The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-28
BYRNES TAKES OFF HIS BADGE.
THE CHIEF RETIRED ON a PENSION
OF $4,000 PER YEAR.

The Chief Had Expressed His Will
inEness 10 Retire if II Was Thought
for the Interest of the Force for
Him 10 DO SO-PubIIshed state
ments Attributed 60 the board OF
Police CommissiOners Pronounced
Unauthorized.
New York. May 27.--Chief Of Police Thom-
as Byrnes was retired by the police board
to-day. The application was handed TO
Commissioner Parker. who presented II
with a statement from Mr.. Byrnes. With
out comment from anyone. by a silent and
unanimous vote. the board finished the act
and the retirement was complete. done as
the chief wished il to be done.
The chief called on Commissioner Par
ker at 1880 o'clock. The two sat together
until 1 o'clock. while the board upstairs
went through with the routine business,
At o'clock Commissioner Parker Joined
his colleagues in a secret meeting, and
while Superintendent Byrnes was at lunch
con in the detective bureau. the retire
ment was made. Commissioner Parker
sat at his place and from some notes on
a card very slowly made the following
statement: Some time after the appoint
ment of this board, and consequently after
/ came into office, the chief of police, prob
ably because of former official acquaint
ance with me. told me privately that N
at any time the interests of the force In
which he had served for almost a lifetime,
and In which he had risen from the lowest
to the highest rank would In the opinion
of the board be served better by his retire
ment than by his continued presence In It,
he would consider II his duty to hand In
his application for retirement He has
stated that to me. not upon one occasion
alone, but upon several
'ln conformity with that statement. and
in the spirit in which he made 81. he
handed to me this morning his application
for retirement. Since this board came into
office there have been many statements at
tributed to the members by
the board, which so far az
they were quoted, were without
authorization. Under these statements
the chief. so far as this board knows. has
remained silent. as Il was his duty to do.
"He requested me to add that II the ex-
perience acquired by him in his long SER
vice should In the opinion of the board, or
of any Of its members, be thought useful
In the administration or elevation OF the
department he viii tender his aid gladly
and joyfully."
In sharp contrast came the dry state
ment of the question by the chief clerk:
Thomas Byrnes, chief OF police, applica-
tion for retirement $4,000 pension"
Then the roll, 'Mr President?"
Yes"
Commissioner Andrews?"
YES"
Commissioner Parker?"
YES"
Commissioner Grantg'
"Yes."
The board closed the room again and
went on with other business.
Later on ex-Chief Byrnes said: II have
no statement to make. II any statement
is to be made let them (the commission
ers) make it,"
At o'clock the commissioners an
nounced that Inspector Conlin was de-
tailed acting chief OF police. and that
Capt. Cartwright Of the Eldrldge street
station, Capt. Brooks of the one Hun
dreth and Twenty-sixth street station, and
Capt. Mccullough OF the West Thirty
seventh street station. had been detailed
as acting inspectors. The three captains
We're relieved of precinct duty and no.
titled at once to report to Acting Chief
Conln.
The board also appointed Inspector Con-
lin and Capts. Cortwright. Brooks. Nc
Cullough and Smith Of the East Twenty
second street station as police civil ser
vice board
The board then took a recess until
o'clock.
on being asked this afternoon what he
thought Of Chief Byrnes' retirement, DR..
Parkhurst said: THE result satisfies me
and gratifes me. My warfare, however.
has not been against Mr.. Byrnes as a
man. but as an official, and now that
he has ceased to be an official, 1t seems
to me that for me to pass any further
comment upon the matter would be both
unwarranted and undgniled."