New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-28
pIATT SENATORS YIELDING
prAny TO AMEND THE NEW-1ohh
POLICE BILLS

THE POLICE JUSTICES BILL
tsv TIE, rcR.rH TO THE TRrBUNE1
Albany March 27-Thomas c. Platts followers
IN the State Legislature are beginning 10 aoanhon
,hejr hau.hty position Of 'no compromise upon
The bills a. the LeXoS Committee regarding the
Police Department of New-N"rk. Those bills, In
their present form. 10 is well known, are OPP
osod b,, rho reform sentiment of New-YOrk. A
few. davs ago Senator'S OConnor, LeXow. Cosge-
shall and other Plat Republicans refused abso-
iu,elv 10 accept any amendments 10 these meas
ures which might be favored by Mayor Strong.
IF Naw-York and his supporters But to-day
Senator O'Connor. in much more complacent
mood frankly admits that the Bipartisan Police
bill is not perfect and expresses his Willingness
to accept amendments 10 II. That his heart is
still hardened however. is made evident by his
statement that he is opposed to any amendments
being made to the Police Reorganization bill.
There has been another mission TO Mayor
Strong with the ostensible aim Of learning his
views on both Of the New-YorX police bills. II
will be remembered that ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Saxton and Speaker Fish we're the ambassadors
recently 10 Mayor Strong upon similar MISSION
and that a dispute subsequently arose as 10
whether Mayor Strong had actually reVedieu -
MIR Saxton and NJ Fish the names of the per
sons he Intended 10 appoint as members u
Police Reorganization Commissions anu "
came clear there was msunderstahu'"e
where between the eminent gentlemen
So much painful doubt ala tHis aiou'' -
mind Of Senator John Raines 'nat ~ p''p
oortorance at Governor Morton's house. that
.ho Police Commission idea be abandoned ana 'he
Y,,n.r,isan Board Of Police he ntrusted with
This delicate work Of police reorganization Inns
suggestion was regarded as an inspired thought
h,. & H..
adopted.
Tho latest ambassadors TO New-Nork were
Senators Higgins. Mullin and kilburn IheN
went to the metropolis last night by the hinp"e
Express They had several long cha'S over '"e
lonE-distance telephone with Mayor ''r""e
about their coming TO New-1ork ana II must
ne acknowledged that the Mayor had SHOWN
DISPOSITION to avoid committing himself on 'he
New-York police bins. and no keen desire TO
come to close quarters with the Senators men
,ioned The Mayor indeed it is said. frankly
declared that he would prefer TO conceal MS
op,nions of the police bills until after the Legs
,a,ure had passed them and they came before
him in a legal way for his judgment as Mayor
of New-York Rut. finally. Mayor Strong, II -
said agreed TO have a chat with the Senators
mentioned al 1920 p. m.
Senator'S Higgins. Klburn and Mullln went 10
New-York together, but upon arriving 'here
Senator Kilburn let his two companions upon
some mission of his Whether he saw MI
Platt at any time i'm the evening is not known.
Senators Higgins and Mullin went TO the house
Of Mayor Strong. SO it is reported In TINS CITY
aud there had an hours chat with him. All
the Senators remained in New-Iork over nlSht
and returned here by the early morning train
Senators Higgins and Mullin brought back WORD
that Mayor Strong was opposed 10 the section
for the election Of Police Commissioners AFTER
1907 This amendment was not A part or me
original Lexow Bipartisan Police bill, but was
added 10 it, as oddly happened. At the request
IF Senator Higgins himself. who Thought that
AZ the roifce commissioners wore elected the
Republican party would certainly always nave
two loyal members Of it's organization IN the
Porad Of Police. whereas. # the authority Oh
annointnnent was given 70 the Mayor Of
Neu-York the first Tammany Hall Mayor
would appoint nominal Republicans Of the
strire Of McClave. and thus Tammany Han
would escape responsibility for the Police De-
nartnent's noisdeeds. while actually controlling
the denartn1ent But Mayor Strong. according
~ Senators Higgins and Mullin favors the APP
Monument Of Police Commissioners. ana dlsap-
proves Of their election.
This statement that Mayor Strong is opposed
~ the election Of Police Commissioners was not
unwelcome 10 Senator O'Ccnnor and the other
Pstt Senators
Il never liked that amendment" said Senator
OConnor. and only accepted II because son
stors Higgins Nulln. Pound and kilhurn ia
vored II I am. Therefore perfectly willing To
amend the bill In this respect as Mayor Strong
desires 70 have it amended and DO not sec
why the Bipartisan Police bill should not ~"
amended tomorrow in the manner Mayor
iS /
amended"
But before Senator O'Connor accepted this
amendment. ne doubtless had talk over Inc
long-dstance telephone with Thomas {. fiat'
Mr. Plat. like Mr.. OCOnnor never has liked
this proposal 20 elect the Police Commissioners
when ] suggested the election Of Police Com
missicners 20 Mr.. Plat" said Senator Higgins
two weeks ago. he said he doubted il ii was
A good scheme and it was not until / brought
Senator kilburns influence at work upon him
that I induced him to say that he would not
oppose the amendment II it should be included
in the bill Mr. Platt therefore, will be pleased
n have the election method. with all its un-
certainties taken out of the bill and the APP
pointing power restored to the Mayor.
II was reported near midnight tonight that
Senator Higgins on Monday received a letter
from Mayor Strong stating that he desired 70
have that section Of the Bipartisan Police bin
which required the election of the Police Com
mlssioners stricken from the bill. and also that
the Police Reorganization bill be amended by
giving policemen the right Of counsel. 1t was
the receipt of this letter which Induced Senator
Higgins to decide TO go TO NewYork and have
talk with Mayor strong about the mat
ter. Senators leXOw and OCOnnOr were
saying a, midnight that they doubted II
Mayor Strong intended 10 ask tina, counsel
ba granted to policemen who are tried be
fore The Police Reorganization Board and
that he only meant they ought 10 have counsel
before the Board Of Police when standing trial
on various offences. They therefore may OPP
pose any amendments being made 10 the Police
Reorganization bill now before the Senate.
Edward LauterbaCh. the Plat chairman OF
the Republican County Committee Of York
~ no, man who would ordinarily be expected
W 'dke ludicrous position al the wrong mo-
'ioh': OUT ne did so to-day. He brought up with
mn iroin New York ana submitted to'Governor
legal authorities that 1t Is CONSTITUTIONAL to elect
Police commissioners In New-YOrk This opin-
ion was intended 70 bolster up the Plat Repub-