The sun., 1895-01-21
"RISE, CHIEF, AND EXPLAIN
The Rev. Mr.. Gates Attacks Jersey City's
CHIEF or Police.


The Rev. NJ. l.. Gates. pastor Of the Grace NJ.
e. Church, Jersey City, took Chief OF Police
Murphy's annual report as tho subject for pre-
lude to his sermon last night.
"Chief Murphy's report, submitted to the
Board of Police Commissioners last week." said
Mr.. Gates, " is worthy of being embalmed IN the
archives Of the city. 1t is q remarkable fact
that just previous and Immediately after an an
nual report is submitted the Chiefs of Police
give the most efficient service. A parallel to
the Chiefs report could be found In newspaper
last Monday, which stated that four policy
shops were in existence in the city. This was
several days before the Chief made the statement
that they no longer existed. Chief Murphy said
in his report: A year and q half ago there
were eighty-fve policy shops in operation. What
policy playing is now done is picked up by the
writers through the railroad yards, workshops,
and in saloons That four were running shortly
before the Chief submitted his report furnishes
a setting to his statement that those eighty
five running year and a half ago all now
closed. The demonstrative adjective those
forms q pivotal point around which his other
statements radiate. The Chief is not only
rhetorician. but an Aristotle OF no mean pow
er. For instance, here is one of his sylogisms:
Gambling and rum drinking existed before the
Christian era; gambling and rum drinking will
continue to exist as long as the world stands;
therefore, all that the police can be expected to
do is to regulate the excessiveness.'
" A man at the head of the police force Of this
city prescribing dose of logic to the intelli-
gence of the nineteenth century citizen is too
jocularly serious not to evoke smile. But not
alone that. l submit that our Police Depart
ment Is not paid for interpreting the laws now
on our statute books, but to enforce them.
telling the people what will take place after
they have been pensioned from the roll by the
rusty figures of time l submit again. our laws
against policy shops, gambling, and Sunday
liquor selling are not reguative but suppressive,
legislative todics certainly believed these evils
could be wiped out when they enacted the laws
and by far the largest majority OF the best ele-
ments of this city believe they can be enforced.
Chief Murphy claims that all the police can
be expected to do is to regulate these evils.
Such claim is virtual admission of his in
competency. An incompetent officer at the
head Of the police system Is not only TOO unsafe
and dangerous all experiment for any city to en-
for which an equivalent Is not rendered, and
therefore on his own confession of untitness he |
should resign.
"The climax of his report is reached. how
ever when the Chief states. "A year or more
ago there were eighty five policy shops running.
Now there are none 1t Is very plain that the |
Chief wishes us to infer from this that he is to |
be credited with closing these eighty five shops.
ent Smith, closed the shops in the fall Of 1893,
fully six months before Murphy took charge. |
When Murphy assumed control of the depart |
ment several policy shops were again opened, |
port was made to the Commissioners. Not one |
did he close yet he claims inferentially that he
closed eighty-fve. He also claims that these |
men have no shops, but tinerate through the |
not these hat offices be abolished3 Rise Chief. |
and explain"