New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11
THE Police IN ELECTIONS.

THE Police IN ELECTIONS.
Persons who have been cndeavoring in the
interest of their peculiar kind of reform 10
embarrass and dscredit the Senate COMMITTEE
now investigating the Police Department or TINS
city will be considerably discouraged by the
evidence produced yesterday. If they take the
trouble to read il. Witnesses whose character
puts their testimony beyond dispute related
their election experiences with policemen ana
Tammanv functOnaries. We do not suppose
that ANYBODY, whatever his political or moral
bias may be. will seriously pretend that either
General c. H. r. Coils Mr.. Otto kempner or
Mr. James H. Lehmaicr is an unconscious or
deliberate falsiier of facts within his personal
knowledge. Their testimony must be accepted
as truthful by the friends and foes OF this IN
vcstigatiOn The most that those to whom 1t Is
unpalatable can say is that they do not believe
it is indicative Of general conditions and prac-
tees. But they will not make much Roadway
with that sort Of disclaimer The testimony
produced deep impression upon those who
heard It. and will produce like impression
upon every far-minded man who reads II.
General Coils repeated his account originally
given to the Union League Club, of what be-
fell him as watcher at the polls in the Twen-
tysccond Election District Of the Id Assem-
blv District at the election of 1S92-testimony
that compelled the Grand Jury to find indict-
ments which Mr. De Lancey Nicoll, then Dis
trict-Attorney and now counsel for the Police
Department. never brought to trial. General
Coils was ordered away from the polls win
threats by policeman on demand OF the Tam
many leader. but was afterward reinstated in
his rights by Inspector Williams in person, and
during the rest of the day. there and at another
polling place. saw gross frauds committed while
policemen looked on with great contentment.
He saw. for example. forty abe-bOdied voters
swear that they could not fold their ballots,
and therefore needed assistance. the purpose
and effect being. of course, to make sure mat
they should get forty, or more. Tammany tick
cts into the boxes. Moreover he saw the same
men afterward going through the same opera
ton at another booth. The Grand Jury could
not help ndctng the inspectors. but the Dis
trict-Attorney was able to avoid trying them.
Mr.. Otto Kempner who last year as Assem-
blvman dared TO dsobcy Tammany orders ana
has been bounded by Tammany ever since, tod
the committee how his Autographs had been
removed from shop-windows prior TO the cleo
ron Of 1893 when he ran for the Assembly as
an Independent Democrat, by the orders or po-
licemen whom the shopkeepers were afraid 10
antagonize Mr. Kempner has made all these
facts public before, and we'never heard or any
body seriously disputing them, but he had
the advantage Of being sustained yesterday
by the positive and graphic testimony or one
Of the men who took down the Autographs Oh
demand Of the police, and of another witness
who took pains TO get the truth Of the matter
at first hands on Election Day. The only an
swer TO Mr. Kempner, and of course II Is the
official answer is that "Kempner is dead sore
That Is the only response thus far made by
Diver TO Congressman Dunphy's arraignment.
1t used to be sufficient for the purposes Of the
organization but it is no longer considered en-
tirely adequate
The most interesting because the most novel,
evidence presented TO the committee yesterday
was that Of Mr.. Lehmaer, detailing his expert
ences at the last election. lie went INTO n poll
ing place in the XXIIId Assembly District to
see how the election was being conducted. lie
arrived just in time TO hear the Tammany cap
tain order the policeman on duty there to put
out the Republican watcher, whom he person
ally knew. Mr.. Lehmaier and Justice Taintor,
who was with him, protested. and the watcher
was allowed to remain for time. But after
ward both he and Mr.. Lehmaier were turned
into the street by the policeman, and Mr.. Leh-
the police station, where the Republican watch
or soon arrived under arrest, so that the polls
were left for the rest Of the day in exclusive
control Of the Tammany inspectors and their
obedient servant, the policeman. Neither Mr.
Lehmaier in 1893 nor General Coils the year
before could prevail upon the police or the Tam
many inspectors TO recognize the watchers
certificate which he presented.
Additional and confirmatory testimony was
produced yesterday, and there Is plenty more
OF the same sort to come. Naturally the whole
city was not traversed at the last or any previ-
GUS election by collectors OF such facts as these
but there is evidence enough at hand to dis
prove utterly the fippant pretence that gen.
eral Indictment Of the police for completely In
the election crimes by which from 1900 to
10000 votes were stolen for Tammany last No
vember is being drawn from isolated cases OF
fraudulent interference ut the polls. We have
It on the highest authority that those eighteen
upon whom the tower in Sloan fell and slew
them were not sinners above all men that
dwet in Jerusalem. And by fair analogy 1t
may be reckoned certain that the few who are
pinned down by this investigation are not sin
ners above all who compose the Police Depart
ment Of New-YOrk nor doomed to perish alone