The sun., 1895-01-09

In an interview printed in THE EVENING
SUN Of Monday, Inspector ALEXANDER S.
WILLIAMS gave his opinion as to the causes
and the best means for the cure of the cor
ruption that has grown up in the Police De-
partment. While Inspector WILLIAMS is
not at present in that odor of sanctity
among his Republican brethren that
breathes from Superintendent BYRNEs, he
has had a great and varied experience in
many forms Of police service, and his knowl-
edge of the temptations that beset police
men and police officials in this town, will not
be questioned even by his numerous enemies.
In his doubtless very wicked way he seems
to uncover the grounds and material
of police corruption, and many a respectable
merchant and snug reformer may find rea-
son for self-reproach in this uncovering.
The SUI Gas pointed out more than once
the guilt of the merchants who have violated
corporation ordinances, and then committed
a felony Shy bribing the police or .other
officials to wink at the offence and suffer 1t
to 20 on unpunished save by a regular bribe
paid to the coDdoning officer. Inspector
WILLIAMS regards this lawless and corrupt
mercantile spirit. or want of spirit, as the
DcBiluiuB VI buo Sy oeCht VI
and extortion and protection of unlawful
acts and occupations:
-The system started In the mercantile district down
town. A merchant would rent store for $50 q
month As his business grew larger he found he need
cd 5000 worth OF Then he put his goods the
sidewalk. violated corporation ordinance and when
the policeman post came along and warned him
that he must obstruct the walk did he heed the
warning and obey the law Not bit. He would call
ida md aIl
his hand. That was the poor polIcemans nrst lesson
in bribery, and his teacher was man who poses 4
good citizen
THE merchant then paid the policeman on the
post $40 month, maybe and saved $3.50 month In
rent He was $40 o month ahead, and did not feel
that he was violating the law doing anything
wrong. In time the policeman the beat felt that
he was doing no wrong In taking the ei0 q month.
In that way the system started It will continue
some extent until the law is changed"
Inspector WILLIAMS proposes that the
merchants shall be allowed to use the side
walks for their business to a reasonable ex-
tent during certain hours, and that a mer-
chant violating the ordinances in regard to
the sidewalks be summoned to appear in
court the next day and be not arrested save
upon a summons. OF course, the remedy
proposed would be only partially adequate.
There would still be bribable policemen if
there were merchants not ashamed to bribe.
Inspector WILLIAMS comes near the heart
of the matter, however, in proposing that
the laws and ordinances which have ham,
pered the merchants In their business 80
much that they have cheerfully paid bribes
to be released from their operation, should
be repealed.
II the excise laws were so altered as to
permit Sunday opening during certain
hours and under certain conditions, large
part of the opportunity Of police corruption
from that source would be removed. Here
again the narrow and intolerant temper of
perhaps the majority of the persons who
profess the most horror over the corruption
of the police, is really the responsible cause
of that corruption. Inspector WILLIAMs's
plan for securing the enforcement of
the excise laws during prohibited hours
Is to require the removal of the shades
ard blinds from the doors and win
dows of the saloons. He also favors the
English system of issuing the license to the
house, and not to the man, holding the
owner responsible for the maintenance of an
orderly and reputable saloon on his prem
ises, and in case of violation of the license,
revoking it and forbiddinR the issuing of
another on the same premises until after a
term Of years.
In regard to the social evil, Inspector
WILLIAMS adheres to the old reasoning by
which he used TO defend the peculiarities of
the Tenderloin. He would "stop making
criminals OF those women by law and local
ize the evil as far as possible" He would
repeal the law that makes 1t a misdemeanor
to rent house to women Of this class, and
give them to understand that SO long as they
kept within certain limits, a quarter by
themselves as is the practice In the Japanese
cities, they would not be molested. A plan
like this will raise the utmost indignation
and horror In great part of this cOmmu-
nifty. Professional reformsrs of the PARK
HURST school propose to eliminate this form
of vice and reeonstitute human nature.
Many admirable and enlightened men and
women ara inStinctively revolted by any
plan for the regulation Of social vice. We
are not called upon here to consider the