New-York tribune., 1894-09-29
GETTING BACK AT BYRNES
PRESIDENT MARTIN SHOWS HIS RANCOR
IN THE POLICE BOARD.
HIS UNKIND AND CRUEL WORDS on THE SUPER
INTENDENTs RECENT ACTIvITY-HE DE-
CLAREs WITH sCORN THAT HE WAS
'sPURRED on BY DIR. PARKHURST.'

INTENDENrs RECENT ACTIvITY-fE DE-
cLAREs WITH sCoRN THAT HE WAS
"sPURRED on BY DR. PARKHURsT."
James J. Martin and John c. Sheehan. the two
Tammany Police Commissioners. yesterday exhibited
| their resentment because Superintendent Byrnes had
begun a vigorous enforcement OF the EXCISE law
In disregard OF the long-standing resolution OF 'he
Police Board. which was intended 10 prevent police
men in plain clothes from getting evidence against
the lQuor-dealers. They were at the Democratic
State Convention at Saratoga when the Superin-
! tendent began to disregard the resolution rev
! days ago. When the four Commissioners met yes
! terday afternoon Nh. Martin had ready written
| statement, which he read after some routine bus-
! ness had been transacted. After quoting news
paper interview with the Superintendent, Mr.. Mar
! tins deliverance ran in part as follows:
1t is stated by the newspapers that the 5 SupeT s
intendent took this actor IN rrsponse 10 avs te
! Whether this be true or not. ! DO not thhk t tne
Superintendent is justified IN me tns ,bn f ,S
resolution adopted by the Board OF Police IN sep
t%ser @ 81 Tsve9s The nm rrsonon iTS eered to
| prepared and offered by Commissoner Noorhis:
sffT % hearing and Taa nopei by The board after
careful consideration It is plainly to the eject nee
was at the time r existence OF sending out police
to influence men to break ne lay wa was I'M I'M
/ demned. II was believed a, the time that many
| of the police officers thus employed We're taking
| advantage of the opportunities offered them 10
blackmail saloon-keepers
NO CHANGE HE DECLARES.
4 comparison of the number of arrests made Tor
several years prior to the adoption o, this resolution
with the number OF arrests during the present year
clearly shows that 1t does not in any way prevent
the Superintendent from doing his duty. An eXaml-
nation OF the resolution referred 10 VIII snow that
drectorv in its terms Under it police officers can
be sent out in citizens clothes ana they nay nav T,rl @
since adODfiOn sent out In ponce pre-
cincs to prevent violations and make arrests whlcn
could not be done by men In uniform ta, rnere Ts ,5
Superintendent from performing the duties lmpose'
him by the 1% Nv @ Srq be ee c6mmended When he
performs his whole duty against all law-breakerS,
from DR.. Parkhurst or any one else. .o.
The rules Of the board provide no consequences
inr his duty The Superintendent should remember
that in addition to Excise arrests there are other
2aSnS d2c shown E5 M by the iestmony before Senate
the great power conferred upon him by the Ia" anu
regulations ne should he able TO correct
NO SPIES FOR MR.. sHEEHAN.
Couniss,onor Sheehan as soon as Mr.. Martin
had finished reading hs statement. said that the
Superintendent the head of the polce force ana
had almost absolute power In the enforcement VI
the law and the resolution which had been passed
in September 1891 did not interfere with his powers
Mr. Sheehan declared that he did not want the po-
lice to act like sneaks spies In getting evidence
against the iiquor-dealers
Commissioner Murray said he Thought Inc SUI
perntendent should not be hampered In the en-
forcement of the law He was not inciinei 70 .h.n h
that there had been any intention to manner @ ,ne
Superintendent when the resolution referrtp u" was
passed he said. hut ne suggested that the Coninls-
sioners pass another resolution 10 APPROX 0i ,t
men getting evidence. The police must enforco me
Mr. sheehan said he disagreed with Mr. Murray as
to the need of any action of the Comms siCheTs' as
ties ana powers OF the superintendent, Mr: & Mur-
ray replied that there was some apparent HiisuH-
Hivy xshiG ~
ONLY AN EXCUSE. SAYS MARTIN.
"Tbere Is no misunderstanding" said Mr.. Martin.
with great emphasis Il am not willing to make
any modification OF that resolution In view OF what
the Superintendent has said within few days. !
don't think should be compelled to net under the
whip OF the Superintendent who is a subordinate
and complains that the Commissioners have not
acted on his recommendations. lie is only making
an excuse He has been spurred on by Dr. PARK
hurst when he should have been spurred by his
sense Of duty. The Superintendent knows very well
''' Commissioner Kerw,n listened TO the talk with
evident interest. but said nothing. C"mmissioneT
c.erk 10 get some reformation for the board re-
garilng the memLer9 Of the br3adway squad % ana ana
within a year, and then the Commissioners passed
on to other matters OF police r9u.'r. .,... .,o.
Mr.. Martin had said nothing about the time wnen
he had caused Inspector Steers 10 senl ou'
general order t. 4e Srfe IN canr ,nf mfenyn % to
the resolution in manner mat stGpped hoD yHh niFpr p
porters asked him about that incident he said he
was stl opposed sending police In plain clothes
to make general search for hquor-dealers VINO
selling at prohibited hours.
Superintendent Byrnes. when he was informed or
what had happened at the meeting OF the Com
missioners declined to make any comments lie
/ have anything further to say | will say 1t In
writing.
A LOST OPPORTUNITY.
The Rev DR.. Parkhurst apparently amused
by a report of the Police Boards meeting. II
he said missed
opportunity He should have moved 10 rescnd
say as a Police Commissioner what he willing
10 say personally don't want to say word that
will place an obstacle in the way of the Superin-
tendent II he is trying to enforce the law.
The police were able make only twenty-one
arrests for violations Of the Excise law In the early
hours of yesterday morning. The Superintendent
said that the fewer arrests did not mean that the
noce were less active. but that the lglor-dcalcrs
were less active in violating the law lie declined
10 confirm a report that he had been tod by the
Grand Jury that the police had no rlght TO arrest
davs unless proof furnished that liquor was
sold No attention will be palc to the talk by 20
lice Justice Hogan to the effect that the police
should not arrest liquordeaeTs caught violating
the law until warrants had been obtained The law
makes II the duty of policeman TO arrest prompt
w when he is a witness OF "A violation or law; .
of the rOundsnen In the force were called TO the
Suuerntendents Office yesterday TO receive nstruc-
tons II was said that the Supern endent talked
10 them about the enforcement o! Inc Excise law
and also about the arrests Of vagrants and beg
aars in the streets Arrests made at five dis
orderly houses in the Eleventh Precinct on Thurs
day night and the pcce IN other & precncs naUs
been warned to be vigilant In the enforcement OF
he la