Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-12-24
GET OUT OF HEREr'
Remark Made to a Reporter by
Inspector Williams.
GoTHANPoL1oE OFFICIAL INA RAGE

Declines To he Interviewed in Relation 70
Sclmittberger's Testimony Before the
Lexow Observation-Disclosures Doubt OF
the Newspaper Mans Mental Brightness
-McAvoy Puts In . Denial and Superin-
.endcnt Byrnes Says Nothing.
NEW YORK, Dec. 24.-Police Inspector
Andrew 8. Williams was plainly upset in
consequence of the testimony before the
Lexow committee. A reporter who asked
him for q statement regarding Captain
Smittberger's sworn statment that
money collected from lawbreakerS had
boen regularly divided with Williams and
other police officials was the recipient of
vOllcy Of vile epithets hurled at him by
the inspector, who also advanced upon
tho reporter with clcnchcd and appraised
hand
Get out Of here" roarcd Williams. II
won't talk to anybody"
A suggestion that he was tho one IA
vored in being given an opportunity to
clear himself in the estimation of the pub
lie merely angcred the inspector all the
more.
you're a d-n fool" he shouted.
You don't know enough to take no for
an answer. Go out Of here or I'll have
you put out"
Byrues Will Not Talk.
Inspector McAvoy, who is also impli-
Gated in bribe-taking by Captain Schmitt-
bcrgcr's testimony, asserts that he never
received money from Schmittbcrger.
Superintendent Byrncs would not talk of
the incidents and took refuge behind the
locked door Of his private office. Among
people who generally have good fore
knowledge regarding police exposures
there Is u we'll defined expectation that
Inspector Williams will be heard before
the LexOw committee before it concludes
the taking of testimony, which will be
next Thursday afternoon. 1t is repre-
scnted that Williams regards himself ns
having been attacked by Schmittberger
with the purpose Of shielding himself
and Superintendent Byrnes. Friends of
Williams are represented as noting in
this connection the long-standing enmity
between the superintendent and the rank
| ing inspector and the fact that Schmidt
berger, once bosom friend and the con-
fidential wardman for Williams, has of
late been on terms of intimacy with
| Byrnes. These people see throughout
Schmittberger's testimony of evidence
| that Byrnes was always in the captain s
mind and that care was taken from first
to last to shield the superintendent.
| Counter Confession Expected.
| The feeling between Williams and
Byrnes Is one of bitter resentment and
upon this and tho theories above recited
are based the expectations Of counter
confession by the inspector. Mayor Gil
roy was asked if he intended to take any
steps to bring about the removal of Com
missioner Martin and Sheehan in conse-
quencc Of Captain Schmittberger state
mcnts. He said:
Before taking any action charges
would have to be preferred against thest
commissioners to me- l being the judge
in the case could not take the initiative
AS yet the matter has not been brough,
to my attention officially. If the charge.
were made and proven could only rec
Ommend to the governor their dismas
sal"
Commissioner Sheehan was emphatic il
his denial of the statements affecting hin
which were embodied in Captain Schmitt
berger's testimony. A special meeting O
the police board will be held to conside
the Schmittberger testimony.