The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-22
MARTYR CAPTAIN
4chmittberger Tells a Start
ling Story.
Whole System Declared Rotten
Gould Not Be Worse.

NEW York. Dec. ao.-Maximils<n II.
Gchmittbergcr, captain OF police and now
a. command OF the tenderloin district,
made confession before the Lexow COM
mittce yesterday TO the effect that the en-
tire police system OF New York city, with
the exceptien of Superintendent Byrnes
4 and o few others, was rotten TO the core;
that blackmall and bribery, extortion and
oorruption were common crimes In tho de-
portmcnt, and that mercenary methods
alone actuated his fellow officers.
HIS charges impliSate Inspectors Alex
ander S. Williams and McAvoy, ex-In-
npector Steers Police Commissioners
James j. Martin and John @. Sheehan,
Captains Price, Gastlin and Frederick W.
Martens, cx-Captain John Gunner, and
Wardsmen Dunlap, Robert Vail and
James Cannon. Tho greater part of
Gchmittberger's testimony was against
\ inspectors Williams and McAvoy.
Without question, this has been tho
most Important day In the history OF the
Iexow committee. Schmittberger's con-
fcssion Is prolific not only Of sensations
but OF evidence which
Confirms and verilcs
what have been hitherto considered the
most exaggerated ideas of police and off,
'eia1 corruption. IL deals with more than
individual cases; 1t shows the criminality
. That has peryaded the police department.
y Captain Schmittberger is under indict-
mont for bribery. He had previously rc-
1sod to testify before tho senate COM
}Aittec On Thursday, however, he was re-
arrested and his bail increased. Yester-
day no took advantage of an offer of i'm
znunity from punishment held out to him
~ Counsel Goff and agreed to make a
olean breast Of everything.
y "The pillars of the church have fallcn,"
Gaid he on the witness stand, "and deem
a due my conscience, my wife and chill
drcn to tell all know"
Meanwhile dark circles had crcpt under
his eyes, his face assumed a sickly pallor,
m air Of utter weeriness and detection
possessed him, and no appeared as he was
) ~ extreme mental torture and agony.
But no spirit Of sympathy moved the
K throng Of spectators. Sneeys and sarcastic
laughter instead answered his acknowl-
h fodgmcnt Of WEAKNESS, when at last Coun-
lol 0on permitted him to vacate tho wit
neos stand
n The city Is not turbulent with excite
mont ~ IL was just a week ago on the oc-
easlon Of Captain Creeden's confession.
I. Instead, an atmosphere of suppressed In
+ 6fGnation prevails. In official circles
designation is tho ruling clement. No
ottempt is made in contradiction or der
o9ation Of Captain Schmittbergers allie
Eations, and everywhere is heard the COM
mcnts: ut could not have boen worse; IL
\ must end"
where bribery Money Went.
n Captain Schmittberger declared that ne
f &0d paid Inspector Alexander 5. Williams
bzibes of ESQ and 500 a month, In order to
allow him to protect 10 policy shops and
Ne score or more of excise law breaking
\ Bohemian saloons in the East Sixty
seventh street precinct; also that he paid
inspector Williams 500 month for the
1n1ne lack Of action concerning 10 policy
Eohops and three poolrooms In the East
V lightly eighth street precinct.
This money, he said, was carried to Will
lams at times by his wardman, Cannon,
who Is now fugitive from justice
+ 8chmittbcrgcr himself occasionally
banded this money to the inspector when
+ No inspector visited his precinct.
Captain Price, Schmittberger said, had
tecn accused by Captain Gunner OF receiv-
ing these bribes for Inspector Williams
when Price was the sergeant in the in
4 1pector's room at police headquarters.
In tho same way, Captain Schmitt-
berger said, Inspector McAvoy received
beibes Of from $50 to sl75 month from
HIM. being part Of the protection money"
4, Dnid by policy dealers and keepers of dis
Qrderly houses In the West Forty seventh
t<soet precinct.
Politics Play q Great Part.
6chmittberger acknowledged that the
/: police department had been more efficient
during the decade ending 1884 than Il
was from that year to the present. This
4 Was because policemen were chosen more
n yor their merits during that Interval, and
. cInco then they have owed their positions
chiefly to political influence.
He promised when he took the witness
otand to tell the truth unreservedly.
3chnittbcrger made such rapid progress
</n this direction that all the other wit
Doescs were excused. The captains face
was grave and solemn. He had evidently
K Getermined to make a full confession.
just previous to adjournment. Senators
xexow and OConnor both expressed
themselves IN favor Of executive sessions
ol the committee next week, but Mr.. Goff
ooated that he had several more witnesses
- examine before the committee goes into
oxecutive session.
I'VE had fondly hoped" said Mr.. Goff.
TO complete our labors by this even.
Dng, but we cannot judge the time each
witness will take, and consequently we
md that we still have great number of
witnesses to examine, and most OF them
very Important In view of this fact, II Is
absolutely necessary that the committee
mould continue on next week" An nd
5ournment until next Wednesday was