New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-15
POLICE BOARD AND MR.. FITCH
COMMISSIONERS CRITICIsE THE CONTROL
LER
HE REFUSES TO CONSENT TO THE TRANSFER OF
MONEY EXPENDED IN THE CoLLEC-

TON OF EVIDENCE.
The Police Commissioners yesterday held ses-
sion at which they criticised Controller Fitch with
extreme severity. Recently resolution was adopt
ed asking the Controller to take action in the mat
ter of several transfers of funds that have been
pending some time. Mr. Fitch sent a letter to the
Board yesterday. in which he said
have received from the chief clerk of the Board
of Police communica ton dated April :, lhso' trans
hitting a resolution Of your Board calling my at
tention TO the following acquisitions and requests
for transfers made by the Board OF Police upon
l. Reouistion for 81 500 upon account OF service.
for John Du Fails, architect Ninth Precinct station
house. transmitted TO the Controller November T.
Requisition for s94l6 s. transmitted to the Con-
g. Request for transfer TO be submitted to tire
Board of Estimate and Apportionment OF 500. 10
enable the Police Department 10 purchase blcycies
for additional police service TRANSMITTED 10 tue
Controller March ls 1896 or, - Mr. Nm
Fails has been, you have been aware the s suolec.
Of discussion by the Commissioneis Of The snHng
approving of the plans submitted by Mr. Du rai aus
soon y as he mn pi
Charles-st. station-house matter; however, Or
requision This amount. however. has. by law. 70
be provided for by the issue of bonds and there VIII
10 until the city bonds for which the public recently
refused to bid can be readverised and offered for
The requisition for ss.416 SO to which you refer
was made pursuant to transfer alleged 70 nave
tionment. ] believe and have been advised %
that the Board Of Police has no power to incur the
liabilities which il proposed 10 liqudate ny means
of this requsition: (9 that Section 207 of the Con
sodaton act as amended by chapter l,S OF me me
Police Department, and that the provision OF sec
ZION 2Oi Of said act only relates to 5rsTs sa IRON
and 49, that the alleged transfer of the Board or
valid by any event by reason of its having been
made by a unanimous vote. This advice mas oe en-
given me by of the most able lawyers In the
hra of
in this city. whose written opinion mas peen Ior some
lion, and it will be made the subject OF report by
me to the Board Of Estimate and Apportoninent az
doubt my power or right to act under the, said
alleged transfer Of the Board OF Estimate ana Ap
Of Police and shall hope to have the law definitely
settled by the Supreme Court; ~ ., ,,o
request Of the Board OF Police for transfer Of
5000 to enable the Police Department to purchase
bicycles This matter will also he considered by me
Board OF Estimate and Apportlonment at the same
ing the requsition for s94l653
The requsition for se4ls SO is for money expended
IN collecting evidence against law-breakers
After the letter had been read Commissioner
Roosevelt said: 1.-The Controllers statement simply
amounts to this that the Board must not try to get
evidence against certain Classes Of criminals. 1t is
q move in the interest of the criminal classes
ut means even more than that said Com
missioner Andrews. ut means that If an officer
wants to get evidence he will first have TO come 10
Headquarters and see II he can get the money TO
Use In getting evidence against crime. If he does
not get the money and uses it out OF his own
pocket, the debt may afterward be repudiated
Colonel Grant said that many of the detectives
did not have the money to pay out OF their own
pockets.
The Controller talks Of SEINE one getting out Ssve
heard him talk that way before. and Wnen man
damus was threatened he backed out
Commissioners Andrews and Parker were d1rected
xpha
taken to bring the matter 10 an Issue at once.
Commissioner Andrews introduced this resolution:
Resolved That the Board OF Estimate and Appor-
tionment be ard is hereby respectfully requested TO
transfer the of 81 .e63 &c from the appropria-
tions made to the Police Department tor the years
1894 and 1885, accounts which are in excess OF the
amount required for the purposes ana OBJECTS cts
thereof to the appropriation made 10 the same De-
partment for the year 1896 ACCOUNT entitled Sqn t
fingeut Expenses of the Central Department. when
is Insufficient for the purposes and objects thereon
Mr. Andrews said: II introduce this in order 10
meet the objection the Controller has made that the
Board spent money from its CONTINGENT fund before
transfer made. If the transfer now asked for Is
rot granted, shall have to shut off our telephone
service dispense with postage stamps and some
stationery besides other things necessary in con-
Quoting the Police Department. or pay for these
things ourselves