Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-01-01
Mayor Elect Strong Seems to be in
Somewhat Of q Hole.
HAS A HIGH OPINION OF BYRNES,
And it is Believed Would Keep
Him at the Head Of the Police
Department = At the Same
Time, the Reformers Who
Elected Him Want Byrnes
Bbunced-T. @. Platt Gives a
Fair Estimate of DR.. Parkhurst.
Martin Wants to Retire.

NEw York, December 5l.-Police
peiintendent Byrnes' appearance be-
fore the Lexow Committee, his offer TO
Mayor-elect Strong to resign, and the
accompanying tender of his services in
reorganizing the police force, are var
iouSly received.
The Rev. Parkhurst has intimated
that the inQuisition, when Byrnes was
upon the stand. was lot made sufficient
ly searching for practical purposes.
Park hurst insists that Supt. Byrnes Is
respcls BILE for most Of the corruption
expoSad by the Senate Committee and
he is Indignant over the police chief
tainn's "pompous vanity and self glorl-
fication." as he termed IL.
Magor-elect Strong is said to hold
Byrnes 10 high estimation, and would
be inclined TO urge the withdrawal OF
the Sdperintendent'S resignation were
it not for his reluctance to antagonize
the Parkhurst society. 1t is known
that Messrs. LaroQue, Smith, Taylor
aud the Good Government element OF
the Committee OF Seventy entertain
cordial dislike for the Superintendent.
A statement by the executive commit
tee ofthe Society for the Prevention OF
Vice is promised during the day. This
commlttee, which consists OF DR.. Park
hurst Frank Moss, assistant to Com
mittsd Counsel Goff, and Mr.. Kenneson,
held consultation this forenoon.
Il think" Mr.. Moss said, just
before this consultation. that 1t
will out Mayor Strong in something Of
hole The action OF this man who
spent several hours on the witness
stand narrating, with the most absurd
seli-Sonceit, hs deeds of valor, and
saving naught but bad for the other Of
fciag of the department.
Mr. Moss said that Supt Byrnes' alle-
gation that he had fr quently assisted
the yex0w Committee 10 apprehendlng
deliu ueut witnesses and la other ways
placb himself at the service OF the
Sr,, ,osst was uews lo Mr.. Gotf and him.
''At the time Of Captain Devery's trial
and frequently since then" said Mr..
Moss, Superintendent Byrnes, De-
lancey Nlcoll and several other influen-
tial gentlemen came to US and wanted
TO know why amicable relations
could rot be maintained between
our Society aud the head OF
the police force. The Supern-
tendent made numerous oyertures
In this direction, but all OF them were
rejected because from the very first,
from the time OF Agent Gardner's ar
rest, we were confident that we could
expect little or no help from the police
force"
Suuerintendent Byrnes has given out
this statement:
"In my examination before the Lexow
committee on Saturday, when l referred
10 the Police Commissioners interfering
with me, did not intend to include the
Repub blican memb bers of the board.
Since the latter have become commits
sioners they have done everything TO as
sist me aud have made it possible for
me to take some actions which l had
hitherto been unable to take"
General Kerwin, the newest member
of the Board of Police Commissioners,
and a Republican, said to-day that the
Board had not hampered Superlntend-
ent Byrnes during the period that be
has been member. Commissioner
Kerwin also said that he
had no knowledge of the Superintend-
ent's application for retirement. and
that the recon mendation OF the Lexow
Committee for the retrementof Captain
Creeden would not in the least affect
his opinion on the matter.