Evening journal., 1895-01-18

Reorganization Recommended--Electio
Frauds Revealed.
ALBANY, Jan 1s.-The report Of the
Lexow committee has been completed.
Chairman Lexow announced that it would
be presented in the senate today. 1t is
sure to create a sensation.
All of the charges made against the po
lice during the session in New York were
substantiated to the entire satisfaction Of
the committee, and they have not been
sparing in their denunciations Of the de-
partment from the commissioners down
to the meanest doorman. Blackmail.
swindling, extortion. brutality and part
Worship in crime with green goods men,
policy and other gamblers and the keepers
Of disreputable resorts was proved, and
judgment swift and sure in the form Of
legislation is now to follow.
The committee has prepared bills to
remedy most of the atrocious evils. and
they will be introduced Immediately after
the report has been submitted and read
Not only are the commissioners of police
and all of their subordinates arraigned in
the strongest terms, but the police justices
are also accused, and suggestions are made
concerning them. The report says:
To THE SENATE-In presenting this re-
port it is not the intention Of your COM
mittee to submit a comprehensive analysis
of the work performed and tho results at
tanned. but rather to aecentuate the salient
features of a record which, when closely
scrutinized, will disclose conditions in a
department of municipal government un-
dreamed of at the time of the inception of
the inquiry and justly challenging the
most serious attention of the Legislature.
N4trss 4. sAAz
origin primarily to resolutions asked by
various prominent and representative
commercial and municipal reform organi-
zations Of the city Of New York, wherein
sweeping and specific charges were made
against the police department Of said city,
1t was assumed that specific proof was at
hand and would be offered TO sustain them.
A Mass of Documents
We found, however. at the threshold of
our labors that the charges made were in
tended to be general in their character, and
that there was not scintilla Of positive
or affirmative evidence to substantiate
them. Thus it became the duty Of your
committee for itself through such agen-
cies as were available to prosecute its in
quiry into the affairs of said department,
and thereby to itself suhstantiate by testi-
be supported by proof already collected.
The true volume Of labor accomplished
cannot be measured by the testimony ad-
duced, and yet that which is presented
with this report will indicate the magni-
tude and gravity of the undertaking, The
record shows a total of 10, 576 pages OF
proceedings.
This does not include a mass of docu-
mentary exhibits which were read and
considered IN evidence for the purpose Of
information. OF this testimony 1,077
pages embrace the subject matter Of po
lice interference at the polls, and the bal
anoe OF almost 9, 500 pages, refers to thC
subject matter Of blackmail. extortion ant
corruption In all 67S witnesses were ex
amined, Of whom 81 were examined OF
the first and 597 on the second branch oi
the inquiry. In all about 5000 subpoena:
were served, Of which upward Of 2 75C
were with reference to the second branch
of the inquiry.
While during the first stages of the in
vestigation the difficulty lay mainly in in
ability to procure testimony, as the inves
tigation progressed, as public sentiment
became more and more aroused, and thC
developments assumed from day to day
more startling aspect, the number Of wit
nesses and the variety Of testimony offer
ed increased prodigiously, and the mai1
difficulty lay in sitting the good from this
mass and in rejecting that which wal
purely cumulative.
Every Conceivable Election Fraud.
The results of the investigation may b
properly summarized in the general state
ment that 1t has been conclusively shown
that in q very large number of the election
ftf fHa aff nF Aaxr al ne
every conceivable crime against the elect
i've franchise was either committed or per
mitted by the police invariably in the in
terests of the dominant Democratic organ
ization Of the city Of New York. common
ly called Tammany Hall The crimes thu
committed or permitted by the police ma,
be classified as follows
Arrest and brutal treatment OF Repub
hcan voters. watchers and workers; opeI
violations Of the election laws; oanvassinI
for Tammany Hall candidates. invasion
of election booths; forcing of Tamman,
Hall pastors upon Republican voters; gen
eral intimidation Of the voters by the po
lice directly and by Tammany Hall elec
tion district captains in the presence ant
with the concurrence of all the police; de
nial to Republican voters and election dis
trict officers Of their legal rights and priv
neBess corporation Win ana ACC quleScenc
in the usurpation by Tammany Hall elec
tion district captains and watchers Of al
legged rights and privileges in violation 0
law.
Police Acted Rs Tammany Agents.
In fact. it may be stated as characters
tic Of the conditions shown to exist by
cloud of witnesses that the police con
Quoted themselves at the several polling
places upon the principle that they wer
there not as guardians Of the public peac
to enforce law and order but for the pur
pose of acting as agents of Tammany Hal
in securing to the candidates of thai or
ganization by means fair or foul the larg
est possible majorities. They eyident
regarded themselves as coadjutors Of tha
organization, stationed at the several poll
for the purpose of securing its success
whether by lawful or unlawful means, re
sorting to device, oppression, fraud, trick
cry. crime and intimidation Of every con
ceivable character.
Sufficient, however, appears upon tn
record to show beyond peradventure tina
owing to the practices above referred t