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


la'l lnent was to that degree a defendant.
l'y being taken into the confidence Of the
prosecution, he wound himself out Of the
poA ana on TO the bench where he could
KICK out against the very men that were
he was
We are not saying that there was any
understanding, OF at least any written
stipulation, that il he would tell what
ne knew about other men in the depart
ment that were criminals he should not
De called TO the witness stand. or If
called should be allowed 10 use the
stand as hietronic opportunity for in
crllnlhating his official associates and
celebrating his own personal and official
innocence, but whether there was any such
stipulation or not the acceptance OF his
assistance practically involved a deal:
ana a committee that came down from
Albany with the express purpose Of in
Vestigating deals ought TO have been
punculiously careful to avoid even the
appearance of having a susceptible side
Tor the very sort of offense that they were
designated to detect and adjudge.
we of the executive committee feel
that our fight during the past three
years has been a contest with Mr.. Byrnes
He has known perfectly well that our
only intention has been to secure the
enforcement of the law in this city. and
yet he has dogged our steps from first
TO last and has omitted no effort 10 dis
credit us in the estimation of the com
munity. If the executive element Of the
police department had been able to ac-
complish its purpose it would have
crushed the society, there would have
been no LeXow committee and Grant
would have been mayor to-day instead
of Strong"
DR.. parkhurst then reviews the vari-
Gus blows Supt. Byrnes has struck at the
society, such as requesting the police jus
tices not to issue warrants TO the societys
agents, claiming that they We're irrespon-
sible persons; the arrest Of Chief Detec-
tive Gardner of the gociety; the wrench
ing from Agent Marrett of such informa-
ton as could be eXtorted, and finally by
perpetratiug against DIT. Parkhursts
church "a vile, sneallng insinuation"
that he knew of a well trodden path that
came from his vestibule to a disreDutable
resort.
DR.. Parkhurst also quotes from state
menls and interviews given out by
Supt. Byrnes TO show the attitude he took
toward the Society for the Prevention Of
Crime.
Continuing, DR.. Parkhurst says: "Now
that is Byrnes. lie is the man that we
have had steadily in our eye for three
years, and he has had MS just rs steadily
in his eye. The community knows our
throw of misrule in this city. Mr.
Byrnes has known that as well as the
public, and yet he has fought us. Now
why has not the senatorial committee
through its counsel, made themselves
familiar with these matters? We hav-
urged that Mr.. Byrnes should be asked
whether prior to the senatorial inVesti-
cation. he had knowledge OF the rotten
ness of the police force He either had
or he had not If he had and still kept
his mouth shut, he was unspeakably vile.
and if he had not, he was unspeakably
lmbeclle.
Now why did not the committee insist
that Mr.. Goff, IN his Characteristic manner
should broil Mr.. Byrnes on that bfur-
Gated dilemma? 1 am nothing but a minis
ter but if l had been lawyer of Mr.
Goff's ability would have put Mr.. Byrnes
on that toasting iron, and l would have
guaranteed to broil out Of him all his Of
fetal reputabiity inside Of one days ses-
sion. provided of course, the committee
would have allowed me to do so.
Let me say in conclusion that have no
interest in this matter save a proud and
passionate desire to see work that is
thorough. If Mr. Byrnes, with character
istic disposition TO get his own neck out
of the yoke, says that he has been so
handicapped as to be practically power
less, l want to say that all such eX-
cuses are eVasive and cowardly. IT ne had
wanted to turn the police department up
side down and exhibit it in the charac-
ter that he certainly knew belonged to it,
he should have done it, and done ii cas-
iv and the public would have stood by
him, and no body of men more solidly
than the Society for the Prevention of
Crime. II I may be permitted to refer to
myself, / have been able to do something
in that line in the past three years not
withstanding the fact that I WAS outside
the department and a minister. And | de-
clare that if Nh Byrnes had wanted to
do ANYTHING he could have done it, and he
could have accomplished more in the shape
of earthuuaking in three months than 1
have been able to do in twelve months.
Men with as much influence as Mr.. By
rnes who have been in the midst of in
duity clear to their ears for three
wears can fight iniquity if they want, and
if they are clean they will want to.
'I am aware that many who are our
friends will take exception to this state
ment. Some will say that it is ineXpedi-
ent It is not a question that weighs with
us. We are here for q principle. and we
are here to stay. Compromises, eVasions,
shifts and deals we believe are inimical
to everything in the shape of true progress
and permanent effects. We are not prowl-
ing for promotion nor burning for popu-
larity; but the Society for the Prevention
of Crime was here before the Senate COM
nittee came down and we will be here
after the committee goes back to AL
bany. and the line we have followed in
the past will be the line that we will just
as studiously and unswervingly follow in
the future"