, then
arrested Gardiner, as he took them for
bribe and had him sent to the island for
blackmail.
1t is well known that Superintendent
Byrnes hates DR.. Parkhurst, resents the
meddling of his society, and has sworn
to run him out of town, and no doubt the
spectacle Of the personal antagonism adds
a flavor pleasing to some people. But the
best interest, and that which renders the
subject one Of more general concern, is
cenLered in the important practical prob
lem which may reach a solution. For
the defense Of Devery will reopen Ques-
ton which the police here, as in most
large cities OF this country, have closed
namely, can the police eradicate the an
cient social evil? 1t is true, DR.. Park
hurst IS fleeing this question and doing
all he can to turn the investigation ex-
clusively into the motives of the captains
for discriminating among the houses
which are complained OF. But Mr.. Byrnes
knows we'll which is the path of saliva
tlon for him, and he knows that If his
reverend enemy has his way it will be
that Of his organizations damnation.
Both the Superintendent and the Com
missioners have told me what their de-
tense will be. They will maintain that
the police cannot get evidence sufficient
to convict. They and Captain Deyery
will not deny full knowledge of the ex-
istence of crime as alleged, but while the
agents OF Parkhurst, say they, can go
into the houses and get all the evidence
necessary, the police officers and detect
ives may not do this on account of their
families and cannot be asked to do so by
the police authorities. This plea implies
confession of helplessness, and they
frankly admit that they know no legiti-
mate IN cans for carrying out the law.
This is a remarkable thing for the police
to say, but they have said it privately
yesterday and to-day and will state it
publicly next week. Commissioner Nc
Clave said to me to-day:
rrF-a Mt X-OT that II oh e-to
ment for me TO make, but l say that there
is no means known to US for leSsening
the evil. We can permit captains TO give
notice to leave and thus drive these peo-
pie from the precinct. But this course is
dangerous one and subject TO abuse.
and moreover only distributes the evil
and makes the criminals more quiet and
careful. 1t does not reduce the number
OF such persons by one"
Mr.. Byrnes said at the same time that
the practice always had been, always
would, and was impossible even OF
check. Here are confessions from the
chief executors of criminal and petty law
in the largest city of the United States.
There are thousands here who will say
this is but common sense, and there are
millions in the whole country who will
echo "amen." But that is not the point
either here or in other cities. The sig
nificance of the position taken by these
officials is that which is a consequence of
the implied premises. They assume a
discretionary power in the enforcement
OF laws and start out on their work with
q non-beief in its effectiveness.
This the New York police do consist
emily throughout all their operations.
They aim at the apprehension OF GRIM
inals, not at the prevention of crime.
Superintendent Byrnes said truthfully to
me to-day that his force was the most
efficient III this country and equal to any
in the world. But at what cost does he
achieve this pride? He sacrifices all the
higher functions of a police system. He
does not grapple with the essential evils.
with the hard problem of crime, its origin
and causes, its growth and its self-perpeI-
uation.
What is his system? 1t is one of COM
plete information, intimate acquaintance
with criminals and their habitats, coop
Grafton with them at times and the eX-
pulSion OF the worst cases to other cities.
He accepts crime and criminals as they
are, watches them grow up and follows
their careers. The result is that when d
crime is committed he can tell by the Pc
culiarities OF II what school. so to speak,
sometimes what gang, or even what indi-
vidual did it. He can catch the offenders
and regain very often the booty. The
criminals on their side know this well
and the shrewder OF them travel when
they are in need OF activity So that this
very month there have been double the
number of grand crimes in Brooklyn
than in New oEk.
An example of the wonderful success
of his methods and of the kind of work
which makes Byrnes respected here and
abroad was told me innocently by man
who was mystitied about the wavs and
means. He was robbed while drunk of
watch. diamond pin and a ring. He
went to the Superintendent and prayed
him to get back the watch at least. as that