New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-11
NJSTJEES MADE BY THE POLICE.


MISTIKES MADE BY THE POLICE.
The Police Department of this city is not
strengthening itself in the confidence and good
will Of intelligent and hgi-ninded people. In
fact il is not too much to say that distrust in
the good faith and sincerity Of certain police
officials is gaining ground daily The recent
transfers Of captains. following hard upon the
indictment OF Devery, had an unpleasant look.
Captain Dcvery was indicted for falling to sup
press vicious resorts In his precinct after he hau
received full information OF the existence OF
such resorts. II is known that other police
captains have been suspicously sympathetic In
their lcnicncy toward vicious resorts. and little
doubt exists that these captains deserve intict-
mcnt rs fully rs Captain Dcycry. The trans
fcrs of such captains made it far more difficult
10 obtain overwhelming evidence against them
to present to the Grand Jury. Was that the
reason why tie transfers were made? These
transfers were not ju1cious, and are not easy
of defense or cycls'.
Certain police officials and their sympatbizcrs
and apologists appear TO think that the people
Of New-Yorb have no intelligence and no com
mon sense. They are mistaken. Intelligent
citizens are now convinced that it is the prac-
ticc Of keepers Of gambling hclls of dives,
and of disortlcrly houses to pay stated sums for
'protcction" They feel sure that Il large share
of this blacllmai cnriches Tammany Hall. and
they do not doubt that Il portion OF 1T sticks TO
certain police fingers on its way 10 Tammany
pockets. They know that Il part OF the pohce
force has been shamcfully mis,ised by ram
many Hall 10 increase the vote of its candi-
dates and to lessen the vote Of its opponents.
The evidence that certain pairOlmcn. rounds
men, sergcants and captains have broken the
law and dsgraccd themselves 10y partisan ef-
forts for Tammany candidates in recent cam
paigns and ut recent elections Is unanswcrabie.
How. then. can the people Of NewYork trust the
Police Department unrcscrvcdly! The force Is
not handled solely in the interest of good
morals. dcccncy and order. rs 1t should be. The
abuses which certain elements in the depart
mcnt have permitted and encouraged In cain
pagns and elections would prove that. even
without the irrcfutablc evidence which has
been accumulated by DR.. Parkhurst and his
assistants.
A Tammany Mayor dealt n deadly blow at
the honor and reputation Of the department
when he made the Police Board partisan. This
WAS gricvons wrong 10 the people OF this city.
"A wrong which reached the magnitude of Il
crime Democratic Legislature degraded IL
self by making the election boarls partisan,
and since then the Police Department has been.
in part at least. an instrument in the hands OF
Tammany Hall to aid in swelling ils vote by
frauds Of all sorts 1t will be- the duty of the
Legislature 10 pass an act promptly to
make the Police Commission and the elec-
,issi,n
can he made non-partisan by abolshins the
present body altogether and prescribing new
system OF appointment for it's successors.
partisan Police Commission AMI partisan cleo
ton boards are the prolific springs OF woes I'M
numbered in the metropolis.
Meanwhile the Grand Jury has plenty Of
work on it's hands. There are other police
officials besides Captain Deyery who ought to
be indicted and tried Certain officials have
made themselves conspicuous by loud ana
boistcrous abuse Of DR.. Parkhurst couchcd in
filthy and obscene language. Some Of these
officials need the attention OF the Grand Jury
and Of II trial jury just as obviously rs does
Captain Dcvcry Their responsibility for
fragrant exhibitions OF unchecked vice is just rs
clear as that Of Captain Dcvery. BY the way,
IL was singular proceeding and a wholly in
defcnsible one. 10 put Captain Deycry In charge
OF n new precinct after he had been indicted
and before he had been tried. The attitude Of
certain prominent men In the department since
the Parkhurst exposures became SO overpower-
ing and appalling has been mingling Of con
stcrnatIon with dismay. and Of defiance Of
public opinion and obvious truths. that affords
an interesting study of human nature as OK
hibitcd In official positions in this Tammany
afflicted town. The policemen Of NewYork
admirably effective in preventing riots and
serious outbreaks. and are entirely competent
10 put down riots If the emergency should
occur. Why are they not equally effective In
Of law-brcakcrs? The answer is not far to
seek