Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-31
The Police Commissioner Considers
Himself Exonerated.
DIR. PARKHURSH OPPOSED TO BYRNES
Mayor-Elect Strong Holds Him il
High Esteem.
A ST ATEMENT PROMISEO

NEW YORK, December 3l.-President
James j. Martin OF the police board ans
nounced today that he would, within a few
days, send his letter of resignation to
Mayor Strong. Mr.. Martin said that now
that the Lexow committee is through with
It's work, and, as he felt that he was exc
onerated, he should resign. He added that
he hoped Mayor Strong would accept hiA
resignation tmm madiately.
Police Superintendent Byrnes' appear
ance before the Lexow committee, his offer
to Mayor-elect Strong to resign and the ao>
comparying tender Of his services in reor~
ganizing the police force are variously re.
ceived. The Rev. DR.. Parkhurst has In
timated thar tiic- ittiiez,-shen Byrnes
was upon the stand. was not made SUN.
cientfy searching for practical purposes,
Parkburst insists that Superintendent
Byrnes is responsible for most of the corr
ruption exposed by the senate committee,
and he is indignant over the police chief.
tain's 'pompous vanity and self-glorificaA
tion," as he terms it.
Mayor-elect Strong is said to hold Byrnes
in high estimation, and would be iPclined
to urge the withdrawal of the superin-
tendent's resignation were it not for his
reluctance to antagonize the Parkhurst So.
ciety. 1t Is known that Messrs. LaroQua,
Smith, Taylor and the good government
element Of the committee of seventy en-.
tertain q cordial dislike for the superins
tendent
A statement by the executive COMMITTEES
of the Society for the Prevention of Vice ID
promised during the day. This committee,
which consists of DIR. Parkhurst, Frank
Moss. assistant attorney to Committee
Counsel Goff, and Mr.. kenyon, held a con.
sultation this forenoon
Il think" Mr.. Moss said, just before the
consultation that II viii put Mayor Strong
MI. Moss said that Superintendent Byrnes.
allegation that he had frequently assisted
the Lexow committee in apprehending de.
linQuent witnesses and i'm other ways placed
himself at the service of the senate com.
mittee was news to Mr.. Goff and him.
AT the time of Capt. Devrey's trial and
frequently since then'" said Mr.. Moss; "su.
perintendent Byrnes. Delaney Nicoll and
several other influential gentlemen came to
us and wanted 20 know why amicaole re.
lations could lot be maintained between
our society and the head of the police
force. The superintendent made numerous
oyertures in this direction, but all of them
were rejected because from the very hrsts
from the time of Agent Gardner's arrest
we were confident that We could expect
little or no help from the police force"
Superintendent Byrnes has given out this
statement: In my examination before the
LeXow committee on Saturday when re.
feired to the police commissioners inter-
fering with me, did not ihtend TO include
the republican members OF the board.
Since the latter have become commission.
ers they have done everything TO assist
me and have made il possible for me to
take some action Which had hitherto been
l.nabl TO take.
Gen. kerwin, the newest member OF the
board OF police commissioners, and re-
publican. said today that the board had
not hampered the police force. Comms-
sioner kerwin also said that he had no
knowledge or the superintendent $ appli.
cation for retirement, and that the recon-.
nenda tion of the LeXow committee for the
retirement of Capt. Creeden would not in
the least affect his opinion In the matter.