New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-16
KEEP THE PROBE MOTING
THE PEOPLE DEMAND THAT EVERY
RASCAL BE EXPOSED.
NO RELAXATION IN THE IEXow COMMITTEES
WORK WILL BE TOIERATED-wH HAS
RICHARD CROKER TO FEAR If


HE IS INNOCENT?
The demand OF the people IS that there must
be no relaxation in the purpose to push the in
vestigation to It's utmost limits. Every Police
Commissioner who has held office In recent years
should be summoned by the committee this week
and examined by Mr. Goff. Men with clean rec
ords need not fear examination on the witness
stand, while those whose hands have reached out
to accept brides should not be allowed to escape
the ordeal.
An awakened public sentiment. aroused and
stimulated by the astounding disclosures of
Thursday and Friday. also insists that Super
intendent Byrnes shall no longer hesitate to go
upon the wltness-stand and tell what he knows
about the methods resorted to for many years in
securing promotion In the police force The
Superintendent could undoubtedly throw a great
deal OF light on the dark ways which greedy
Commissioners and Matchmaking Tammany poll
ticians compelled otherwise honest policemen to
take in obtaining preferment which ought TO
have been honoraby bestowed reward Of
merit.
The Police Inspectors too. must be cognzant
Of many facts which would be Of value In
prosecuting the inquiry. while Williams and Nc
Laughlin should not be allowed to elude OPP
portunity for facing the damaging accusations
which have been laid AZ their doors. Many pco-
pie believe that all the captains Of the police
force should be- called and required to submit to a
searching examination into the manner I'm which
they succeeded in getting their gold shields. and
as 10 the increase Of riches which followed in SO
many noted cases.
MR. GOFF THE BEST MAN FOR THE WORK.
These examinations should take place before
Recorder-elecs John w. Gon ascends the bench.
for IL will not BE- disputed that nobody In New
York is capable 81 conducting them as he can.
so as TO bring the truth from unwilling lips.
Therefore the current week should not be al
lowed to slip away without making witnesses
OF the men alluded to. even II the committee IL
obliged to hold evening sessions and to sit far
into the night to accomplish the prodigious but
necessary task.
Rumors prevailed yesterday that developments
are In store early this week which may compel the
summonlng Of many who are at the top Of the
official list. Word has come To Mr.. Con from
more than one police officer who wears gold lace
that testimony Will be forthcoming to uncover
OF the worst cases OF crookedness In the
department.
has had exceptional means Of knowing. you VIII |
find captains and scrgeants jumping over each |
other to tell what they know. Captain Schmitt- |
berger's offer 10 make clean breast Of II has |
created shaking OF drybones In the police |
stations OF this town never before heard Of. The
scare is not confined to the station houses either
Creeden was the first police captain to squea. |
but he will have plenty OF company within |
forty-eght hours"
CROKER's RELUCTANCE TO GO on THE |
STAND
Richard Croker's unconcealed reluctance to ac-
cept Mr.. COTS invitation to testify before the |
Lexow Committee was the subject OF great deal |
OF comment yesterday. 1t was the opinion II
moderate men OF all parties that Mr.. Croker can
mony Of Michael Moran showed that 1t was the |
custom for city contractors TO send their contrbu-
tons directly to Mr.. Croker as chairman OF the |
Talnmany Hall Finance Committee. No one. not |
even Croker himself. Will maintain that these |
contributors animated solely by patriotic !,
or party spirit. They were able TO send the |
money because OF the reckless and extravaRant |
manner in which the various departments OF the |
city under Tammany Hall were conducted. and |
they knew that Mn Croker and Tanmany Hall
expected a percentage Of the pelf Every cent OF |
the money 60 sent was. In fact. taken from the |
city treasury. and the contractors gave 1t because
they knew that Mr.. Croker was In position to
make trouble for them II they did not pay |
promptly and largely.
FOOLISH COMPARISON.
Mr.. Croker said on Friday: why don't the
committee inquire into the contributions OF the
Union League Club and the campaign fund Of the
Republicans the County Democrats an. other
organizations? II this done the in - iga-
ton would not seem TO have go partisan "a BIAS
There is no parallel between the contributions
Of Union League men 10 the hepupican cam
pagn fund and the contributions OF city con
tractors 20 Richard Croker. The former are
voluntary and supplied by the giver himself.
The latter are to all intents and purposes com
pusory, and have generally been proIortioheu
10 the sums which the contractor was aDle u
extract from the city treasury ana the pockets
OF the taxpayers. large proportion OF the vast
sums showered upon Richard Croker as head OF
the Tammany Hall money department was the
proceeds Of contracts awarded to favored bidders
with the tact UNDERSTAND ing that they were 10
make good when they raked IN ,he profits
OF their fat Jobs. To say that Mr. croker was
merely an innocent receiver or TINS nohey, With
he passed promptly To pay the Iegitiina'e
expenses Of the election campaign. Is 10 pace
TOO low an estimate upon the shrewdness ana
business tact Of the man
~ he Is as innocent as his defenders are now
irving TO make out. why does he hesitate To TAKE
his place in the witness-chair ana answer tne
questions which Mr.. Con- VIII put 10 MN re Isro1
ing the Immense sums which have been turned
over TO him? They came. az he well knows. not
only from the contractors who swndled the city,
but from big corporations which TOOK TINS means
NJ buying his good will: from owners OF fran
chises and from others who were AFTER iran
chises; from the dives the gamblins-places; the
noolrooms the brothels. the poicy-shops ana the
other haunts Of vice and crime. which John >.
Scannen used to draw upon 80 heavily every
yer In the interest OF the Croker strong box. ana
from the candidates for office. who were Obliged
10 put up literally In order 10 acnieve their
ambition. These contributions In the neyday
NJ Mr. Crokers power ran annually into MlIIionS.
~ reliance is To be placed upon the estimates
made by a prominent Democrat. formerly "A MEM
her OF the state Senate. less than year ago
When Il is remembered how much OF this
Nancy came Indirectly out OF the city treasury
or was prevented from going there who VIII say
hat there should not be- a thorough ana search.
ing investigation made as to what became OF IL!
~ none Of II stuck to Richard Cookers fingers, |
chat has he to fear? He ought to rejoice IN
ha wing his accounts audited by Mr.. GoH Inc
Democratic and Republican State committees
have auditing committees which yearly settle the
accounts of the treasurer Of the state Committee
nut who ever heard Of an auditing committee III
Tammany Hall or an audit OF Richard Crokers
III the Lexow Committee Is not EN-.
nowered to inquire into Mr.. Cookers receipts ana
expenditures during the years he heid inc pace
e. fha CQmlp(kfal or Tan2: