The record-union., 1894-07-05
FRAUD And CORRUPTION.
Exposure of Official Rottenness in
New York.
Almost Every Department of ithe Ma
tional and City Government In
voIved In the Exposure-The Police
system of Levying BIackmaiI.


ate Committee, which has been investl-
eating the Police Department OF this city,
is about TO close its first session, comes
the news that Richard Croker is to re-
turn. When the ex-boss lett mere Ior
Europe 80 suddenly four weeks ago. the
papers were filed with explanations,
concluding generally with the assertion
that his trip was flight, and IN so lar
confession of guilt and fear. Nothlhg
was said of his departure IN these ietters
because there were no evidences to be dis
covered to attribute any significance to
the tourney abroad of politician out OF
business. To those who know Croker's
character and methods, his departure, ac-
companied by his simple statement that
he was going to stay till after the next
election, was sufficient to explain his ap-
parently hasty leave-taking. Ii his 60
fng means anything of public interest. 1t
means only that he wanted to convince
everybody that his resignation was
final severance of his connection with
politics. That had been said already by
your correspondent. 1t was useless to
repeat it, and the sailing away OF an ex-
boss was otherwise detail OF no general
concern.
But Croker's return is an event full of
significance. 1t is another act IN the
career of a man whose personality, 1t is
hoped, has been presented fairly ana
truthfully enough to be interesting.
Bosses are very much alike; to know
them is to learn to beat them, II we want
to. The coming back OF the arch-boss
discloses the audacity OF his courage, MS
confidence in his methods and his book
keeping. and also enables US to realize
where the police investigations have
failed in the midst OF so much success,
and where the future difficulties of the
committee will arise.
Those who have read anything OF the
testimony before the Lexow Committee
las it is called, after the Chairman, Sen
ator Clarence Lexow) know that there
has been wholesale corruption OF the po-
lice during the past twenty years: that
there has been a syStematIzed alllance
between the police and criminals Tor mu-
tual benefit; that the forms OF justice have
been debased to a means OF compelling
tie formation and maintenance Of cor
rupt contracts, and that the weak and
lowIy criminal and vicious have been
bled almost to death. This has been
shown specifically and in detail. W It
nesses from the slums have come for-
ward and under the stress OF years OF
abuse aud bullying have so vented their
feelings that in their repulsive faces APP
peared once more the expression OF nom
esty and truth. Little incidents taken III
by the eye often went farther than long
story TO carry the conviction OF the truth
fuiness of the evidence. Last Friday
poor, bent old sinner told tale of OPP
preston in German-Engllsh with ali the
signs of woe on his face. For the 11rst
time in years be could speak. he told
how he had paid $40, then go, then So0
month to the ward detective; how every
growth of his business was robbed OF
profit by the instability OF the police,
till he could not pay the demands. lie
went to the Captain and 10 the inspector,
but got no relief, and was about to be ar
rested and sent to prison on false charges
when he closed up his business-a coffee
house and resort for disreputable per-
sons. When he finished his account,
heard in the absolute silence Of the court
room, the counsel for the police said:
.'That man told the truth, by God" The
sense of every man IL that room was
spoken in those words, forced from the
human weakness of an attorney VINO Tor
got his professional duty.
Gamblers, prostitutes, confidence men,
keepers of sporting houses" like the
notorious Harry Hill, green goods bunco
steerers. like George Appo, the China
man, have exposed the factIand the terms
OF their dealings with the police. and
their nefarious business. The officials OF
the United States Treasury, the Custom
house and port officials, the Postottlce
and the Dock Department, all have been
dragged into the horrible exposure.
Nobody who could profit by speed in OH
cial business, or by large or trivial IN
fraction of the laws. have been free from
blackmail. Few of those directly re-
sponsible for the execution of the laws
that regulate business and lndlVldu ual
conduct at first hand, have not pronted
by the all encompassing system OF 1rauu
and corruption and beastlysrottenness
Hideous and sickening as il all Is, how
ever, il is nothing, mere pagateI4e,
when compared with the spirit OF It's re-
ception by the majority of men; and
when il appears, as it will If Croker is
implicated, how lightly honest men, who
are the bulWarkS of decency, have sup
norted the whole system. For here one
finds the source OF the evil; here the
cause of the confidence OF the Crokers
Tear it all open, expose the great boss,
and society will be aghast at Itself. New
York will know itself.
1t is customary here to build confidence
on the honesty of business men. 1t Is
q sound cornerstone, as business
man knows in his heart. Credit is more
than capital to his success. But, so far as
] can learn, and l have inquired with
writer. the honesty business has deyel-
oped in men is too much the growth of
f, expediency, too rugged, and simple, and
martial It is honesty truly enough,
sound, hard honesty, but it is not honor.
1t is not refined, sensitive and cour-
ageous. In our exaltation OF men, we
have neglected to encourage gentlemen.
For, see; besides the thieves, prosti-
tutes and bunco-steerers, the LeXow Com
mittee has learned from the lips of mer-
chants that they, too, have paid black
mail, Two or three have described the
system, and it is pretty one. more the
scandal. Men, Americans mot alone
poor Immigrants accustomed at home in
Russia and in. Turkey, to such spoilation)
nav the police SO year C) to be allowed
10 violate the law against incumbering
the sidewalks for goods for sale. They
support the system of blackmail. They
are classed by the police on the basis Of
the revenue derived from them, with the
miserable peddler and the lowest OF mar
lois. They are honest IN business, be 1t
GRANTED. but they are not honest men.
In sneak of honor in this connection were
ridiculous. like pulling flower out of
the dark ages to pin a practical argument
with.
Croker knows great deal more than
the committee suspects. de knows tnat
if he is exposed completely some bigger
merchants than the retail dealers OF the
markets will be exposed TO. So he turns
round, after seeing the Grand Prix at
Paris. visits Ireland, and telegraphs that
ne is coming. He has seen the malicious
interpretations of his going; he will set
fhe critics a new task, TO explain ms
coming. And the coming is no more
nroof Of his innocence than the going was
a aeonfession of guilt.
He doesn't believe the committee will
ba able to find ont his secrets; that is his
confidence in his method. He doesn't
6elieye the committee will be allowed to