The sun., 1894-02-16
The Exposure OF Bribery.

The Evening Post asserts that :" the police
and police magistrates" OF this city are
"both dlsgraces to civilized community"
and that there is somehow a large flow Of
money into the pockets OF the officehold-
ers." which implies vast amount OF cor
ruption: and this 1t wants to have investi-
gated and exposed.
The same general charge has been made
frequently In that paper. and for several
years past strenuous efforts have been put
forth to secure and present to the Grand
Jury evidence sufficient to warrant the
indictment Of some individual police
man on the charge OF the receipt OF
such bribes. So far. the attempt to
obtain specific evidence. which would
Justify an indictment, has been unsuc-
cessful. PARKHURsT's detective. GARDNER.
was indicted and convicted Of blackmailing
the keeper Of disreputable resort under
the promise Of protection but he was
private spy. not public officer.
Fortunately for the ends OF jus tice. how
ever. there Is one case OF attempted bribery
of public officer OF which the evidence Is
conclusive. Mr.. E. l.. GopKIN. the editor OF
the Evening Post. attempted to bribe q
police officer who had been sent with
warrant for his arrest issued by
police magistrate. The policeman refused
the bribe and insisted on performing
his sworn duty. 1t cannot be said OF these
two. In the words to the Evening Post. that
they are both dsgraces to a civilized COM
munity." The disgrace belongs alone to
the editor. rich man. The officer. poor
man. Is entitled to honor for resisting the
temptation OF the offered bribe,
The legal crime OF bribery. too. consists as
much In the Offering as in the receiving OF
bribe and In such case as this the moral
crime OF Mr.. GoDKIN was worse than would
have been the acceptance Of the bribe by the
policeman. The tempter is worse than the
tempted. He Is more dangerous to society.
II a man presses bribe on q police officer, to
divert him from the path Of the duty he Is
sworn to perform. he Is like worm eating
away at the very foundations OF the social
structure. Hence. the welfare OF the COM
munity requires that. first Of all and most
OF all. the corrupter should be pursued and
punished. Moreover. 1t is far less difficult
to unearth an attempt at bribery than 1t Is
to get evidence sufficient for the conviction
Of the actually bribed. II public
officer takes bribe. the transaction
40 pcShCbs ohu tho lultEcoL VI DOLH
parties Is to keep 1t secret be-
tween themselves. go that evidence OF the
crime cannot be obtained by the law. But
when an officer rejects a bribe offered him
he Is under no such restraint 1t Is an in
suit which he resents and for which he Is
glad to be avenged by the law. The evil
dence to establish the crime OF bribery is
therefore most easily obtainable when the
bribe Is refused. 1t Is easier to get at
the more fragrant and dangerous form OF
the crime than 1t Is to prove the other.
In the case OF Mr.. GoDKN there Is no
conflict OF testimony between him and the
policeman. He has practically acknowl-
edged that he committed the crime. He has
even undertaken public defence OF 10 with
degree OF moral insensibility peculiar to
him. For years he had been charging the
police with taking bribes. and he con-
tended that by assuming that this par
ticular policeman was corruptible he only
manifested the sincerity OF his con-
victlon. Bribery. he thought. was the rule,
and therefore he followed it. Why should
not he. he said In effect. profit by tho cor
ruption which. he believed. enabled other
scoundrels 10 escape their deserts He
offered the policeman bribe, he explained,
only to save himself annoyance to which
he thought that he ought not be subjected.
That is the usual reason for Offering bribes.
but it does not In the least diminish the
enormity OF the crime. IL is no excuse for
1t either legally or morally,
1t is "of the first importance" says the
Erenin0 Post. ito determine the source"
OF the bribery. Let Mr. GODKIN, then, be
brought to justice.