The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-22
IT'S ALL OUT NOW
CAPTAIN SCHMITTBERGER TELLS
ALL AND SPARES NONE.
Police Service Rotten From Hide to
Heart-Nothing 10 De Had Without
Money and Nothing That Enough
Money Wouldn't Buy-Byrurs an
HOuest Man.

Schmittberger, captain Of police and
now in command of the Tenderloin dis
trict, made confession before the Lex
ow committee today 10 the effect that
the entire police system of New York
city, with the exception Of Superin-
tendent Byrnes and a few others, was
rotten to the core; that blackmail and
bribery, extortion and corruption were
common crimes in the department; and
that mercenary methods alone actuated
his fellow officers. His charges i'm
plicated Inspectors Williams and Nc
Avoy, ex-InsqectI Steers, Police Com
missioners James B. Martin and John
c. Sheehan, Captains Price. Gastlin,
and Martens. ex-Captain John Gunner
and Wardmen Dunlap, Robert Vail and
James Cannon.
Without question this has been the
most important day in the history of
the committee. Captain Schmittberg-
er's confession is prolific OF not only
sensation but of evidence which con-
firms and verifies what have been
I hitherto considered the most eXaSSerd-
ted cases of official corruption. II deals
with more individual cases: IL shows
the criminality that has prevailed in the
police department
AGREED TO TELL ALL.
Captain Schmittberger is under in
dictment for bribery. He had previ-
ously refused TO testify before the COM
mittee Yesterday. however, he was
rearrested and mis- bail increased. TO
day he tCDk advantage Of an officers
of immunity from punishment held out
to him by Mr.. Golf, and agreed 10 make
clean breast of it
1.-THE pillars of the church are fall
en-" said he. on the witness stand this
afternoon, land / deem it due my con-
cience, my wife and my chlIdren, 10
| tell what l know"
Meanwhile dark circles had crept I'M
! der his eyes, his face assumed a sickly
! pallor, an air of utter wearines and de-
! lection passed over him, and he APP
/ peared, as he was, in extreme mental
! torture and agony.
But no spirit of sympathy moved the
throng Of spectators. Sneers and sar-
| castle laughter instead answered the
acknowledgement of his WEAKNESS
when at last Counsel Golf permitted
him to Vacate the witness stand.
| The city tonight is not turbulent with
/ excitement as il was just a week ago
on the occasion of Captain Creedon' 5
/ confession. Instead, an atmosphere
of suppressed indignation prevails. In
| official circles no attempt is made IN
/ contradiction or derogation of Captain
( Schmittberger's allegations and every
| where is heard the comment: 1t
I could not have been worse; II must
end"
HOW THE NEWS TRAVELLED.
The news that Schmittberger had
consented to tell all he knew spread
4 through the city with the speed OF a
J whirlwind and drew to the committee
room a vast throng of citizens who
III. lad Il iCGi inn
/ In political and official circles this in
/ telligence created a furore.
! Captain Schmittberger admitted thai
owing TO political influence, many OF
| his subordiates were able To defray
| him. They belonged TO a Tammany
| club in khich Commissioner Sheehar
was prominent. Many captains be
understanding for the protection oi
| fast houses and law breakers.
The captain went on to tell what h;
knew of the several dives in his pre-
cinct which We're frequented by all tn,
| criminals Of New York. He said fur
| Their that no pretense of observing tn,
| excise law at these places was evel
made and the fast women and criminal:
did as they pleased.
would it have been possible fol
these places to run open without specia
| arrangement with the police"
Certainly not"
| DO you know of any case where Z
policeman was instructed to co-operat,
with the keepers OF these dives Il
crush out the facts about small
orimes?'
Not personally but it was under
stood that this was fact.
Mr.. Golf asked. about the famous
Clotelle and art gallery attached there
To which became so notorious before !
was suppressed. Witness acknow
lodged that the dive had not beer
closed before because it was under DO
lice protection.
| COLLECTING FROM THE SQUAD.
Witness reviewed his services as :
sergeant briefly and came to his ap
pointment as a captain. He said Com
missioner Voorhis did not pay a cen
and that Eoorhis was honest and al
the charges made against him false.
Now Captain, about the time yo'
were I'm command OF the steamboa
squad you learned. OF course. that tn
men on the docks had to give up hal
Of their salaries
Yes Wardman Vail told me Of IL
| told him l did not want TO keep II VI
and he told me ! was d fool. tina
men had just as soon give IL UP as no
and / might as we'll get il.
And you finally agreed 10 this?'
And Vail was your collector. I be
lieve?"
Yes. for about two months anc
then Cannon was appointed woUl'
like now TO brand Vail as liar for sa Y
ing on this stand that l wanted all tn
money from the men"
How much did Vail collect for yol
each month? ,"
About $3.50
And did you never have to giveul
any Of this money 10 any other polio
oficial?''
mo. I did not"
NOT WORTH MUCH ANYWAY.
Witness the invent on 10 say that h.
had had conversation with lnspecto
Steers who told him that there was liz
tie in the precinct and he could have
all.
Did you ever give upany money 4
him
NO. I did not get enough"
Nj Cot led the witness 70 say tina
Re did not ike the precinct and va
tras1erred AZ his own request tot b.
! Sixty-seyenth street station.
Well. what were the sources OF you
I revenue there
Policy shops-nothing else"
How many were there in the pre-
cinct2"
About ten Of them
And how much AID you get from
! each % these shorrs2
Twenty dollars each The Bohe-nia'
/ liquor dealers association paid II
q bout So per month
And how much ot this did yo-
get"
Eighty led cent
We'll. captain. your collections q
I that dlstrtct-were you ever called upol
20 divide with any oody-any police o
dcisl3
( Il was