The sun., 1895-05-28
THOMAS BYRNEs, DETECTIVE.
Fame and Riches Came TO Him, and He Was
Terror to ProEessionaI Criminals.


a Terror to PrOfessionaI Criminals.
Thomas Byrnes was born in this city June Is,
1912. He learned the trade of gas fitting and
worked at 1t until he went to the war in 1851
with Ellsworth's Iouaves. He Joined the police
force on Dec. 10. 1865 was made roundsman
Oct. %, 1868; Sergeant Nov. "a. s69; Captain
July |, 1870; Inspector April %. 1880; Chief
Inspector April Is. 1883. and Superintend-
ent April IL. 1892. lie did his first
duty in the Fifteenth precinct. and the
WINS In command of that precinct, with its head
quarters in Mercer street, when he did the piece
OF work which took him finally into the Detective
Bureau and later into fame and power. This
was the capture of the Manhattan Savings Bank
robbers and tho recovery of the stolen bonds.
Byrnes afterward set TO reorganze the
Detective Bureau. Within six weeks he was ap-
pointed Inspector and he began to discipline the
force and to reinforce his hold on the place and
its opportunities at once.
One OF the first orders he put forth was one
prohibiting any man in his department from
opening his mouth about police business. There
after every story" of crime and crime detected
which came from the Detective Bureau was
told by Byrnes himself. From tho moment he
stepped into power he made it his business To
teach criminals that certain kinds Of crimes
must not be committed here. Highway robbery,
bank burRlaries, or important burglaries of any
. lot Of other. crimes were prohibited, and,
10 the credit of the system which Mr..
Byrnes created to suppress them. have never
been allowed to gain foothold In this city since
he has been power In the Police Department.
The old force of detectives which he found In
the Bureau he got rid Of almost to u man. He
took new men from the ranks and taught them
his method, and each man became an efficient
II any one supposes that Mr. Byrnes's methods
oas se H@,s Sf b 70 mere Like
taken. MT, Byrnes is q man OF force and not
fnesss: HI: business wa, to eheck the ACTIONS
this ne made il bis business to know criminals.
In the early 'sos, when Theodore Roosevelt be-
Committee TO this city TO investigate the Police
DSepartIent Sa Mr. Byrnes mes WAS witness b. before
ing that he spent two hours day In tho COM
aroana shs e s ss yss
ayns a.. 70 GET it but to use my acquaintance with
sd not out IN the to n to
as Sonored guests, he explained but I Il was in
interviewing thieves when they were brought ia
10 him as suspects that he spent the twelfth
Armed with poysr. sG. under the law to make
IN the cells under the marble % Tsa Msadnua1srs Snsr
building. and TO keep them there close prisoners
for twenty-four hours. not even admitting their
presence there, or permitting relative or friend
TO approach them. he was able to get almost
any information out of a criminal caught in his
net that he wanted against an associate even
against themselves.
Byrnes himself is authority for the manner In
which he forced confession from tho man
Cnger, who murdered his friend and afterward
cut and sawed up the body.
II Was criticised for hat did in this case"
he said afterward. but was prepared 10 de-
tend my actions. unger was big, stolid. heavy
jawed fellow as stubborn and retcent as any
man ever saw. ] could get pOthing out OF him.
and did not seem 10 be able TO make any i'm
pEsssion upon him. SO got the blood stained