The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-01-18

committee commenced it's labors Men of social rank and position would will ingly assist the committee always, how ever on condition that their names should not be disclosed, for fear of the effect of such disclosure upon their material conditional It seemed as though ever interest every occupation almost every citizen. was dominated by an all controlling and overshadowing dread of the police department Much strong CT necessarily was the fear and servi- tude with reference to those of the humbler walks of life, and more es- pecially those who came in daily con tact with the police force under its surveillance, conducting unlawful vo- cations. or engaged in the commission of licensed crime. The report details the measures taken to convince wit nesses that the reign of terror was end ed and to induce them to testify. It says that enough is shown on the record to justify the conclusion that a very important reason why the police have been able to successfully perpe- trate their reprehensible practices is that at least some of the police justices have apparently worked up sympathy and collision with them. It is clear from the evidence that abuses have existed for many years back; that they nave Increased. but that they did not reach their full and perfect develop ment until Tammany Hall obtained absolute control of the city government, and under that control that practices shown before the committee were brought in to a well regulated and comprehensive system, conducted upon business principles.
 While the committee has not had the necessary time to examine into the ex- else department, the department of charities and corrections, and the police coul'ts, 1t is satisfied from the evidence that grave abuses exist in those depart ments.
 The committee expresses the convic- tion that the testimony taken establish es an indictment against the police de- partment of the city of New York as whole. It establishes the necessity for a radical and basic reorganization by the elimination of elements which may be found to be untrustworthy, ineffi- cient and corrupt The conclusion which has impressed itself upon the committee, however, is that the disor- gani2ing elements at work in the police department are such that operate from the higher officials down. rather than from the patrolmen up. The committee believes that a very large portion of the patrolmen of the city and d consid- erable number of their superiors are good officers and true, reliable and in- corruptible men.
 The report specifies the abuses which have been shown to prevail It says. It was proven by a stream of witnesses that many members of the force and even superior officers have abused the resources of physical power which have been provided for them and their use only in eases of necessity in the mak- ing of arrests and the restraints of dis order to gratify personal spite and bru- tai instincts, and to reduce their vic tins to a condition of servility.
 The report states that the testimony establishes conclusively the fact that disorderly houses were systematically licensed. In number of cases women, who, as keepers of disorderly houses, had paid thousands of dollars for po- lice protection, had became reduced to the verge of starvation, while those who had exacted blackmail from them were living in luxury.
 The report says that in regard to pool rooms. policy shops and gambling the evidence is conclusive that the po- lice occupied substantially the same position as they did with respect to disorderly houses. The policy business seems to have been conducted on a vast scale. and under well understood geo. graphical limitations. While the com mittee was in session more than 600 policy shops were in operation in the city running openly It appeared in evidence that these pool rooms had paid police protection as high as $500 month
 Green goods swindlers and their vic tims added their story of police pro- tection and blackmail. The same method of sub-dividing the city seems to have been adopted with reference to this class of crime. A heavy traffic of this kind has been systematically car ried on by swindlers, who shared large part of their gains with the police.
 The report says that a very revolting revelation was that which showed that professional abortionists were permit ted to ply their awful trade, submit ting to be plucked by the police from time to time. It also declares that enough appears upon the record to indicate that other crimes than those disclosed contributed to teh fund of corruption.
 The report then refers to the extor tions practiced on persons carrying on legitimate business and to the many expressions of the lowly and unfortu- nate by the police and others acting with them.
 Concentration of all executive powers in the hands of the superintendent; making the board of police by law bipartisan board; civil service to con- trol promotions; placing the mandatory limit for retirement at thirty years service, and allowing discretionary re- tirement after twenty years; system of the accounts; a radical reor- ganlzat tion of the department by spec ial commissioners appointed for the upon whom shall be conferred subject to the approval by the mayor, absolute power of dismissal of any ner- sons in the department.