The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-01

Is L1at 1t has TO be paid OH or IOreclOSeu-
that Mr. Moss declares that he never knew
or suspected that Mr.: Byrnes was furnish
counsel and that it was well known
that he would not sanction such action
MIR. Byrnes has repeatedly attempted
to play the same game with the society
for the prevention of crime, but we have
refused to ally ourselves with a man who
we believe to be more than any one re-
sponsible for the condition of the depart
ment. If we had consented to do what
the investigating committee and its counsel
have done we should thereby have sur
rendered our point of vantage, sacrificed
our prestige and the Lexow committee
would never have been heard of. We are
not charging the committee or it's counsel
with a dishonest intent, but they blundered
and they blundered badly. Mr.. Byrnes as
a competent element of the department, was
to that degree defendant. BY being taken
into the confidence of the prosecution he
to the bench where could kick out against
the very men VINO were more the subject
of indictment than he was.
I'VE are not saying that there was any
understanding, or at least any written Stip-
ulation, that if he would tell what he knew
about other men in the department, that
were criminals. he should not be called to
the witness stand, or If called should be
allowed to use the stand as histrionic op-
portunity for eliminating his official asso-
ciates and celebrating his own personal
and official innocence. But whether there
was any such stipulation or not, the ac-
ceptance of his assistance practically in
volved the deal; and committee that come
down from Albany with the express pur-
pose of Investigating deals ought to have
been punctiliously careful to avoid. even
the appearance of having susceptible side
for the very sort of offense that they were
designated to detect and adjudge."
CHARGES AGAINST BYRNES.
After complaining of the dsinclination of
the Lexow committee to consult with the
Parkhurst committee the statement con-
tinues:
1--WE, of the executive committee, feel
that our fight during the past three years
has been pre-eminently contest with Mr.
Byrnes. He has known perfectly well that
our only intention has been to secure the
enforcement of law IN this city, and yet
he has dogged our steps from first to last
and has omitted no efforts to discredit
in the estimation of the community. If
ment had been able to accomplish it's pur-
pose. 1t would have crushed the Society for
the prevention of Crime, there would have
been no Lexow committee and Grant would
have been Mayor to-day instead of Strong.
When our agents We're making it uncom-
Portable for their associates, Mr. Byrnes
represented to the police justices, so the
press informs us, that the issuing of war
rants to irresponsible parties ought TO be
stopped We raised no question as to the
wisdom of the rule proposed by Superin-
only calling attention to the fact that it
was he who ruled in the matter, an that
the immediate effects of the rule adopt
ed would be to retard the operations of our
detectives. We understood, and the COM
munity understood, that that was the OBJ
Byrnes struck at our society in the arrest
OF our chief detective, Gardner. l am not
raising any question here to Mr.. Gard
ners guilt or innocence, but am only saying
that the police department conspired with
phenomenal unaninity to rid itself of the
embarrassment which detective oc-
casioned them, the superintendent himself
taking hand in it, and wrenching from
frightened Marett Gf Marett's testimony
can be trusted) such information as he
might be able to extort. Granting that
Byrnes did not treat Marett with greater
had ffipfsI y.feyhf
do, and granting that third degree is
legitimate appurtenance of a police force
III this country, yet the point is that ii
was in an attempt to break agent that
the superintendent drastic measures were
used. Byrnes hated us, and kept tab
us, and tried to make us contemplate in
public esteem by showing that our agent
was levying blackmail, which. shown
by the Lexow committee, was precisely
are obliged to presume he knew his agents
We're doing.
within three days of the above attack
he struck our society another blow by try
ing to discredit its president. Unless all
the newspapers of that date lied. he called
together the reporters and. in terms of un-
restrained bitterness, published to the
world a mass of hiackguardism touching
the motives of my work, the base impulses
that inspired it-all of which was solid and
contemptibie falsehood. 1 am writing this
without animosity, but he lied all the same
and the object of the lie was to break the
power that ! was exercising against the
viciousness of his department He perpe-
trated a vile, Sneaking inSinuation against
my church by saying that he knew OF a
'well-trodden path that conducted from my
lowlived vicousness that taunt is easily
entitled to the prize, for he has since con-
ceded that that path trodden by one
Individual, and he, in no proper sense, a
member of my congregation, and the busi-
ness card of that individual party has come
into my possession from Mr.. Byrnes's own
hands.
HARSH WORDS RECALLED.
It will be proper to introduce at this
point by way of indicating more fully Mr.
Byrness attitude toward us the following
extracts from formal statements by him
made in December. 1892:
g "A society for the prevention of crime
that is a fine title for an association of
men who have from their leader down pro-
voked about every crime they denounced.
Not only have they blackmailers among
them, but they have men who have been
guilty Of the most aboininable practices of
acts which, when they are made public
you will find the utmost difficulty in de-
Scribing in print. l cannot under
stand how men who are presumably decent.
respectable members of society can tolerate
the idea of putting forth number of spies
to practice on the fears Of these most nm
fortunate women. The cruelty of it amazes
me. are not these poor things sufficiently
sary to further abuse and rob tfem?l In
Gardeners case the threat of an indictment
were forced to pay tMr. Byrnes we'll knew
that Clifton was police agent to trap
efdIulIeIDs anu LHlS, mlnd you. was made
possible by the formation of this rresponsi-
BILE society. The members of it are the
guilty persons. Without their backing these
scoundrels of agents would have been pow
erless. However, let them wait a little
while. Let them wait until the public
knows what has been done. There is law
fortunately and the victims are not friend
less as long as that law exists
T" L have read over very carefully the
statements made by DIR. Parkhurst and SO
far as | could perhaps expect they corrob-
crate what | have said about him and his
methods l have to thank DIR. Parkhurst
for making the issue ne has raised at la
sharp and clear / had given him credit
before, as it now appears. simply for being
in the field to help suppress vice and crime
That was what his society was organized
for and what his predecessor labored for
DR.. Parkhurst says fatty that that lis not
his aim. He is not trying to suppress gam
bling or to repress the social evil. He is in
the field to attack the police. DIR. Howard
Crosby saw other opportunities and other
ends. and he found occasion more than
once frankly to thank the police. True char
ity begins at home. / shall be prepared
when DIR. Parkhurst come to me in a proper
spirit of inquiry to show him well-trodden
path that leads from the very door of his
church, as it We're, to a brothel hardly a
gunshot away, upon which his shadows
might exploit themselves with advantage TO
the security and good repute of his congre-
cation, and with better success than they
have achieved in their present vain hunt
-"Our agents, acting in the legitimate dis
AAr ElrTA-