Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-01-05
ROTTEN TO THE CORE.
Supt. Byrnes' Opinion Of the New
York Police Department.
He Tolls the Lexow Committee That He
Wns Hampered In His Dosiro to Do
Right by tho Commissioners-
His Resignation rendered.

He Tolls the Lexow Committee That He
WINS Hampered in His Dosiro to Do
Right by tho Commissioners
His Resignation rendered.
New YORK, Dec. 31.-At $3.50 o'clock
Saturday night the Lexow committee
adjourned, subject to the call of the
chair, thus closing session of inves-
tigation which was brimful of start
ling revelations. The principal part
of Saturdays session was taken up in
the examination of Superintendent of
Police Byrnes. Just as he was through
answering Mr.. Goff's probing ques-
tions Superintendent Byrnes handed
letter to Chairman Lexow and said
that it was a copy of one that he had
sent to Mayor-elect Strong early this
month. 1t was his resignation from
the force, of which he has been a mem
ber for the last thirty-two years.
When Superintendent Byrnes took
the witness chair he was asked at
great length regarding his wealth and
how he came by it. His wealth, which
he estimated at S850,OO0 was made by
speculation, he said, in Wall street,
through the instrumentality Of Jay
pOuld anu llo sui ptOIRc. his puT-
chases of real estate were also very pro-
fitable and he claimed not to have a
bank account. He said:
"Old Commodore Vanderbilt asked me on
one occasion If 1 had any money, and said
yes, had 5000 He asked me for IL and
brought 1t to him. About six or twelve months
afterwurd got $4,000 back. as he had invested
| 1t very successfully for me. This made me
worth some $50 900 in 1875"
/ ,.,itp thar tDl1
as to how he became acquainted with
Jay Gould. 1t was through catching
a man who wrote threatening letters.
Mr.. Gould offered him a present, but
he refused. Then Mr.. Gould, he said,
offered to buy stocks for him and did
not want to accept any margin, but
Byrnes insisted. He put up $4,000,
with the result that the amount was
increased to $270,0OO.
The superintendent said that on two
occasions since he was appointed in
Superintendent Murray's place he was
on the point of resigning, owing to
the continued conflict between the
commissioners and himself The
superintendent, he said, should have
absolute charge of the discipline of
the department, but that all his
efforts in that direction were frus-
trated by the commissioners. The de-
partment was honey-combed with
abuses, which had been growing for
thirty years and they could only be
remedied by radical legislation.
Local politicians, he claimed, were
the curse of the department,
and as long as politics was a
| 60 -, hA o%o 20 -
things would exist. Although he had
done his utmost to procure substantial
information as to corruption and brib-
cry, he was unable to get it, and the
whole department was impregnated
with the belief that promotion had to
be bought and merit was of no avail.
He claimed to have done a good deal
toward helping to bring about the ex-
posure. He paid a tribute to DIR. Park
hurst, who, he said, manufactured
public sentiment without which it
would have been impossible for the
committee to have acquired the infor-
nation it did. AS the witness was
leaving the stand he said in reply to
Senator Lexow: THE police force
must be reorganized. The present
system is all wrong"
Mr.. Golf stated that he had exam
ined Commissioner Martins bank
books, and that there was not an entry
that needed explanation. Resolutions
were passed thanking all who had
been concerned in the investigation
for the facilities extended to the
committee. After some remarks by
Mr.. Golf, Chairman Lexow, in a
short speech returned thanks to the
various officers for the courtesy dis
played by them, and also to the coun-
sci engaged in the investigation, and
declared the committee adjourned sine
die.
Rev. DIR. Parkhurst was asked his
opinion of the testimony of Superin
tendent Byrnes before the Lexow com
mittee, and in reply said that he be-
lieved, in fact knew. that there was az
understanding between the superin-
tendent and the committee as tc
the manner in which Mr.. Byrnes
was to be treated on the witnes.
stand. Just what the understanding
was he declined to state, but he knew
that Byrnes was not to be badly dam
aged. With regard to the testimony o
the superintendent to the effect tha
he had been seriously hampered by
the police commissioners in the per
formance of his duty, DR.. Parkhurs
said, scornfully:
II am only u poor little Presbyterian clergy
man, and what has taken me year or tw
years to do Superintendent Byrnes, with nm
pie power at his command, would be able I
do in q week II he were 80 minded"
BURNED TO DEATH.