The Press., 1893-06-01
Cor. Hartford Post.) TAMMANY POLICE.

" Our Hartford police at times think that they are used rather hard, but glimpse at the life of No. 2O23-a, of the 'Finest," that is the New York force, will convince them that their life has fallen in pleasant places. l got in conversation with No. 2023-a, near the man-of-war boat landing, day or two ago, and learned some curi- ous facts.
 'I have been in the business about three years" said he, land suppose that I will never get out of it. No, there is nothing easy about it, but its sure, and that counts. We get 200 per year, but when you take out the assessment it reduces it to about $1 ,00O, and now they are putting on per cent. tax to replen- ish the pension fund. It's dead wrong, but we have to stand it.''
 asked him something about the hours, and found out that the arrangements are so complicated that only Philadelphia lawyer can decipher them, but so far as I remember the routine is this: Starting for instance with Monday, he has all day at home. This he calls the long day, and usually inspection falls on that day, so that even then some of his time must go to the performance of duty. At o'clock p. m. he must report at the station, get his shield and billy, and go on post till 12 m. Then he can go home till a. m., and from a. m. Tuesday morning he is on duty, saving meal hours, for the week, sleeping at station house, when not pa trolling his post. This is being on reserve. One night in twenty he is supposed to have home, but extra duty brings it around about so that he really gets no more than one night home in a month. In addition to all this, all inspections, etc., are made in the time which he is by law allowed to himself.
 ABOLITION OF NIGHT STICKS.
 When asked about the comparatively new order of Superintendent Byrnes con- corning the night sticks, he w1s very em- phatic. "Now, see here, that man sits up in an office all day, and so far as he is concerned a palm leaf fan is good enough for him. All he has to do is to knock out flies in warm weather but my regular beat in the day time is only two blocks long, and the gang is so tough that it ought not to be one. Now am big fellow, and can usually knock lem out with my fists, but in case gang jumps on me, I've got to dive in my pockets and pull out this little stick while they are cracking away at me. You see we are not even allowed to have it in sight. And the gang I deal with is so tough that words are never used. When see them on my beat walk right up to them, and if they don't move on, jump right for them and commence to smash. Tell lem to move on? Not much; they would think they had me bluffed if was to talk to them"
 asked him how it was that being so long on the force he had not had a pro- motion.
 Well, I'll tell you. Before I got in this business used to be on Wall street, and made good thing of it."
 What doing?" asked him.
 "Why, speculating put they hung my the lambs, and so having good influence I got on the force. It only took me sixty days, and some of the applicants had been waiting two years. Tammany? Oh yes, the tiger runs New York, you can bet" HOW PROMOTIONS ARE BROUGHT.
 "How about promotions ?" asked him.
 Well, I'll tell you; mind, there Is none of this for publication, at least not under my number"
 assured him that this number was in no danger of being turned, so far as was concerned, and so he went on.
 "I can get a detail, that is, something of Ivy 1ib rt Off1 hof Art nF thing, for $200; roundsmen for about $500, and everything higher in propor- tion. I know positively that Captain S. gave up $15, ,O00 for his billet, and you see he can easily make it up. Its q case of hush all along the line. If you are rum-seller, you can't live without putting up, and if you keep crib its just the same."
 l expressed some incredulity, and he assured me there wasn't saloon in his precinct but what kept open after hours, and that he did not dare arrest any of them.
 NO CHANCE FOR REFORM.
 "Now," he said, suppose go before a grand jury and swear to these things have just told you. I lose my job, and there are fifty policemen in my precinct who will swear that they have never seen anything wrong going on. No sir-ee," he continued, "you can't buck against Tam many Hall. You might just us well run your head up against that" pointing to fire hydrant.
 then asked him how it was that the newspapers didn't get on to these things. He said, "We don't trust reporters, and fake papers, like The World, can't get a bit of information from a man on the force. As to you Undressing mel, I've known you good many years, but if you were on New York paper I'd be as dumb as an oyster"
 then asked him what effect pr. Park hurst had had on the force by his expos ures.
 "Just this-he made old Murray give up the business, and he'll make it so hot for Byrnes that he will have to go out if he don't look out.
 "Now mind," he said, when bade him good night, "don't mix me up in this" So his number isn't 2023-a at all.