The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-01

performed his first duty as patrolman in
1873. Capt Greer was retired in 1870 He
said he wanted 10 see Mr.. Byrnes con-
tinued at the head of the department.
The superintendent was asked whether
he had anything more 10 say concerning
his letter 90 the mayOr-elect and his rea-
sons for wishing 10 be retired. He would
not further discuss the matter. He stated
Il have said all concerning this matter I
intend to say for the present. My letter is
in Mr.. Strong's hands and have given my
reasons for the action L have taken.
When the proper time comes. I may have
something more 70 add 10 what ] have al
READY stated. But for the present l have
nothing more TO say"
In police circles the universal impress
sion is that Mr.. Byrnes viii be at the
head of the re-organized police force.
The question has been raised as to
whether or not the police board would re-
tire Ar. Byrnes in the event that Mayor
elect Strong should decide to forward his
application to the commissioners. The
board has refused TO retire able-bodied
officers. Under the twenty year law Mr..
Byrnes is entitled to pension OF 5000
per annum. 1t is believed that there Will
be no change in the head OF the Depart
ment until Mayl ]. No inspectors who We're
at headquarters this morning cared TO dis
cuss the matter.
The department is in a state Of turmoil
over the exposures and the sensation
caused by Supt. Byrnes' testimony.
Supt. Byrnes to-day took occasion
to correct the impression given
by his testimony before the Sem
ate committee Saturday that all the
commissioners of the police board had
interfered with him in the proper dis
charge of his duties. lie was asked If
hn fffe a include zen
Kerwin and Commissioner Murray. lie
said: No; have nothing to say against
Messrs. kcrwiu and Murray. Since they
have been on the board things have been
very different No transfers have been
made except for cause and in every
way possible under the present rules
and regulations of the department they
have assisted the superintendent OF po-
lice
President James ]. Martin, Of the police
department, viii resign his office within
a few days. Mr. Martin himself made
the announcement shortly before 1880
o'clock to-day at police headquarters.
When he announced mis- intention to
resign, President Martin said. "Ny
friends know that 1 have been anxious
TO retire from the police department for
some time. This place has never been
coneenial to me, and now that the in
vestgation Of the department by the
LeXow committee has been concluded, ]
intend to resign. / did not resign under
fire. My resignation VIII be IN the hands
Of Mayor Strong within a few days.
Concerning the testimony given by Mir
Byrnes before the LeEow cummittee ]
have this to say. As president Of this
department ! do not wish TO enter into
any controversy with the auperntendont
or any one else but | emphaticaily deny
that the board or ! personally have ever
D.. .fHrrT tent -H. Ham
per the superintendent i'm the proper dis
charge Of his duties"
Senator Lexow this morning just before
he left for Albany, was asked what he
thought Of some of the more recent
criticisms of the committee, and more
particularly regarding some Of the sharp
things which have been said regarding
the examination of 5upt. Byrnes. "NVell,
said he, I'VE expected that we would
be criticised whether we had Supt.
Byrnes on the stand or not, and if we
are criticised adversely it viii not only
be unfair but unjust. Supt Byrnes was
asked to account for his wealth and he
did so.
There was not a bit of evidence to
show that he was guilty Of corruption.
And now, as q matter of fact, this city,
this state, almost every state in the
union, was scraped as with a fine tooth
comb in order to get some evidence
against llnlt bNt IL tONl1 not DC lDuilIs
Mr.. Byrnes was questioned on all the
lines upon which the committee or its
counsel had any information.
If any one knew anything concerning
the official career of Supt Byrnes they
should have informed us of it. Why
did not they come forward with it?
Supt. Byrnes as a matter of fact, chal-
lenged any one inside or outside the de
partment to show that he was ever guilty
Of a single wrong act.
1T has been said" remarked one Of
those who had heard the senator's words,
that the committee and the superin-
tendent understood each other perfectly
weu before he went on the stand, and
that there had been an agreement or
understanding Of some sort by the terms
of which Supt. Byrnes was TO be let down
easy"
ANY one who says that or anything
like it, was the res ponse to that. 'is
simply making lie out of the whole
cloth"
"Then there is no truth in that report?"
wa rd