New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-07
POLICE HATS AGAIN.
EVIDENCE OF TAMMANY FAVOklIlSM'
A FORMER LETTER FROM EDWARD NJ. KNOX
WHICH PUTS THE MATTER IN NEW
I,cuT-uow THE COMMISSIONERS
WERE UPBRAIDED AT THAT TIME
FOR THEIR ACTION.

FOR THEIR ACTION.
The controversy between Edward NJ. Knox, the
broadway halter and the Tammany Police COM
missioners as TO the price which the policemen IN
this city compelled to pay for their uhlIor"
hats has indicated that favoritism. when lam
many officials show whenever there Is occasion. mas
been used to take money out of the pockets OF the
police A little probing by the Lexow Committee
next month may show whether any official at the
Central Office has been enriched by the favors
bestowed upon one halter at the expense OF an
other.
Mr.. Knox has made public a copy OF letter
which he wrote on February II, 1892. to John H.
Voorhis who then was the president OF the Ponce
Board. The letter sent from Mr.. knox's Brook
lyn factory After calling attention to the fact that
he had supplied hats for the police with satisfac-
ton in several former years Mr.. Knox wrote:
hereby offer to supply the f9ce force rec s Ti,h
When | moved my manufacturing business oyer oyer
sin live in New-York city. these hats would
be made by skilled journeymen. residents OF your
city and not By men living In some other state
In the following March however. the police sum
mer hats we're selected by the Commissioners, John
g. Sheehan having taken Mr.. VoorhIs's place in the
Police Board and the offer Of Mr. Spellman to sup
ply the hats at 81 10 each was accepted me acton
of the Commissioners led to protest by the nat
makers Association Of the District of New-York at
a meeting on March -, IN WHICH inc io'o"i"e '"''
guage used:
Commissioners Of the city Of New-York an outrage
against the rights Of hatmakers OF the city ana
State Of NevY York I'm paying s. 10 each Tor machne
made hats when a New-York manuflcturer WHO'S SO
employees are all residents OF the state. ofereu 20
sapp:y the force with superior hand made goods
by the skilled labor in the distric; ior e, w.rm
proves concuslvcly that the Police Commissioners
OF New-York CRY are not studying the Interests OF
tho residents OF the district OF Newfork, ana are
opposed to the union llborins mechanic
nfaffn NJ
York also made a protest AT a meeting held on
April > 1872 when similar resolution. ending IN
this way was passed: THE Police Commissioners
Of the city II New-York are no, studying uc ~, IN
te-rsts Of the resident skilled artisans OF ther us
trict" , 90,
police Commissioner Martin said YESTERDAY: Il
do not know that the ietter which Mr.. Knox -
said to have sent to Mr.. Noorhls was ever pre-
srntei 10 the Police Board. Mr.. voorhs then was
the chairman OF the Committee on repairs ana sup
took MS place. Mr. Knox At first tried to maxi the
public believe that he had been supplying me poce
in taking away from him contract ~ that rrlcS
and giving contract to another hasie e. a. e,c5
hat at first ard that the lowest price he ever re-
ceved was s. s5. |, also showed that other nas
,ers began to supply the hats ior me ponce a' =
Commissioner Sheehan said We nave selected
the police hats from samples which have oeen SEM
lection Of seeing me letter from Mr. Knox in March,
lSe2. when the Spellman summer helmet was Sc
slmp.es or not | know that a number OF samples
were sent - w. AMI that We selected the SIe'lhan
hat because We thought IL was the best looking
ana was az the best quality for the price We have
n, contract with a halter We simply Judge from
a samp.e and se.cct hat to he made Ike The sam
halter through the Bureau Of Equigment at the
prize stated Nobody az the Central once can make
81 their hat cheaper than II they had to buy
them in any other way