New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-29
LEXOW'S BILL AMENDED.
PROVISION NOW MADE FOR AN Az
pOrNrIvE POLICE COMMISSION

THE BIPARTISAN FEATURE MADE coMPCLSoN'-
ONLY ONE REPUBLICAN SENATOR No1N'
AGAINST THE AMENDMENTs-No HEED
PAID TO THE VOICE or NEW-fohh
AS EXPRESSED AT COOPER UNION.
r-eovrHy REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEJ
Albany March 23-Amendments Of radca1
noture were made in the Senate to-day 10 inc
Now-York Bipartisan Police bill, and then II was
ordered to be reprinted. Having been amended'H
cannot be acted upon finally until Wednesday
noxt In the mean while public opinion IN Ne"-
York will have chance to exert us lhnue"ce.
The first amendment made was the foriha'
recognition Of the bipartisan system OF appoint
ment 10 the Board OF Police. Hereafter each
Mayor musC appoint two Republicans ana '"o
Democrats What has been a custom peiore' d"
"unwrltten law" Of appointment. 1t Is now pro-
posed to make statutory law. This amendment
also struck out the section Of the Dill WHICH 'e-
auired the election Of Police Commissioners IN
New-Yorl after 1897. This the section lately
attacked by James c. Carter and others IN q
legal opinion as unconstitutional The Piatt
Senators have always been opposed TO TINS
feature Of TIE bill. and therefore welcomed
Mr. Car,er's and Mr. Hornbowers attack
mon IT, This requirement OF the Dill hao
rn defenders in the Senate except Sena-
tors Kilburn and Pound. Republicans, VINO De-
.ieved that Il better bipartisan Board OF Fohce
could be secured. more loyal to the Repuoh-
can and Democratic parties, respectively oy
election than by appointment
The chamber was crowded when the senate
took up the New-York bills Senator LeHo" at
once submitted the first amendment II cancelleo
that portion Of Section o: the Bi-Partsan foiice
bill which required the election Of Police Commits
from
!. 1895 and substituted an appointed bipartisan
board The amendment ne offered reads as ios-
lows:
called the Board OF Poce. Said board shall cons;st
Of four persons to De kRoTT as who snail Unless
sooner removed, respectively hold Ineir oiiices ISr
specyey SIX ysIy aTr appond H and and have q1aed In
OF the creation OF vacancy IL oi@nCf @ DS co,erois
sioner or the expiration OF the term ct oihye Gi
any Police Commissioner Of the city OF New, fiorn.
after appoint his successor for the remainder ot
the unexpired term or for new term as me fG
Commissioners belong TO the same political parry
nor be II the same political opinion on state anu
National issues.
In the course Of the debate which followed.
senator Cantor having said tina; Il left the laws
in reference to the Police Department just as
they are. Senator Lexow replied: That Is
mistake This is a radical amendment TO tho
! New-Yorl< Police law. Il provides for oi-part-
san Board OF Police of New-York IL has been
the habit OF Mayors = appoint TWO Republicans
and two Democrats as Police Commissioners, out
this has been only habit Now we compel them
10 make such an. ointmen,s by a law which ex-
pressy says they shall appoint Police Commis-
sioners IN the bipartisan principle.
/ Senator Coggeshall. who supported the amend'
/ mont referred to the meeting at the Cooper In
u ptcff NJ ION
| in favor OF a single-headed Police Department
! and said that'the Senators Of the STATE OF New
/ York were not T. be driven like serfs' TO tho
! adopt.on # any idea which they did not Ike.
/ Senator Reynolds. ot Brooklyn. was the only
/ Ropublican Senator who voted against the
amendment when it finally came to a vote. He
! did So as he said. because he favored a single
hca led Police Department for New-York. Tho
! amendment after an hours debate was adopted
/ by the following vote:
yeas-Childs. Coggeshall. Donaldson Higgins
/ Kilburn Iamy Iexow. Mullin. OConnor. owens.
: parsons. Persons Pound. Raines' Robertson
Nays-Ahearn BRADLEY. cantor; Goftsy. Collins
/ Guy. Mcmahon. ODonneI. . Sui'ah' IdFher'
Reynolds Rice sullivan. Wof-li
II will thus be perceived that seventeen Repub-
! lican Senator'S voted for this amendment while
! thirteen Democrats and one Repuoican Key
/ nolds. voted against it, senator Stapeton, re
/ nubIiran said however. that. while voting FOR
this amen iment. h should Mt pledge himself 10
vote for the bill. He thought other amehdmeh's
| also ought 20 be made to IT,
\ second amendment made To the Dill. ana
made without debate and without resistance rom
| tho Democrats struck out Of II the following pro-
| vision:
No person or persons against whom any charge
shall have been made or preferred shal DC ehuheo
~ the oil or assistance - counse, but said COM
! n.ssioners may. in their discretion permit repre-
scntaton by counse! in such case as they may deem
nronor In the event OF any permission being given,
! s,i commissioners may, AZ any time IN their dis
| cret!on. withdraw the same.
This was struck out because il was believed
,,.lr,. noIiceuau has a right to counsel The bill
was then ordered 10 "A third reading.
The Police Reorganization bill was not toucned.
1t also will come up for consideration on "edhes-
,aV next