New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-10
TO TAKE PLENTY OF TINE.
THE SENATE COMMITTEE WILL NOT
HURRY THE POLICE INQUIRY.


OUCH INvEsTIGATION-DE LANcEY
NICoLL TO DEFEND THE
COMMISSIONERS AND
SUPERINTENDENT.
The committee Of the State Senate appointed
to investigate the Police Department yesterday
decided to delay the investigation until the Rev.
DR.. Parkhurst Of the Society for the Proven
ton Of Crime and his allies in the Chamber
Of Commerce the Board of Trade and Transpor-
tation and the City Club ready to proceed
with the aid of able counsel. The committee
decided also to ask the Senate for unlimited
time for the investigation when it is begun. The
decision was reached at a private conference In
the Hotel Metropole in the afternoon.
At 10 a. m. yesterday. the hour at which the
committee had expected TO have another meet
ing Senators Lexow. O'Connor and Pound APP
peared In the main corridor of the hotel and
announced that the committee would have no
public session during the day. Chairman LeXow
said:
@Invitations to a private conference at noon
have been sent to DR.. Parkhurst and TO Mr..
Smith of the Chamber Of Commerce. We also
expect to hear from the City Club. What re-
mains to be done is to map out the lines OF the
Investigation. and select some Of the witnesses
who are TO be examined at the start AS to a
time limit for the investigation. we have said
from the start that could give all the uine
to 1t that necessary. The resolution under
which the Senate committee appointed can
be amended and we can give practically I'M
limited time to the inquiry. OF course. we could
not have two months OF continuous sessions.
even after the close Of the Legislatures session
There is not a man on the committee who could
devote two months steadily to the taking of evil
dence without parayZing his own business. 1t
Would be possible to devote several days al a
time to the investigation. with intervals be-
tween the sessions. however and the inquiry
could continue for year, if necessary"
THE EX-DIsTRICT- ATTORNEY CALLS.
The three Senator's then went to one Of the
parlors on the second floor of the hotel. and
Senators Bradley and Robertson Joined them
there A few minutes later De Lancey Nicoll
went to the hotel and sent his card to the
Senators. Chairman Lexow went down 10 the
corridor TO meet the x-District-Attorney. and
Mr.. Nicoll said he was to represent the Ponce
Commissioners, Superintendent Byrnes and the
four inspectors Of the Police Department at the
investigation. He was accompanied b. Noel
Gale. who was to assist him, he said. Another
lawyer would represent the police captains, but
he d.d not know the lawyers name
I'VE are ready 10 begin at any time ar.
Ncoll said. and the sooner the investigation
proceeds the better shall be pleased.
Chairman Lexow said he would send informa-
ton to Mr. Nicoll later when the taking 9r tcs aio
went away. Mr.. Nicol went 10 Ponce Head
quarters and had consultation with Conmis-
sioner Martin and superintendent Byrnes in
Mr.. Martins office. The consultation iasied f9I
an hour. Later neither of the three men would
talk about the subject of the conference DE,
tective- Sergeants Frink and Flood OF the Contra!
Once were at the hotel for an hour previous TO
the arrival of Mr.. Nico. and they disappeared
soon after he left the hotel.
shair h11 4
Hickok. Of No. Warren-st, who SAID he could
place before the committee considerable evidence
city ordinance forbidding the placing of OBJ
he had secured was in line with that embodied
in afidavits in the possession Of the City Club.
He was told by Chairman LeXow that MS cyl
dence proba bly, would be considered later in the
course Of the investigation.
DECISIVE CONFERENCE
The Rev. Dr. Parkhurst went to the hotel
after noon. In a few minutes Charles S Smith,
of the Chamber Of Commerce; Darwin r. James.
OF the Board Of Trade and Transportation. and
John Jay Chapman. Of the City Club, appeared.
Chairman Lexow announced 10 reporters that
DR.. Parkhurst and the other men who had been
called to the conference thought that month
was necessary for counsel to make preparation
for the work. The members Of the committee
thought that the taking of testimony should
begin earlier. When Chairman LeXow was asked
about the time necessary FOR the investigation
he said that he did not think the examination
of any witness would require more than a few
hours. Then he made haste 20 add: Except,
perhaps, the examination Of one Of the heads OF
the Police Department.
At the close of the conference the men who
had been called to talk with the senators left
porters. who were waiting for them at the main
entrance. When the Senators returned to the
corridor they said that perfect agreement
had been reached at the conference.
1--WE have decided" Chairman Lexow said ito
ask the Senate for unlimited time in which TO
conduct the investigation, and we have agreed
to give Dr. Parkhurst, Mr.. Smith and the men
associated with them reasonable time in which
TO select counsel and get ready for the taking
of testimony We had desired that the exami-
nation Of evidence to be submitted by the City
Club should go on in the mean time. but the rep
resentative Of the club said that the club
did not desire present the evidence except
through the counsel 10 be selected by the other
organizations interested in the investigation.
The committee will not meet again before we get
back to Albany on Monday evening, and we may
not meet again in this city until the expiration
of thirty days"
MR.. CHoATE STILL WANTED.
When asked if the committee still desired to
have Joseph II. Choate act as the counsel 10 con-
duct the investigation, the Senators said they
did, and 1t had been arranged that Senators
Lexow and OConnor should call on Mr. Choate
In the afternoon to find out if, under the changed
conditions, he would be ready TO act for the
committee at the expiration Of thirty days. The
NAMES of several prominent lawyers had been
mentioned, the Senators said among them that
Of John w. Golf
At late hour in the afternoon Joseph II.
Choate said he had not any member of the
committee, but he thought ii would be impossible
for him 20 act the counsel in the investga-
tion because ne would have TO devote three
months 10 the work OF the Constitutional Con-
vention after May !. and he had to fill many
engagements in his private practice In the mean
time.
DR. PARKHURsT PLEASED
The Rev. Dr. Parkhurst said last evening:
1.-The conference to-day was marked by good feel
Ing ON both sides, and feel now that there is a
perfect understanding with the committee and