The record-union., 1894-06-06
new YORK POLICE SCANDAL.
Some Curiosities of the Police Com
mission Investigation.

Some CuriOSities of the Police Com
mission Investigation.
A son-in-Law's Startling Testimony
About His wife's Father-His Dis
appearance-what the Investiea-
ton VIII Amount to-New York
Local PoIitics-Tammany and Its
Opponents-Divfded Reformers.
Regular Correspondence of RECoRD-UNIoN.l
New YORK, May 26.-While Califor-
mans have been bear or bull-baiting,
New Workers have been MANIPULATING.
For four days during this week this city
has had John McClaVe, Police Com
missioner, on the stand or confronted
with people who alleged criminal conduct
on his part, and the Senate Investigating
Committee, before whom the hearing
took place, did not watch it one whit
more closely than did the victims fellow
citizens. 1t was cruel business, but it
was business, SO that 1t has that much
advantage over the cruel or barbarous
sport at the western end of the country.
Yet it seemed that there was too much
enjoyment of the scene here to make the
interest Individually innocent, while
there was hardly enough evidence devel-
oped to Justify it completely.
McClave is a good-looking man, about
80 years of age, the father of fourteen
children, eight OF whom are living, and
until the day he went on the Witness
stand the only Republican Commissioner
of Police On that day the Mayor ap-
pointed a second Republican, Charles ii.
Murray, to succeed Charles f. MacLean,
q Mugwump Democrat. whose term eX-
pired on May Sth. These things have a
connection. SO they are mentioned to-
gether. 1t will be remem bered that the
Governor vetoed bill, the bipartisan
police bill, which would have compelled
the appointment of another Republlcan,
since it required the equal division OF the
commission Of four between the two par
ties. Tammany wanted the bill killed,
and agreed to make the result the same
by naming Republican to I'LL Mr.. Mac
Leans place. The purpose was to be
free to do so or not, according as the
leaders of the machine should agree.
What promise the Republicans have
made no outsider knows. But nearly
everyone believed that the bargain in
cluded the stopping OF the police lnvest-
cation.
AT any rate John w. Goff, the counsel
for the committee, who was forced upon
them by the Chamber OF Commerce, DR..
Parkhurst and the good-governnent
men, believed that was the agreement, so
he called up McClave and went at him
in a furious way, suggesting the close
rather than the beginning OF the lnveStl-
cation. MIR. GOff wanted TO hurt the he
publicans through McClave, III order
that they would not be able TO keep their
bargain. The investigation then would
go on, Mr.. Goff would make such name
Tor himself as Wheeler III. Peckham did
in the Tweed ring exposure. and every
body outsiders would be pleased. Now 1t
appears that the Mayors bargain touched
some other point. There is no doubt OF
some kind of an arrangement, but there
is no reason evident as yet TO show that
the Investigations are to be lntertered
with | believe Tammany does not fear
the public scrutiny; they are not inno-
cent, but they are systematized and Sc
cure.
When Johnnie" McClave was set upon
by counsel the weakest point in the
quartet of Commissioners was tEe mark.
For McClave is small man in more ways
than one. He lacks the brutal force, pa
tieut endurance and Shrewd thoughtful
ness of his colleague, John j. Martin.
He is prone to whine and to boast OF his
honesty. He has never seen himself as
others see him, and does not recognize
the folly of stupid speech, even when 1t
is printed and put before him. Then he is
vain and consequently sensitive, quick
tempered and forgetful, and last OF all.
very garrulouS. Any lawyer Will recog-
nize in this outline the Characterization
of an enjoyable witness. especially II the
man is on his defense and is guilty.
Yet, the committees shrewd Irish
counsel made little of McClaVe, though
he insulted and browbeat him and had
every possible latitude in asking ques-
tions. Why? Because neither Mr.. COT,
nor DR.. Parkhurst, nor the Chamber of
Commerce, nor even many ward politi-
clans know any facts. There IS the gem
eral belief. There are hundreds of men
who paid or passed in moneys for cor
ruption and place. Policemen, If they
know you, will tell you they paid so
much for their appointment. But they
don't know who got it. They paid
saloon-keeper, the saloon-keeper paid
another, the other paid ward politician
and the money was intended for certain
Commissioner. \ man came to several
reporters QUE udy anu lOlu tu6 O1O SUI y.
He said: II saw the Commissioner. who
said he would see if he could appoint me.
a few days later man did not know
told me TO call on a SalOon-keeper he
named, if | wanted the place. / did so,
and was sent 70 another man in the same
business. That man said l must see a
third barkeeper and pay him $3.50, which
would be sent to the proper person"
The reporters sent one of their number
to the Commissioner and had the man
appointed free of charge. They could
not use the information, though 1t IN
cluded dates, names and addresses, for 1t
was given confidentially. But it is an
instance in point to show where the news
papers get the conviction that makes
them hammer away" without the pub
lcation of explicit evidence. And Is
most New Workers at one time or another
are told similar tales they also know
some facts and understand that the news
papers tell the truth.
Notice, however, that in the police
mans story there is a break between the
man who was to receive the money and
the Commissioner. There is the link tie
lawyer is to find. 1t is probable he will
be able to produce some officers who Will
swear to as much as was told above.
know he has the names of men whom
others will swear they have heard say
they paid for their appointments. But 1t
is the end of the chain next to the Com
missioner that must be uncoiied. And 1t
was that Mr.. Golf was after when he
called to the stand TO testify against Nc