Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-25
Mr.. BYRNES WILL TESTIFY
New York's Police Superintendent to Go on
the Stand.
1t IL Claimed That He VIII Leave
With n Clean RecOr,l-LOOk-
Ing Up His Past.


a visit i'm New York yesterday in connec-
ton with the future sessions OF the senate
Investigating committee. He declined to
make any statement further than that
Superintendent Byrnes would be placed OH
the witness stand, probably tomorrow.
when Superintendent Byrnes has con-
cluded his testimony" said Senator Lexow,
everybody will acknowledge that his ex-
animation has been satisfactory"
Mr.. Golf said that If all the testimony
Is taken by that time an adjournment
will be reached by Friday, but IL not the
committee would hold a session on Satur-
day. He declined to say that the witnesses
would be confined to the police force and
conveyed the impression that some citizen
would testify to several startling facts.
If the rumors in circulation yesterday
prove to be we'll founded the superintend-
ent will leave the stand with as clean q
record as when he went on it, and be
called upon by the committee later to re-
organize the police department That, ac-
cording to tho same rumor is why the
committee has been reluctant to call the
superintendent as a witness 1t has relied
upon him as the one man who had the
ambition and the ability to bring the police
department of New York up to the stand
ard where it might be fittingly and in sim
pie justice be called the finest"
a prominent republican, who Is in
position to hear occasionally what the
committee proposes to do and who is ia
miliar with the inside workings of the DO
lice department., had this to say on that
very subject:
'As l understand it," said he, 1.-The COM
mittee. or the majority of those who COM
prise It. at any rate. have consented to
the calling of Byrnes as a witness with
the greatest reluctance.
They hesitated for long time. and
have given way only because of the fierce
public demand that he be placed on the
stand. So far l can learn, the COM
mittee or its counsel-it's one and the same
noW-iooked UP the record Of Superintend-
ent Byrnes with some care and failed to
lind anything upon which they could place
the finger In his career superintendent
AS Tor his reputed wealth, | understand
further that Superintendent Byrnes is not
only prepared TO show that he has been q
heavy Spectator in Wall street. but that
be was fortunate enough to make $3.50 D
in one year in Wall street. That explains
in part. why the committee did not wish
TO examine him in any other capacity than
that OF an expert in police matters
Another thing which has operated in
the interest of Byrnes with the committee
is that the senators, or the majority |
have referred to, when il advises the legis-
lature to pass laws reorganizing the police
department, will do with the conviction
that there is bat one man who can do that
successfully, and that is Superintendent
mittee say that, to his mind Byrnes was
the only man in the department who was
equal to that task
'Byrnes is ambitious. and the committee.
so far as l can learn is already convinced
that If Byrnes gets an opportunity he
would give New York a model police de-
partment as the browning act of his police
career
that nothing can be brought ont against
the superintendent that will affect him in
the least, yet they would prefer that he he
not called and questioned. further than to
get his opinion regarding the reorganiZa-
ton OF the police department.
The committee is already convinced that
he Is the one, the only man, who has the
ability to do that. If the committee was
row forced to discard Byrnes in the light
of the man to whom the organization of
the department was to be intrusted Ii
would be all at sea, practically hopeless so
Tar as the reorganization was concerned.
to judge from the expressions Of individual
opinion l have heard"
1t was reported yesterday that Capt
Creeden would be recalled TO the Lexow
witness stand. 1t is also thought that
Nine. Charles may go on the stand and tell
about how she paid for protection for the
House of All Nations"
Police Capt. James X. Price of the West
9th street station, against whom Cant
Schmittberger made certain charges In his
testimony before the Lexow committee
last week, went to headquarters yesterday
and got Clerk George Stone to look up the
iecord of his detailment as ward detective
under Capt. NOW inspector) Williams. in
the Tenderloin precinct
Schmittberger said in his confession that
Price was a collector for Williams
If. at The next meeting of the board OF
police commissioners, which will probably
be held on Friday, the case of Can't
Schmlttberger Is brought up. there will be
at least one vote cast for his suspension.
That will be the vote Of Police Commits
han
terday afternoon. the commissioner said:
Whenever official notice is taken of the
Schmittberger case. my action will be the
Same as in that of Capt Creeden 1 shall
certainly vote for his suspension. do not
bear any i'll will against any of the cap
tains. but l insist upon fair play.
AS l stated in casting my vote for the
suspension of Capt. Creeden. l do not think
that the welfare of the community can be
secured by allowing self-cor fessed GRIM
inals to remain in command of part Of
The guardians of Its peace. That the self
convicting testimony was given before the
Leyow committee does not to my mind
change the aspect of affairs in the least
Given before the committee as privl-
legged testimony or not, the fact neverthe-
less remains that Capt. Schmittberger has,
by bis own testimony. convicted himself OF
WRONG doing. and I should feel that / was
also wrong IL voted to allow a bride giver
or bride taker to remain on the force.
That has been my policy from the begin
Ming, and it will be to the end.
Williams Wealth.
Holland writes from New York to the
Philadelphia Press reg arding Inspector
Williams:
There Is inferential argument that goes
to prove the tsuth OF Capt. Schmittbcrser's
statement. Williams now for many years
has been a member Of The police force
and for the most of the time has never
received a salary to exceed s., 7OO. BY the
rules Of the department he Is prohibited
from engaging in any other business vet
he has been able to maintain a very pretty
place In Cos Cob. Conn, not very far from
the country residence of T.. c. Penc,lict
a place that would cost several thousand
dollars a year to keep up His yacht is
one OF the finest upon the sound and no
man who has an income of less than $4,000
year could maintain such a floating pal
ace as that. He has n handsome CITY
home. and he has lived like man in the
possession Of a large income. OF course IL
is possible that nc may have made money
by speculation i'm Wall street but no
broker has ever heard of his Specializing
there.
1t seems now certain that Williams will
he indicted. and while he may appear be-
fore the IeXow committee and try to
make explanation of the accusations of
Capt. Schmittberger, he will he subjected
to the cross examination of a man who Is
not afraid of him. Mr.. Goff has cross
examined ADLER men than Inspector Will