New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11
DEMOCRATS.

The testimony given yesterday before the SEN
ate Committee appointed to investigate the Police
Department OF this city would Of Itself justify
legislation TO stop police activity at the polls.
The witnesses several OF whom were well-known
citizens. gave descriptions of utterly shameless
interference with the rights of voters. Of
failures to protect citizens and the ballot box
which were even worse. The policemen whose
sins of omission or commission were detailed,
seemed to be entirely under the influence of the
Tammany Hall captain Of the election district
in which he was stationed. II the Tammany
man said: Arrest that man." he was arrested,
be he guilty or innocent II a Republican lodged
a proper complaint against a violator Of the law
he was laughed at. In short, the police. in the
instances described. were merely an auxiliary to
Tammany Hall.
The Witnesses told OF occurrences In various
parts of the city, thus showing that the evil was
not confined to any neighborhood. The infrac-
lions Of the law At which policemen c0nnived
were most numerous and braZcn on Cherry Hill.
hut they occurred In Harlem and the brown
stone district" well In one instance all the
police of an Assembly district seemed to have
been lcagued against the Independent Democratic
candidate
FIGHTING OTTO KEMPSER.
It would not be easy say what testimony was
most Interesting and important. The first part
II the session was devoted 10 the state Of affairs
in the With Assembly District in which. at the
last election. Tammany bent its worst endcavors
to defeat otto Kcmpner That candidate was
the first witness and he told how the police had
compelled storekeepers and liquor sellers through
out the district to remove his Autographs from
their windows. Mr.. Kcmpner had no personal
knowledge Of the threats employed but heard
% them through the merchants to whom they
had been made.
one of these men testified The ward man had
ordered him To remove the particular lithograph.
He had done So and with II five others. The
detective wanted him TO replace the five. but
that was going too far, and the merchant re
fused 10 obey IN this The police captain. said the
ward man, wanted to have the Kempner litho-
graph taken down. De Lancey Ncoil asked why
the witness. a wine merchant. should care about
what the police captain wished. The enrontery
of the question asiounded every New Yorker IN
the room. They knew. rs did Mr.. Nicoh nimseii'
just what II meant 10 offend police captain
POINT AGAINST MR. NIcoLr.
General Charles II. T. Coils told again the
story Of his adventures in the Cherry Hill voting
place in 1892: how the police had put him out OF
the room: how Inspector Williams got him
men were accompanied TO their booths by heel
srs" on the ground that the voters were physi-
cally unable TO prepare their ballots. 1t was
brought out that the three election officers there
who were indicted soon after the election. have
never been tried Mr. Nicoll passed some un-
comfortable minutes In this part II the hearing.
He was District-Attorncy when the men were
indicted and for "A year afterward. but had
never placed them on trial This neglect was
especially nagrant i'm view Of the law when
directs that election cases must be tried speedily
lanes = Lehma!er. the wel-known Republi-
can lawyer. a member Of the Committee oi
Thirty also told a graphic story or the arrest oi
himself and another Republican watcher AT tn'
last election Before ne was taken into custody
Mr. Lehmaier although armed with watcher
certificate was thrown out OF the polllnS pace
on his back He and his companion were
dragged To- Il police station ana kept there al
hour before thcy were admitted 10 bail so ther'
was not "A single watcher left In the place tf
protect the interests OF the RepuDhcah part!
Other testimony given was equally signihcaht
Senator Icxow. chairman or the committee
said that he had at last received the letter whlcf
Tohn " Gon sent him on Wednesday In thi!
Mr. GoN tells the terms on which he VIII ac
| with MIR sutherland as counsel To the com
,nittee Senator Lexow would not let reporter.
zee the letter Yesterday. Henry Grasse aidec
! Mr. sutherland In preparing and presenting th'
| evidence. , - 81
The committee will meet again in the room
| Part III Of the Court of Common Pleas mex
! Friday morning.