New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-17
PRICE THREE CENTS.
ACTION ON POLICE BILLS.
THE BIPARTISAN BILL GETS THROUGH
THE SENATE AT LAST.
SENATOR REYNOLDS. OF BROOKLYN WAS THE
ONLY REPUBLICAN WHO VOTED AGAINST IT.
THE REORGANIZATION BILL CALLED UP
AND AMENDED so AS TO GIVE DIS
MISSED POLICEMEN THE RIGHT
OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
IN THE DEBATE.
[DY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl ~
Albany April 1.-two Of the chief measures q
the Lexow Investigating Committee were acted
upon by the Senate to-day. One. which provided
for Bipartisan Board OF Police in New-York.
was passed, receiving the votes Of seventeen Re-
publican Senators and having cast against 1t the
vote Of one Republican Senator Mr.. Reynolds OF
Brooklyn. who said he favored a single-headed
police department. and ten Democratic Senators.
The other measure, the Lexow Police Reor-
ganzaton bill. amended by the votes OF
thirteen Democrats and three Republicans, Cog
geshall Reynolds and Robertson, to give
policemen dismissed by the Reorganization Com
mittee the privilege Of appealing to the courts
against summary dismissal. Fifteen Republican
Senator'S voted against this amendment. Having
been amended. the bill was laid aside, to be re-
printed. 1t cannot be acted upon finally by the
Senate under three days, and. therefore. in all
proba bty, will not be touched again by the
Senate this week. In the mean time public opin-
ion will have a chance to express itself regarding
the amendment which has been made to the bill.
There were other developments Of interest in
the course OF the day respecting the Police De-
partment OF New-York. Soon after the 'Bpar-
tlsan Police bill had been passed Senator Lexow.
at the request of Governor Morton, IT Is said.
introduced supplementary police bill, consider
ably increasing the powers Of Superintendent
Byrnes. Whether this bill was the result of the
conference supern ntendent Byrnes is reported to
have had with Thomas c. Platt at the latters
office in New-York on Monday was not dis
closed, but Senator Lexow Is also reported to
have been at that conference. and ne intro
he Is suSpiciOn
this may be the case.
Some politicians think that Mr. Platt would
like to make Superintendent Byrnes independent
of the Police Commissioners who may be ap-
pointed by Mayor Strong. and thus gain per-
soral influence In the Police Department. which
under present conditions he seems bound to
lose 1t would be a rather amusing turn OF poll
tics II Mr. Platt after seeing his faithful hench-
men. Kerwin and Murray politely bowed out OF
Police Headquarters by Mayor Strong, should
succeed in amplfying the powers of Superin-
tendent Byrnes TO recapture much OF that
political power he had lost by Kerwin and
Murray's dismissal.
Senator Lexow's supplemental police bill GER
tsinly increases largely the powers OF Superin-
tendent Byrnes for among other things II
thorizes him 10 appoint the courts which are to
try policemen These courts will have the au-
thority to recommend the dismissal OF police
men, and their recommendations can be ap-
proved or disapproved by the Superintendent
People think however. that this Is but the first
step in the direction OF the enlargement Of the
powers of Superintendent Byrnes, and that the
Ainsworth bills, which would give the Superin-
tendent much greater powers, may be passed
The Assembly Committee Cities late this
afternoon decided to report favoraby the Lexow
TDoIic nd he
organization bill This was done, it was said. at
the request Of the Republican Senators. who
wish 10 get these bills in an advanced position.
The Bipartisan Police bill was passed IN the
Senate after perfunctory debate. but there was
general interest when the Police Reorganization
bill was taken up on the order of third reading.
Senator Reynolds, of Brooklyn called attention
to a section which read follows: "All dis
missals so made shall be final and conclusive,
and there shall be no right OF review or appeal
from the decision of said Board of Police TO any
other tribunal. either by writ Of certiorari or
otherwise" He moved that II be amended so as
To read as fellows: "All jsmissals so made shall
be final and conclusive except that appeal may
be taken to a court of record by writ of Ger.
tiorari" He also offered an amendment reading
as follows And no member Of the Police De-
partment shall be subject to dismissal for any
charges upon which he has been tried and said
charges heretofore disposed OF by the Police
Commissioners of the City Of New-York.'
Both of these amendments offered by Senator
Reynolds. after a long debate, in the course or
which Senator O'Connor the Republican leader.
declared that they would kill the BILL were
adopted. Senator OConnors argument, echoed
by Senators Lexow and Ranes. was that unless
summary removals were permitted under the
Police Reorganization act. and appeals to the
courts denied there could be reorganization
Of the police force Existing laws. Senator
O'Connor said. gave the Board Of Police ample
power to try policemen. but since they could
appeal to the courts dismissals were few. There
were a thousand policemen. he declared. who. II
had been said. ought to be dropped from the
police force, and II WI only by summary meth
DDS that they could be got rid of and the police
force be reformed. He did not know but the
Rev. DR.. Parkhurst was right when he declared
that every man on the police force should be
dismissed II the right of appeal proposed In
the Reynolds amendment was adopted the bill
was dead for there could be no reorganization
OF the police force of NewYork. Il was only by
an extraordinary method that the police force
could be reformed The interests of the people
of New-York ought to be considered. They de-
sired a radical reformation or the Police De-
partment.
Here Senator Cantor interrupted Senator
OConnor with this exclamation: Il would call
the attention Of Senator OConnor TO the fact
that The New-York Tribune has printed ed-
torial in favor Of this amendment introduced by
Senator Reynolds"
yes. | know The Tribune printed such an
replied Senator O'Connor. "and never
was more amazed in my life. But | would like
to call the Senator's attention TO the fact that
The Tribune only published such editorial
once. II did not repeat that argument. a vote
for this Reynolds amendment | again declare.
Is vote 10 XII this bill Whoever desires TO de-
feat the reorganization OF the Police Department
of New-York will vote for the amendment
Those who are In favor of a thorough reforma-
ton Of the Police Department will vote against
IT, The issue is clear. This IL an amendment
intended to prevent any reorganization OF the
police force OF New-York | am surprised that
Senator REYNOLDS, Brook yn Senator. who never
before showed an Interest in New-York affairs.
should have introduced ( And cannot under-
stand how that editorial favoring this amend
ment got into The Tribune"
Senator Reynolds read The Tribune editorial
and said that this was one of the reasons for his
amendments.
''Is that all?' inquired Senator Lexow
oNo rnnlied Senator REYNOLDS. II have q