The morning call., 1894-04-26
They Are Not to Undergo
Investigation.
COMMISSIONER ToBIN TALKS
PatroImen Must Now Bear the Brunt
of the Fight-COmmissioners
Rest for a While.

fall of stars, which may be expected on
the 3Oth inst when the Police Commits
sioners will have their weekly meeting,
will be but a meteoric shower of lesser
lights.
The investigation into the conduct OF
the sergeants is practically al an end. The
captains have been decided to be ABOVE
suspicion, and the detective force will be
left as 1t now stands.
Police Commissioner Tobin is authority
for the statement that the board thinks 1t
has gone 10 the bottom Of the rottenness in
the department. The inquiry Will now be
as to the records If men who have served
in the Chinese quarter. and some luckless
Chinatown squad men of the past will be
brought to the bar. for the Comm ssioners
say that justice, though tardy, is justice
still, and that man who has been an un-
faithful steward iu the past cannot be
trusted in the future.
The uueasineSs among the patrolmen
is, therefore. unallayed. and no man
among them who has ever done duty N
Chinatown feels entirely safe. This has
had adepressing effect upon NObby Clarke
and other money-len0ers, aud future police
pay is at very heavy discount. Il
couldn't sell my May salary to Nobby
Clarke for S1O." said discousolate police
man yesterday, although no charge has
been brought against me as yet Nobody
knows who is going 10 be broke and the
moRey-shsrkS are not taking chances. l
don't believe l could even sell my star.
My job isn't worth two bits. and won't be
until this whole storm has blown over"
Chief Crowley was reported at the new
City Hall to be sick in bed at his home
yesterday. He did not make his appear
ance at his office, but when a reporter
called at the house ne was Informed that
the Chief had gone out an hour before.
No more changes or promotions were sent
down to Clerk Healey during the day
and there was a marked dearth OF news in
connection with the entire affair.
Commissioner Tobin was affable and dis
posed to talk, but he said that there really
was nothing more to be given out. 81
have not seen any of the other Commits
sioners nor the Chief since last Monday
night" said he, 'and l am quite con-
WINGED that nothing further has been de-
cided upon. We feel that we have gone to
the BIO tom Of this matter"
Judge Tobin was asked il he meant that
the investigation had ceased altogether,
and replied: No; we will 60 on and the
records will be gone over. l can't tell
what they may show, Of course. but wher-
ever a man has been unfaithful to the duty
intrusted to him he will be dealt with as
the board may see proper"
Speaking of ex-CleTk Hall and his trip to
his Plumas mines, the Commissioner re-
ferred to Halls record in the dim past.
''Since this thing has come out" said he.
81 have heard that the man had record
before he came here from Washington. |
do not know the facts nor whether the
statement is true, but so it is said. 1t may
be because people are disposed to kick a
man when he is down. but it doesn't mat
ter. 1t is like throwing water on a
drowned rat to talk of him now. he was
a most infamous fellow"
Sergeant Whitman has no tear of dis
missal, and it is evident that the assaults
OF his enemies have failed. He saws he
has not given himself any trouble about
the matter, as he has stood his trial and
disproved the statements that have been
made of his misconduct in the tenderloin
district.
The Commissioners will have to con-
slider mum Der of applications for appoint
ment to positions on the force at the next
meeting, a there will be quite a rush for
the vacancies.
One effect of the general overturning of
things Will be that there will be no China
town detectives hereafter. Cox and Glen
non have destroyed the billet. The two
detectives appointed to fill their places on
the force will not be specially detailed to
Chinatown. and the work in that district
will be assigned 90 the various upper
Office men just as cases from any other
part of the city are gwen out. 1t is also
more than probable that after the allotted
time of service Of Sergeant Robinson there
will be no Chinatown squad. AS one OF
the Commissioners said yesterday, "What
is the use of putting men up there on
special duty after the uselessness Of doing
it has been demonstrated?
This change removes a fine opportunity
for grasping officers. Heretofore the
Chinatown detectives and squads have
ruled the quarter as fully as any despot.
and their facilities for levyiDg tribute were
unbounded.
Chief Crowley was found at his resi-
dence last night He had been sent to the
Cliff House during the day. but took to
his bed upon his return. Propped up by
pillows he discussed the police scandal
freely, taking care. though, not to give an
linking of what the next move of the board
would be. He said that the investigation
was progressing slowly and that the board
would drop any men it chose.
'These men seem to think said be.
shat they could not be dropped without a
trial. I'd like to know how much of a
trial the men in any other department of
the city government get when the head of
a department sees fit 10 dispense with their
services. They are simply told that they
are no longer wanted, and that's the end
of it.
1.-The Police Commissioners will pursue
that course hereafter. We have always
given police officers trial. and we may do
SO hereafter. when mere question of dis
cipline is involved. But don't propose,
when ] am morally certain that a man is
crooked, and can't prove it under the
rules of evidence, to keep him on the
force / have had enough of that. If we
are satisfied of mans unftness he will
Y 4.