New-York tribune., 1895-06-04
THE DETERY RESTORATION.

THE DETERY RESTORATION.
The reinstatement in the Police force Of Cap
tain Dcvcry and his ward man. Glcnnon. by the
decision of the General Term Of the Court oi
Common Pleas occasions no surprise either 10
the new Board Of Police Commissioners or the
general public.' 1t suggests. however. few re-
Elections upon the action Of the old Board of Po-
lice Commissioners. by whom they were tried
and dismissed And these reflections cannot I'M
der any stretch Of courtesy. or by the exercise of
the largest charity. be Of a complimentary char
actcr one Of TWO constructions must be put
upon the action of the old Board. They either
meant to rush the trial of Devcry through witt
indecent haste and without The legal formaliile>
necessary to give their decision in the case bind
ing ce-thereby giving themselves the appear
ance Of dcfcrrins TO public opinion ana 'hc
wishes of The r.formers while leaving the way
clear for the reversal of their judgment and the
restoration of Deycry to his posilloh-or 'n''
did not know the effect of their headlohS hiS''
and showed 10y their ignorance their apSolu'c
unfness and ncapacity for the Offices they hciu
In other words, they deliberately set out 10 ch''.
the reformers by taking up their demands anu
carving them 10 an illogical and impo''h' 'oh-
cluson or they honestly meant 10 aid inc ''uN'
Of REFORM and, not knowing how to DO H. S'Ne
it setback by their bunderns | pom ci'h'i
theory they were unfit, and we may pl'SS ou'
stars that we are well rid of them
The case Of Captain Devery was one OF 'he
most fragrant in the whole list. lie was charEeu
with being in colluson with criminals ana
protector Of crime by Or ParkhurSlS secret! ~
fore the Lexow Committee began lis llNeN'-d-
tions. His was one of the first cases prou-h'
10 trial for neglect Of duty. His acquittal Dy
iury was made the occasion Of much rejoicing
in the Police Department. where II was account
ed rs 4 satisfactory answer 10 all the accnsA-
tions which had been brought against the de-
partment: the old Tammany Police commission
accepting the result vindicaion OF thcr own
administration and the whole force from II"
spectors down evidently looking upon II as max
inc an end OF the persecution to Which 'h'E Iiii
been subjected by Dr Parhhursts gang oi re-
formers" But there was never DOUBT III me
mind Of any intelligent citizen who followed the
reports Of the trial that Dcyery was guil'y oi
the offences charged. The forces mat were
brought into play to procure his acquiiiai were
pretty generally understood. and the verdict "i
the Jury did not affect public opinion Inc
Iexow Committee had at that time hardly
scratched the surface Of Police n1ladmihls'ra-
ton but enough was known 10 satisfy al
thoughtful citizens that the department was
honeyccmbcd with corruption. only Devery ;
audacous bearing and the evident fact that the
whole system was held together 10y perjury and
fortified against attack in all directions by po-
ltical influence discouraged the hope Of i'm
provemcnt or reform.
The later developments Of the LcXow investi-
cation somewhat changed this aspect Of affairs.
Public sentiment was reused against Police
abuses and crimes, and the indignation was
SO widespread and SO intense that the Police
Commission which by this time had become
ornamcnted through the influence Of Mr. Plait
with those two Republican WORTHLESS, MeSsrs.
Murray and Kerwin-coud not ignore the actual
facts or postpone action. They made prctence
Of defcrring TO public opinion, and what they no
doubt considered the unreasonable clamor of the
reformers 10y taking up the charges against
Devery. Bad as he was. they knew, Of course
must have known If they had the first quallfica-
ton for the places they held-tlat he had right
10 be heard in his own defence. And they should
have known as well that the greatest favor they
could do him was to furnish him the pretext OF
some technically or legal informally 10 upset
the adverse decison from which he and they
knew there was no possible escape. This they
did They made Deycry scapcgoat, and gave
him at the same time a sure chance To escape
punishment. Under the decision of the Court hc
is now rclnstatc1 The new Board has no choice
in the matter, but must submit TO the order OF
the Court. 1t is not likely, however, that much
harm will come Of IT, For the present Board OF
Police Commissioners, with their IDEAS OF duty
and their knowledge Of the mans record, are IL
no danger Of retaining him for any lcngih o
time. He is rot Of the sort that they want iOi
the new force.