Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-01
BYRNES TO REMAIN.
Hs VIII Hold His Place as Head Of IsH
FORKS Police.
THAT is THE IMPRESSION.
In Gotham-whst VIII he Done
with TT


ing his application for retirement
from the force in the hands OF Mayor
elect Strong. Mr.. Byrnes's denuncation
| Of the Police Board and the charge that
no was hampered in the performance OF
his duties by the commissioners also
caused considerable talk. Everybody Is
wondering now what will be the outcome
Of affairs in this department. He de-
clined 10 say whether his letter to the
Mayor contains formal application to
the Police Board for retirement, to be
forwarded to that body or not, as Mr..
Strong pleases.
The Superintendent came s1own to his
Office at his usual hour to-day. He re-
ceived during the forenoon many callers,
who came 10 extend their good wishes,
| and all expressed the hope that he would
| continue to BE- the superintendent or the
| force when II Is reorganized.
/ Among those who called were Coionei
| Murphy and cx-Captaln Greer. under
| whom Mr.. Byrnes performed his first
| duty as patrolman in 1864, Captain Greer
| was retired in 1870. He said he wanted
| to see Mr.. Byrnes continued at the head
| of the department.
The Superintendent was asked whether
| he had anything more to say concerning
| his letter to the Mayor-elect and MS
I reasons for wishing to retire. He would
not further discuss the matter.
| NOTHING MORE TO SAY.
| He stated: 81 have said all concerning
| this matter that l intend 10 say for the
| present. My letter is in Mr.. Strongs
hands. and l have given my reasons for
| tie action / have taken When the
| proper time comes l may have something
| more to add to what ] have already
| stated. But for the present / have no
| thing more to say"
| In police circles the universal impress
| sion is that Mr.. Byrnes will be at the
| head of the reorranized police force.
| The question has been raised as to
| whether of not the Police Board worlt
| retire Mr. Byrnes in the event that
| Mayor-elect Strong should decide to for
| ward his application to the commission
| ers. The board has refused to retire
| able-bodied officers. Under the twenty
| year law, Mr. Byrnes is entitled to
| a pension of 5000 per am un. 1t Is be-
| lievel there will be no change In the
| read OF the department until May lst
| None of the inspectors who were at
| Headquarters cared 10 discuss the step
| taken by their chief. The department; Is
| in a state OF turmoil over the exposures
| before the Lexow Committee. and the
| sensation caused by Mr.. Byrnes's offer
| &c retire.
MARTIN TO RESIGN.
| NEW YORK, December 3i.-When he
| announced his intention to-day to resign
| from the Police Board. President Martin
| said: my friends know that ] have been
anxious TO retire for some time This
| place has never been congenial TO me. and
| now that the investigation by the Lexow
/ Committee has been concluded, intend to
| resign. 1 did not resign under fire. Ny
| resignation will be In the hands of Mayor
| Strong within a few days
Concerning the testimony given by Mr..
| Byrnes before the committee / have this
| 20 say: AS president of this department
| do not wish to enter into a controversy
with the Superintendent or any one else.
but emphatically deny that the board or
| personally have ever done anything TO
| interfere with or hamper the Superin-
| tendent in the proper discharge OF his dl-
ties"
| TAMMANYITES MOVING.
| Tammany officials whose terms expire to-
| morrow were preparing to move to-day
! Mayor Gilroy packed up his private pa
pers in the Mayors office this morning,
| and was ready 10 go after the meeting II
| ment, which took final action on the de-
parlmental estimates for 1895. The Mayor
| said that he had not yet completed his
plans for the future. He might go 10
| Europe or to Florida in aafew weeks for
| n vacation. After that he will probably
20 into business. He declared to-day that
| Tammany still had bright future and
that he would always be ready TO work
for the organization.
Willis Holly. the Mayors secretary, has
! already gone to Albany. where he will be
| the correspondent of New York news
paper.
Other Tammany officials who were
making ready TO move this morning were
| Daniel Englehard. the Mayors marshal;
| George r. Mcclellan, president of the
| Board Of Aldermen; Sheriff John Il. Sex
| ton, Coroners Shea and Schultz, Recorder
| Smyth, and Judge Traux of the Superior
| Court.
MAYOR STRONG TO-DAY.
Mayor-elect Strong will take possession
or the Mayors office al noon tomorrow.
| There will probably be a little speech
| making. and Colonel Strong will BE- intro
, duced to the heads OF the departments
VINO viii serve under him until a Mayors
power Of removal bill is passed
LEXOW ON BYRNES.
Senator Lexow, before ne left for
| Albany, was asked what he thought tf
some of the more recent criticism of the
&C mittee. and more particularly with
| reference TO some sharp things which
| have been said regarding the examination
| Of Superintendent Byrnes
| "Well.' said he, I'VE expected that we
| would be criticised. whether we had
! Byrnes on the stand or not, and II we
| are criticised adversely IL will not only
| be unfair, but unjust. Byrnes was asked
| 10 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 a matter OF fact, this city,
| this State. almost every State in the
Union. was scraped as with a fne-tooth
| comb In order to get some evidence
| against him, but il could not be found.
| Mir. Byrnes was questioned on all lines
| upon which the counsel had any in
| formation.
IF any one knew anything concerning
| the official career of Superintendent
| Byrnes they should have informed us Of
| II Why did they not come forth with
| it? Byrnes, as matter Of fact. chal-
| longed any one inside or outside the de-
| partment to show that he was ever guilty
| of single wrong act"
| ALLEGED UNDERSTANDING.
at has been said" remarked one OF
| these who had heard the Senator's words,
that the committee and the Superintend-
| ent understood each other before he
went on the stand, and that there had
| been an agreement or understanding OF
some sort by which Byrnes was to be
| let down easy"
ANY one who says that, or any
| thing like it," the response, is
| simply manufacturing a lie
Then. there is no truth in that re-
| port?"
| mot word"
WANT FURTHER LEXOWISM.
| NEW YORK. December a.-Charles
| Stewart Smith. chairman of the Commit
tee on Municipal Reform Of the Chamber
| Of Commerce. will report at meeting
| Of that organization January Sd. making
| specific charges against several city de-
| partments and will present resolution
asking for legislative investigation. The
! Chamber wants all the city departments
| TO have an examination similar TO that
| 10 which the Police Department was sub
| jected by the Lexow Committee. The
| plan is 70 continue the Lexow Committee
/ with full power TO look into the other
| city departments. and then have them