New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-01
CRIMINALS ON THE FORCE.
MANY OF THEM. AND THEY MUST GO, COM
MISSIONER PARKER SAYS.
THEY MAINTAIN A DEFIANT EMPER. HE DE-
THING TO DELAY THE RETRIBL-

THING TO DELAY THE RETRIBL-
TON THAT MUST COME.
The statement was Published yesterday that
secret organization had been formed among GER
tain sergeants, roundsmen and patrolmen Of the
police force for the purpose OF raising corrup-
tion fund pay certain members of the last
Legislature for their services against the Police
Reorganization bill. and to provide simul-
taneously an emergency fund for fighting any
dstasteful measure that may come up in the
next Leg.sla ture. The amount to be raised was
said to be $50 900.
Stephen o. Brien, the Acting Chief OF the De-
tective Bureau whose attention was called TO
the publication, said 1t was all news to him and
that ne thought there was no need OF any sucn
fund. since the people IF the city seemed 10 De
pleased with the police force as now existing, so
that no further reorganization would be de-
manded.
Mr. PARKER'S STRONG WORDS.
Police Commissioner Andrew d. Parker, who
seen In the evening at his home, NO ~ East
Twenty ninth-st. by reporter OF Inc lriouie'
expressed himself in the following language
which was measured and carefully and slowly
delivered:
II know nothing more Of the alleged corrupt
plot than the newspaper article informs me. But
| am quite we'll aware that there are on the
police force many criminals, some undoubted and
others probable, who. moved partly by fear OF
punishment for past misdeeds and partly by nope
OF the opportunity for future corruption would
descend to any means to postpone or defeat the
publication Of the force and that retriDution
which Is certain, sooner or later to come ana
which 1t behooves the community to mete out, II
,ts public life Is to be redeemed from the un-
laGt 4
community which does lot punish rascals cannot
keep hone 81 men.
ut goes without saying that the Board will
make every effort to unveil such conspiracy as
Is rumored. and II any delinquents be dis
covered it will not only dismiss them from the
force. but WILL II possible. send them to the pen
itentiary The Board Is well aware OF the COM
position and attitude OF the police force as a
whole The last stage of It's Generalization De-
gan some ten or twelve years ago Prior to tnat
time political consldera tions-the forwarding Oh
this interest or the embarrassment OF that-had
to some extent determined appointments, pro-
motions and the detail of precinct administration.
But up to that time such a thnS as puy.ns d
captaincy for cash was unheard or ABOUT
twelve years ago, however this lnnnltely Hleahei
corruption began and spread from one enu OF lne
force to the other and through practically every
grade From that time till recently the moraie
OF the force has been subjected 10 the unceasins
and ever-intersifyng debasement OF pecuniary
corruption. 30 that t. = not strange II the moraI
sense Of the $500 has been BLINDED TO the
yileness of that viii i they would clearly ap-
preciate ir their pr'' t,e lives. -
When you consi+@' that especia - for tne
last three or four ycars a cold-casL tariIt has
been exactcd for every grade from ;aptain 10
patrolman and tha. that once paid. cOmpara-
lively little attention was Si"en to qualihcauons
of merit J.i will understand with what "a per-
nicious le. yen the lump has seen eaveheo'
MANY sULLEN AND DEFIANT.
Personally. know how unexpectedly large
a proportion of the force is in trepdaton lest IL
receive justice at the hands of the public, and
am pretty accurately informed how many main
tain a sullen ai.d defiant temper. That temper
must be and shall be broken; that justice must
and shall be administered
There is something Of a corporate response
bility In the police force. and the sooner tne
dividing line Is drawn between its sheep and It's
goats the better II will be for horest policemen
and the City Of New-York."
II was not difficult to gather from certain IN
timatons given by Commissioner Parker that
his utterances are merely the prelude TO some
closely impending important movement in the
direction indicated by him.