New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-03

~ III
THOMAS LUCAS. CLUBBED BY THE POLICE.
Cox. Of No SAG East Thirty -frst-st. while she
walking up Broadway in company with her father
He knocked the little girl who only fifteen
years old. down. and the blood flowed copiousy
from the back of her head.
and YOU were fined thirty days pay for that"
said Mr. Gof
NO" said Coleman Il was only fined for drunk
enness."
80 drunkenness Is a greater offence" said Mr..
Con. in the eyes Of the Police Commissioners than
knocking down a litt,e girl clubbing man. is it?
"Oh. Mr.. Goff," said Chairman Lexow. Il sup
pose ten of these days pay were for the assault
and twenty for intoxcation." O4aughter)
Senator Rradley-This is terrible. think the
commissioners are worse than the policeman him.
self for not having broke HIM.
Mr. Golf looked at Coleman who was twitchins
nervously at his uniform with his hands and said
in tone of the most whitening sarcasm: 1--WE will
excuse you now. oificer"-with emphasis on the
word oficer-"in order that you may back and
your brilliant and meritorious career on the
police force of ,his great city"
Everybody laughed at this, and then Coleman
stepped down and out. Coleman is still a police
man in the pay Of the citizens OF New-York. No
sooner had he left the stand than the frightened
follow who knocked down little Mamie Cox and
smashed the pitcher. over Henry OTIS head; The
which Mr.. Con g skllfully brought out seemed to
American political conditions than has water upon
Mr. Moss then resumed his place on the stand and
said that from facts which he had discovered at
Police Headquarters, ana a result of the work
great many licenses broken and great many con-
vctiOns obtained against disorderly houses but
fact The first house that had been permanently
closed that of Hattie Adams. in Twenty
lie related the case of the six girls who had been
committed to the Island for six months by Justice
Taintor in the Yorkvile Court. and who were
transferred thence 20 jefferson Market on some pre-
tex.
COMMISSIONERS BROKE THE LAW.
ION the following day" said he. ION certif-
cate 10 the Commissioners Of Charities and Cor
rectlon. Judge Grady required the discharge OF
the girls. and they discharged. The Com
missioners made themselves liable for msdemeanor
in having discharged the prisoners without a Ger
tiiicate from the committing magistrate. but they
Mr. Moss said that examination of the records
of the Police Department from January l. 1891. to
berS of the force have several convictions against
them most of them for disciplinary offences
any perjury that nc might have committed upon
From January. o." said Mr.. Moss. ITO Meg,
%. only four officers were dismissed for assaults
Three of these were for assaults upon policemen
and one for an;assauit upon citizen That occurred
necton with General shermans funeral and on
the strength OF the testimony of prominent eye
witnesses, such as General Wingate and others.
Intoxication and absence without Ieave. h went
on. ARE common causes Of CONVICTION. No pun
PRIOR to issi few policemen above the grade OF
patrolman have been found guilty In 1891 there
were O59 trials Headquarters, In 1892. 1881. In
1893, 1903; making total in three years of ll5s9
Mr. Moss was allowed to offer the entire volume
in evidence. which he had prepared at great
extracts which have been here given.
The committee took recess from ll5 to 2l5
p. m.
NOT PROSECUTED FOR LAw-BREAKINc;.
Mr. Moss was the only of the committees
counsel who took part In the investigation in the
afternoon session After the recess he continued his
statement as TO the discoveries which he had made
in an examination of the records Of police trials
the Central Office. The papers which he had eX
amined were those OF trials which had occurred
since January l. 1891 OF the policemen trial be-
fore the Commissioners 100 had been accused Of
criminal offences. and niney-two Of the policemen
were still on the force. \ few resigned or were
retired, ard only four dismissed from the
force Among the offences charged were fifty-Six
assaults IT the third degree and forty-ive assaults
IN the second degree. No less than slx,ysx OF the
accused policemen had been found guilty and fined
by the Commissioners, the fines ranging from two
days pay to thirty days pay In nearly all of the
cases the accused policemen had denied their guilt
under oath. but there was no record 10 show that
any of them had been prosecuted for perjury. Among
the cases examined was one Of Policeman John j.
Barnes charged with handling his revolver care
lessly and causing the death OF citizen Barnes
had been examined by "a coroner. who had decided
that the shooting accidental but the Com
missioners had fined Barnes ten days pay.
Williams BLACK RECORD
Mr. Moss then read from the official record Of
Police Inspector Alexander s. Williams as follows
August 3. lSGemAppointed pauolman;
June q lS7e-Absent from rocan Fined two days
september d. 1870 Charged with cruelty to ami
mas Complaints dismissed
September p. Is7c-Abeent from post. Complaint
Juy TO- ls7i--Promoted to roundsman
September g. ls7l-Promoted to sergeant.
May a. lS7S 81 70 captain ,.., ,,co
language Complaint dismissed
March 20. lSo-Insuted. abused and assaulted a
c Ma4ch S'mRaias man at core Gar
den Complaint dismissed
In the mex, fve cases OF refusing TO pull gam
bling houses when asked to do so by citizens who
had lost money In said house.. All five cases dis
In the same year assaulted a clerk in the Pc;ice
refused to give information 10 reporter; complain;
Angus, 10 1857, promoted 10 inspector
In 1883. charged with neglect of duty in falling to
Sl2 sssd gambling houses IN his district complaint dis
The record OF Mr. Williams Mr.. Moss said was
worthy Of the attention OF the committee In View OF
the number OF complaints which had been dismissed.
The trial papers In the cases OF Policemen Patrick
H. Cash and Frederick b. Miller. OF the Kings
bridge squad. presented. 10 show how different
mad been the verdict OF the Commissioners for the
same offence. Both policemen were accused Of .eav.
ing their posts lean against the bar in the Kings
bridge Hotel at the same time. When ordered osek
70 TIER posts By roundsman. they went about 100
fee; away from the hotel and leaned against tee,
graph poe for half hour. Then they returned
10 the hotel 10 lean against the bar again. The po-
iicemen we're tried separately Cash was fined three