The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-01-18
HOT SHOTFOR TAMMANY
The Report of the Lexow Investi-
-
eating Committee.
MASS OF CORRUPTION UNEARTHED.
The Charges Of Corruption Brought Forth
by Messrs. Gofr and Parkhurst Fully sus-
tained-Minor Police officials Less Cor
rupt Than Their superiors.

rupt Than Their superiors.
ALBANY, Jan. 18.-The report OF tho
Lexow investigating committee on tho
New York police department was pre-
sented to the legislature today. 1t REQ
ommends the concentration in the hands
of chief Of police Of all police powers,
and that of suspending subordinates with
out pay; tho establishment of bi-parti-
san board of police commissioners with
exclusive authority over elections and the
Judicial fuctlons Of the department; pro-
motions on tho force in conformity with
civil service rules; reorganization OF the
department. by commissioners and tho
continuance of the committee Of invosti.
cation.
Tho report, which Is very exhaustive,
opens with a statement regarding the diff
hculty of procuring testimony at the out
set of the investigation, commends the
services of Messrs. w. A. Sutherland, Rev.
DR.. Parkhurst, Mr.. Goff and others, and
adds that the inquiry was conducted on
wholly non-partisnn lines. Regarding
Tammany Hall ii says:
1t has been conclusively shown that in
very large number Of election districts in
tho city of New York almost every con.
ceiyable crime against the elective fran.
chise was either committed or permitted
by the police, who conducted themselves
at the several polling places upon the prin-
ciple that they We're there, not as guar
dians OF the public peace, to enforce law
and order, but for the purpose of acting as
agents of Tamnany Hall. They resorted
to device, oppression, fraud, trlckery,
crime and Intimidation of every conceiy-
able character,
The evidence shows, moreover, that par
tisau bias did not stop with captains, but
that in 1872 tho president of the police
b1ard himself, just prior to the presiden
tial election, in defiance to the superin-
tendent of police, gave directions to the as
sembled captains, which, If carried into
effect would have caused riot and blood.
shed at tho polls, and would huHo procipi-
tated encounters between the police and
the United States marshals
The alliance of police captains and in
ferior officers with political clubs 50 de-
moralzes the force that Commissioner
Martin asked the intervention of Richard
Croker, u private citizen, but leader of
Tammany Hall, in order to secure, through
the influence of that organization, a cessa-
tion of the abuse. The Same private citi-
zen, SO potent was his influence, was able
all the pool rooms then in full operation.
The conclusion seems Irresistible that
under the circumstances such as now exist
in the city of New York, 1t becomes tho
paramount duty of the legislature to re-
move as far as practicable, the possibility
OF political influences securing control
ling power over the police force.
The material collected by Rev. DIR.
Parkhurst and the city Vigilance League
was most valuable. 1t IL the story of
months and years Of struggle to compel
the poliGe department to perform its du.
ties, revealing the fnct that private Or
Ranization was able to unearth, uncover
and fix the actual existence OF unlawful
resorts, all of which had apparently es.
capped the eye of the police and successfully
detled their resources for the detection of
crime.
1t discaimed the additional circum.
stance that in the securing of evidence
against such resorts and in the prosecu.
tion of keepers of disreputablc houses the
police We're not only found TO stund in
actual hostility to all efforts made TO sup
press vice, but stood Idly by aud permitted
citizens engaged in performing duties
which they should have undertaken, to be
mob'led and brutally assaulted upon the
tion of the precincts Of the city, houses of
i'll repute. gambling houses, policy shops,
pool rooms and unlawful resorts of a sim
liar character being openly conducted un.
der the eyes of tho police.
The motive WIS tho missing link in tho
chain OF evidence. 1t was surmised that
the motive was II financial consideration
moving hntween the protected and tho
protectors and In the course OF time evil
dcnce of IA direct character bearing upon
the question berame so plentiful that n
very large amount of corroboratiye proof
was necessarily Laid aside and remained
unconsldcr0d
Enough Is shown to justify tho conclu-
sion that mt least some of the police ius-
tiees have apparently worked in sympathy
and collusion with the police. 1t is beyond
a doubt that many OF the poor, ignorant
foreigners oil thr east sida OF the city have
been subjected to u brutal and infamous
rule by the police in conjunction with the
administration of the local inferior courts.
The evidence Of witnesses shows the ex-
istence of powerful conspiracy in the
ncighborhu0d of Essex Market Police
court, headed by politicians, professional
bondsmen, professional thieves, police and
others who lay plots against the unwnry
and lead them into habits Of law breaking
or surround them with a network of false
evidence and then demand money as tho
price of salvation, and If they do not re.
cciye it drag their victims into court and
prison, and often to a convict seell
1t is a significant fact that hut little cor
rupton has been traced into the pockets
of the ordinary patrolnan. 1t Is probable
that large number of them have paid
sums averaging $500 for appointment to