New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-28
many Of whom have been under Byrnes for years
were greatly affected by his retirement.
DR. PARKHURST GRATIF1ED.

tirement, the Rev. DR.. Parkhurst said yesterday:
THE result satisfies me and graties me. My
warfare. however, has not been against Mr..
Byrnes as a man, but an official. and now that
he has ceased to be official 1t seems to me that
for to pass any further comment upon the
matter would be both unwarrantable and undig-
nifed"
THOMAS BYRNEss CAREER.
Thomas Byrnes served through more grades in
the Police Department than did any other man.
Beginning al the foot Of the ladder as patrOlman
he rose to be In turn roundsman. sergeant.
captain inspector. chief inspector and superin-
tendent and lately his title was changed to Chief
of Police. The Legislature created the Office OF
Chief Inspector expressly for his benefit and abol-
ished it after he had been made Superintendent.
His fame was made when he in command of
the Detective Bureau. and the name of Inspector
Byrnes was heard in all parts Of the civilized
world on account Of the services he had per
formed as a thief-catcher and organizer Of de-
tective force which rvaled that of Scotland
Yard
He was born in this city June IS. 1912, and was
a gashtter before he became policeman These
are the dates of his appointment and promo
tons in the Police Department. Appointed pa
trolman. December 1C 1853 promoted u rounds
man, October 49, 1862 promoted to sergeant. NO
vember a. 1869: appointed captain. July l. 1871;
appointed inspector April 90 $780, made chef IN
spector April IS. 1883; promoted to superinten-
dent. April -, 1892.
One of the greatest pieces of detective work
laid to his credit the capture of the Man
haitian Bank robbers. The burglary occurred
during his period OF service as captain III 'he
Fifteenth Precinct. His success on TINS occasion
was so marked that he became regarded al once
as worthy of promotion II soon followed O'
March 9. $780, while still in command OF the
Fifteenth Precinct, he was transferred 10 Fohce
Headquarters to reorganize the DETECTIVE bu-
reau. which had become disorganized ana lack
ing in system Six weeks after taking charge or
the Detective Bureau he was appointed inspector.
When he took charge Of the Detective bureau
ne found that some of the detectives mad been
At Headquarters for years. They had grown V,u
in the service. and some OF them We're uilap,
10 perform satisfactory duty Byrnes looked All
the men over and decided there should De
radical change. He determined that the Wo PHI
less should be al once "ee"eu o"'' ~
proved easy task.
ExcIusION OF CROOKS FROM WALL~ST.
The exclusion of crooks from Wall-st. was one
IF the Inspectors eares. acts OF Importance
In the neighborhood of wal-st.. where great
norton OF the financial business of the country
transacted. gangs Of thieves. such as burglars.
roreers bank sneaks and pickpockets had 4o'
years been committing depredatlons. me uisd i,
rearance Of boxes of money, Dohus anu Nd''"D '1
rapers was almost Of monthly occurleh,o, az"
COMPLAINTS we're frequent. The lnsps ctor tnous".
that the men engaged in Wal-s'; anu "a"
reighborhood who were DONG ousin ntai NO 90
r,illions every day were entitled 10 speCldl Po
zoe nrotecton About II o'clock on the sd'e
raw that he was appointed to take charge vi '''e
Detective Bureau. he went down anu ntteu ne
room AZ his own expense at No. IL W al-st ne
returned to his office and the next morning Sc
lected nine of his best men ana sent 'se,,, - o,y
new office. to cover that seouu r,h creenw;ch
bounded by FutOn-st on the north' uIee"M-,''
IN the west across to the Battery, ana aero
% the East River. He at once gave sPecln0
orders to his men TO aires! any sus spoecaed do
tr,ct who could not give a good account OF h''"-
self. - >,oroh % 1881
aith Brayton Ives, then president OF the go
Exchanre was that Inspector Byrnes was lnNltcu
~ take POSSESSION Of and establish his headquaI-
tars in room of the Stock EXCHANGE ns "a ~
tot,on was accepted and ten detectives are con-
stantlv on hand in that building. connexions :"
,his office were made by telephone anu 'eies i"i
Nth every large banking house IN the cltS, %
WIN ,s he system established that On receipt
nPacsii detective can be sent from the ONCE 10
almost any place In 'he io"Vi pau
within three minutes = -. cont,
IT, discovery of the blackmailer OF Jay p"ui
has another noteworthy achievement; by.i,S
had special men detailed TO watch an ne 80, ",
,oves in the Postofiice district from whch 'he e,-
rs ere known TO have come. They were 10 look
NJ every letter deposited and arrest TIE man VINO
5roDDed In "A letter addressed 10 MI. Oouiu' i"
this way the cuprit fell into their grasp
ByRNEs SUCCEEDS MURRAY.
Mr. Rvrnes succeeded William Murray as Super
intendent. After rising to the head 81 the depart
,,.r, the waters of his life did not so peace
fully. Dr. Parkhurst doomed up as disturbing
element. and pursued Byrnes Ieltntlessy up 10
,ha and ~ his career as a policeman. The Super
,ntendent was brought before the Lexow COM
mittee as witness. He there testihed mat ne
was worth about $500, OOc wnicn ne saiu, NJ ma
made bv speculation in Wall Street with the ala
~ the late JAY Could and Of George j. Gouid ana
ne also made the announcement mat MS f.slsA"-
ton had been placed IN IN n4.1s ~ NE iirh
nnsition and the great police power when ne con-
frolled Mr. Byrnes said in sorroWIu tones Oh
the witnessstand that ne o'ten LEY nhe riai,
uithout country. He was veteran ana served
with his predecessor in the Ellsworth Zouaves
ACTING CHIEF CoNLIN's LIFE.
Acting Chief Peter Conln was born in this city
m Anril II 1s4l He was graduated from Gram
mar School No "a When the war broke out
r.on,,n was one of the first to respond to the call
<or troops Conln was engaged In the Da',,cs 81
Fair Oaks. Gaines's Mills Wilhamsnuig, " me- nv
Oak Swamps and Malvern HILL In 'he ias. od t
Ito he was severely wounded lie Joi'c' I'''
po,ce Department on july p. 1863 MS PRONE"
lions were as follows: Roundsman lJecenipei ="
1s7k. sergeant July 49, 1876 captain. fSu o,
~ Inspector August }, 1882 aching ci.iel' 10y "ay
~ iS9s Acting Chief Conln has aiways De sI
regarded as one Of the most in'eiIisena, ,'ro
courteous men in the Department III pe io, y"
Inc his duties At the same time ne mas "'e"
strict dsciplnar.an ..,o,,,ea , ma
Acting Inspector Brooks VAS app3lH.e" rrr,
.,.sa,e Anrn Il 1861 made rOundsman M1
81 IS7a and sergeant November 20, 1873 ne na a
Seen "A captain since June 3d. 1sS'. Actns ~
spector CortrGh has been In thr pepa ad s,,,,
- Ia nuarv 7 1887. II made r ulusi'l',i
Marcb 10 1875. and sergeant july 49, ls.o' ~
rose 10 the rank IF captain February y, isS' Nal
i~ rnsnector NcCullagh was appointed MAT
a an $50 He was promoted to roundsman Fepru
ar rs 1873, and sergeant July 49, 1916 ne ma
beena captain since June 20 lSS$ CIr"is"t inde
pendent in politics
CHARGES AGAINST EAXINs
rho po,,ce BOARD reassembled and held anothe
..oo,ipc shortly after o'clock The Commute