The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-12-22
ACCUSED OFFICIALS
Captain Schmittberger Adds to the
Blaokmailing Sensations.
HONEST MEN THE EXCEPTION.

The New York Police Department, Declares
the Captain, Is Rotten to the Core, and
sIercenary Methods Alone Actustes His
Fellow Oficers.
NEW YORK, Dec %. - Macmillan +.
Schmittbcrger captain Of police and now
In command OF the "Tendorloin" district
made a confession before tho Lexow COM
mittee yesterday to the effect that the en-
tire police system Of New York city, with
the exception of Superintendent Byrnes
and few others, was rotten to the core;
that blackmail and bribery, extortion and
corruption were common crimes In the de-
partment, that an honest man was the
exception, and that merceny methods
alone actuated his fellow officers. His
charges of bride taking implicated In
spectors Williams and McAvoy, ex-In-
spector Steers, Police Commissioners
James J. Martin and John G. Sheehan,
Captains Price, Gastlin and Frederick w.
Martens, ex-Captain John Gunner and
wardmen Dunlap, Robert Vail and James
Cannon. The greater part Of Schmitt-
bergers testimony was against Inspectors
Williams and McAvoy.
Captain Schmittberger said that officers
openly defied the rules Of the department,
and were sustained in it by the Tammany
Hall club, of which Commissioner Sheehan
Ia the president. Witness Is q member OF
the club, as are also Captains Devery,
Price and Strauss.
Without question 1t was the most I'M
portant day in the history of the Lexow
committee. Schmittberger's confession Is
prolific not only Of sensation, but OF evil
dence which confirms and verifies what
have been hitherto considered the most ex-
aggerated ideas Of police and official cor
ruption. 1t deals with more than indi-
vidual cases, for 1t shows the criminality
that has pervaded the police department.
Captain Schmittberger is under indict-
ment for bribery. He had previously re-
fused to testify before the senate commit
tee On Thursday, however, he was re-
arrested and his bail increased. Yesterday
he took advantage of an offer of immunity
from punishment held out to him by
Counsel Golf and agreed to make n clean
breast Of everything.
"The pillars of the church are fallen"
said he on tho witness stand, "and deem
it due my conscience, my wife and chill
dren to tell what know"
Meanwhile dark circles had crept under
his yes, his face assumed a sickly pallor,
an air of utter WEAKNESS and detection
possessed him, and he appeared, as he was,
IN extrefne 1nenuHl UOrturt anu agony.
But no spirit of sympathy moved the
throng of spectators Sneers and sarcastic
laughter instead answered his acknowl-
edgment of WEAKNESS when at last Counsel
Golf permitted him to vacate tho witness
stand
The city today Is not turbulent with ex-
citcment, as it was just ii week ago, on the
occasion of Captain Creedon's confession.
Instead, an atmosphere of suppressed in
dignation prevails. In official circles no
attempt is made in contradiction or dero-
cation of Captain Schmittberger' allega-
tions, and everywhere heard the comment
is: sit could not have been worse; IL must
end"
The news that Schmlttbcrger had con-
sentcd to tell all he knew spread through
the city with the speed ola whirlwind and
drew to the COMMITTEES room a vast throng
of citizens who clamored and struggled
for admission. In political and official
circles this intelligence created a furore.