The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-09
REFORM 4 La PARKHOROq
Examination. Papers on Sale in
the New York Police De-
partment as Of Old.

NEW YORK. Nov. 8, 1896 corruption
dies hard in the Police Department.
When blackulail was thought to be dead
and everything serene, rumors began to
be heard of men buying appointments
for cash. The rumors became more per-
sistent, and the Police Commissioners
made Inquiries. These inquiries have un-
earthed facts which show that beyond
question policemen have been appointed
for money The money went to an OUT
slider, however. None of it reached the
Department.
The whole thing centres about a man
who was once a clerk in the Civil Ser
vice Bureau of the Department. He was
found making overtures to applicants for
appointment and was discharged. He
then set up a school for wouid-be police
men, offering to coach them for the ex-
animation and holding out bright prom
ises to them.
1t came to the ears of the Police Com
missioners simultaneously with the nrst
talk of blackmail that some one had
offered applicants sure appointment for
$500. stipulating that they need not pay
till they had the job. AS many as twenty
applicants told President Roosevelt so.
Sometimes fee of $25 was asked down,
more frequently nothing.
We thought it Just ordinary interfer-
enee at first, said Mr.. Roosevelt, speak
ing Of it today, .'and replied by refusing
to appoint men whom Stettler had coached
and made promises TO. We have rejected
several on that account and adopted that
as our policy wherever we could find
OUT
But at last came a man who had ac-
eepted this mans terms. had passed ex-
hat tho
night before the examination he had re-
ceived list of the questions to be asked.
M The list enabled him to pull through.
The Commissioners saw that the time
to take decided action had come
They laid the matter before the District
Attorney, who brought it to the attention
failed to indict but the District Attorney
purposes to bring the matter before the
next one when it meets. Meanwhile de-
tectives We're detailed to hunt down the
leak through which the question list had
reached the outsider.
The mental examinations Of candidates
for appointment take place on Wednes-
days The lists Of questions are printed
at Martin B. Browns printing office. They
are necessarily of a confidential character
and kept jealously secret. A survey Of
the situation showed the leak to be some
where on this stretch between the time
the lists left the Civil Service Bureau at
Police Headquarters and their return
printed on. the same day. On last Tues
to Detectives Valley and Haughey and
taken by them to the printing office They
went as friends of the foreman in the
printing office, upon an understanding
who were anxious to discover the leak
for themselves. As such friends they
stayed and saw the work done.
They never took their eyes off the COM
positorS and the presses until the print
ed sheets, all counted Were put into
their hands. Nothing happened until the
forms were put on the press, when Val
leley saw one of the pressmen, so he re-
ports, when the forenan's back was
turned for moment. cut the first sheet
from the press and wiping his hands
upon it, threw it into the waste BASKET
where shortly other waste was heaped
upon it by the same man. Valleley called
the foremans attention to it, showing
him the impression in the waste basket.
The rule is that on confidential work all
waste must be burned.
The waste was not removed from the
basket. 1t was all found there after the
men had gone away Whether they were
frightened out of completing the job or
really meant no harm is a question
now debated between the managers of the
printing establishment.
The Police Commissioners believe that
they have found the leak, and they have
renewed their efforts to get the District
Attorney to indict their late clerk They
VIII demand also the discharge of the two
printers or viii take their work from
that office.
How many men may have been thus
helped" to appointment, no one can
guess. It may be a hundred or it may
be twenty.
The Commissioners have determined
that at least no more shall get on that
way and the question most closely pressed
on the list hereafter will be whether or
not the applicant has attended the school
from which all the men under suspicion
came. If he has he will not be appointed
under any circumstances