New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-18
AS LONDON HEARD 1T.
COMMISSIONER ROOSEVELT REPLIES TO AN
ENGLISH ATTACK on THE NEW
YORK POLICE

A violent attack upon New-York police methods
which recently appeared In THE London Daily
Mall. was answered by Police Commissioner
Roosevelt yesterday. The attack based upon
the arrest in Broadway a few weeks ago OF an
alleged English woman who called herself Mrs.
Jennie Foster. and who posed her hus
band and styled himself -. Ardennes Foster New
York representative OF The London Musical
Courier The woman arrested by Policeman
Mulcahey. of the West Thrt.eth-st station. for dis
orderly conduct. The afterward taken
into custody for attempting to rescue her. Both
were discharged with a reprimand in jefferson
Market Court on the following morning.
The occurrence reached The Daily Mail" as "a
sample illustration of the police outrages to which
the people Of New-York tamey submit" Accord
ing TO the correspondent who furnished the papers
news story. Mrs. Fosters offence consisted in
waiting outside a shop, which her husband had en-
tered to make purchase. When Mr.. Foster came
out he found his wife struggling in the clutches
OF Patroman Mulcahey. brutal rufian. who halls
from Cork. He pushing the helpless woman
before him. and uttering a volley of oaths When
Mr.. Foster Indignantly demonstrated. Mulcahey
summoned assistance and had him arrested also.
The unfortunate couple then marched off TO
the police station where they passed the night in
filthy cell. surrounded by thugs and felons The
next day they were brought before an ignorant
German who Police Magistrate. This ind-
vidual Upheld the policeman, who declared that
MIS- roster hdd Dccn marked character lot many
weeks.past 1t was only when proof furnished
that al the time mentioned both Mr.. and Mrs Eos
ter were in England having lately just landed
from an American liner. that they were DISCHARGED
The occupant OF the bench however. admonished
they acted while they remained in NeW-York. ap-
parently on the ground that English subjects must
be regarded suspicious chara cters until proven
otherwise" The story caused THE Daily Mail TO
editorially: THE account OF this ruft1anly out
rage inoffens:ve English lady makes one
long to infct summary chast.sement on Mulcahey
from which no scrunles should exclude his accom-
plice, the German Magistrate.
The extracts from the paper were forwarded by
i. BURKE Heniry. OF No. IS st. Georges Square.
London, to Mr.. Roosevelt, and the Commit Missioner
ordered an immediate Investigation Yesterday 4
report from Captain Chapman. OF the West Thir-
teih-st. station, 10 Chief COnlin on the case was
received by Mr. Roosevelt who forwarded T. 10 his
correspondent The report states that the man
Foster is William Brown lght-coiored mulatto
who is well known 10 his associates and to the
police as Niger Brown, and that he lived and
was born IN Washington u. =, but Is able very
cleverly TO i'm tate the cockney accent. The woman
Is equally well known to the Tenderloin police as
Florence Eliza Smith. and is neither Brown s
wife English woman Both the man and
woman are frequently to be found IN a saloon In
Twenty -fifth-st near Broadway
Commenting on the facts az led In the re-
port Mr. Roosevelt writes: The whole story. from
beginning to end. so far the brutality OF the
police IS concerned is false and feel II Is but fair
that The London Mall should make public this
statement ! may add that Officer Mulcahey has
been twenty years on the force. ana that
there charges against him. During tho
period the present Board has been in office he has
certainly behaved himself with entire propriety.'