The evening world., 1893-12-19
POLICE ORGANIZED.
The "Finest" Are Bound To-
gether in a Secret Society.
Ms Influence May Be Felt in the
Byrnes Turn-Down Plot.
Mayor Gilroy Replies to DIR. Park
bursts Charges.

It wal the calm before the storm that
was observable at Police Headquarters
his morning. The unusual activity dis
played yesterday by officials wa lack
ing. supt. Byrnes was at his desk at
the usual time, but the Commissioners
were II ;apythinB late In getting down.
The Superintendent preserves o policy
of silence regarding the scheme on the
part Of some of the Commissioner to
Gust him from office, but there is an air
Of confidence In his being which gives
the impression that the turning down
process may result disastrously to the
promoters. The latter-the Commission
ers-wm hold a meeting this afternoon,
md they will probably be heard from.
Doubtless another series, OF denial VIII be
the result. 1t may be that being driven
Into a corner they may turn and fight.
Mayor Gilroy is watchin~ the struggle
with Interest; He said YESTERDAY. and he
reiterated this morning, that II any repu-
table citizen would prefer charges against
the Commissioners he would be ready to
hear them. Replying to his utterance on
int point Rev. Dr. rkhur said last
Four complaints have been laid be.
lore the Mayor, and they have ELECTED
plant and made one to him awhile
sgo as Chairman OF the Commissioners
Yf Jurors, and he. instead of bringing
AZ sOeLOTe tnaI DOQy Us ne was DOuT1u
q do in his Official capacity. brought It
before the Grand Jury, one of which
body was the very party we had com
Rlai1 sd OF. Of; .,, That's .ytihe way we are
AThe Grand Juror referred to was
Hugh :-sievin, who was charged with
/: Htnning several liquor stores and vio-
.latipg the Excise law.
REV. DR.. Parkhurst Is Just as accu-
rate in these statements as he has been
e Ell the others made by him and IN the
said to an Evening World reporter
this morning.
TN the first place, he never preferred
missioners or any one else. lie did send
20 me a list of disorderly houses. with a
letter explaining that 1t was q copy Of n
list forwarded at the same time to the
Police Commissioners.
missioners, and In course of time re-
ssiyedd S a sbeRSst Sa pUn n 3 copy % R Of which bn
Parkhurst at the same time.
las to his second complaint, he did not
address me properly when he speaks
about my not having brought the mat
ter to the Commissioners Of Jurors. as
ne says was my duty. am not Chair
mar OF that Board, and any complaints
OF that nature should be made to the
Chairman. who happens to be Recorder
"fhirdly, when he speaks of my hnv-
ing brought the matter to the Grand
jury when one of the persons charged
was n member OF that body, l was then
n Chicago representing the city Of New
Yo;k and d. had no knowledge Of The
Grand Jury by my secretary at the re-
quest Of the Grand uJry. l think that
answers him."
In the warfare that Is going on in the
Police Department, between the Commits
aioners or one hand and Supt. Byrnes
on the other, n big factor has been over
looked In the policemen themselves. 1t
Will doubtless be a surprise to many,
beers Of The Finest" are fully organized,
more powerful than any trade union.
Nearly. three years have elapsed since
few Of the patro1msn got together to
claimed at that time that the policemen
bad to do considerable dirty work.
They were, besides, badly treated. Days
while roundsmen made life a burden. II
was openly talked OF amonp the men
that while they had to do all the nasty
work. while Others reaped a harvest. they
The result was the forming of an or
1ganization on secret lines. but so that
h real objects should be hidden. The
bylaws said the men had only banded
together for mutual benefit, and the
amount paid In each month was only to
guarantee a little over funeral expenses
10 the relatives In case of death.
The story of the growth of that organ-
Station would make an interesting chap
Ter; How the men met, stealthily at
night In out OF the way places, and how
codes of signals were arranged to give
warming of the roundsman's approach,
while meetings, were being held. No Of
bership. and 1t was expressly stipulated
thai, In case any member was promoted
ne should at once give up whatever Office
ne held In the organization.
On secret Ines the movement was
worked until nearly two-thirds of all the
patrolmen in the Department had been
Initiated, then they %branched out openly.
1t they were filled with alarm.
-Ihe organization was frowned upon
Every effort was made to break 1t up
but the roll of membership kept on in.
creasing. and one year ago they held
their first annual reunion in Suffers
Harlem River Park
Finding that they could not bring VI
The organization. and not thoroughly un,
derstanding what 1t really meant, 1t IL
charged that the Commissioners an
to turn 1t into a Tammany adjunct.
During the last election. at one of thu
meetings a score of resolutions We're in
froduced, indorsing the candidate of {
certain Assemblyman. 1t was, i%iterall,
speaking. kicked out OF the meeting
The fact that the men have been ab,.
to come together, to exchange views
and compare notes. has been the biggest
danger to the alleged blackmaiiers
very lisi,e E0es on in the Department
$3.50 81 'hiAN'hS " NV VI
ganization do not know all about. They
are fully alive to the present situation
n what the removal of Supt. Byrnes
would near. The power they exercise
may be felt at any moment.
Among the rank and le of the organi
cation 1t was the expectation at one tim,
that they would be able, at a not too re
mote period, to dictate their own terms
The Organization is said to hav,
originated largely in the failure to Obtain
increased salaries. It will be remember
ed that a bill for that purpose was de
feated In the Legislature on the dictatioI
of the officials here.
"'The World has It right when 4
says that not Captains, but politicians
rule the precincts" said an official a
T~eadquarters this morning. IL know o
q fair instance which demonstrates tn
pull OF certain saloon-keepers.
"A policeman one Sunday requested
saloon-keeper to draw down his shades
80 that 1t would be less evident tina
ne was. doing business in violation o
the excise law. The policeman was toll
TO attend to his own affairs. The ser
Beant was notified. and he made a SINH
lar request OF the saloon-keeper bu
was also met with n rebuff.
The sergeant ordered the saloon
Keeper arrested. He got of in court. an
a Few days afterwards the sergeant wa
transferred by order of the Commission
ers from one emo OF the city to the Other
That Is not encouraging TO the police
Hnan NHhA .VA"A1 u -