New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-03
MR.. PARKER TESTIFIES.
SHARP CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN HIM
AND THE MAYOR.

rur ACCUSED COMMISSIONER DEFENDS HIS OFF,
c,A1, couRsE-orHER TESTIMONY IN HIS
sEHALF-cHIEr coNLIN ON THE
POLICE BOARD
IN. heating before Mayor Strong OF the charges
srains. Police Commissioner Andrew ID. farKer
was resumed yesterday in the Mayors ONCE Inc
testimony for the defence opened on Wednesday,
Colonel Kipp chief clerk OF the Police Department;
Inspector Cortrtght. Captain O'Brien. OF the De-
..c,sye bureau and Chief Of Police Comm were on
e. vrstness-s,ani Yesterday Chief Conlin was
again questioned by General Tracy Inc Che' was
followed by a number OF minor OFFICIALS ana aI'e'
che usual recess Commissioner Parker gave tes'-
nonv IN his own behalf His counsel General Tracy
pronounced his client good witness after the ad-
tournament The Mayor who started for Rchfed
Swings last evening TO begin his vacation. posi-
nons,i further hearing until Tuesday. when Colonel
Strong will return the city TO hear the rest OF
Commissioner Parker's examination.
IN reoly 10 General Tracys questions Chief Con-
I'm on being recalled. said that before Corporation
Counsel Scott gave his opinion !; was the custom
r,r the Police Board 10 make assignments Of men,
bers Of the force TO duty
General Tracy read from the minutes OF the Police
Beard extracts showing that the Board passed reso-
lions detailing men TO duty before me Corporation
Counsel gave his opinion that the power was vested
alone in the Chief. one of the extracts concerned
ne appointment OF Acting Captain Stephen OBrien
70 the charge OF the Detective Bureau.
M Root objected at this point. and said the Board
did not interfere with the transfer of patromen.
In reply to another question Chief Conlin said that
he had generally transferred the patrolmen previous
10 tho Corporation Counsels opinion
THE TRANSFER OF CAPTAIN SCHULTZ
CHIEF Conlin said that he objected 10 the transfer
Of CAPTAIN Schultz from the Steamboat Squad to
city precsnct This was done by resolution of tho
Board.
Why d;d you oh1cct?" asked General Tracy.
well 7 believed Schultz better suited TO the
boa, than command city precinct" little
later Chief CoHhn added. Moreover, began TO
realize at this time that had some rights around
the premises"
President Roosevelt took copious at this
juncture.
Mr. Root then asked the Chief Il he knew Of any
resolution of the Police Board authorizing the big
transfer October %. 1885,. NO. sr. replied Chief
Con1n.
''Dtd you ever complain OF Captain O'Brten not re-
porting TO you as Chief o. Police. instead Of to Com
missioner Parker" asked.
~ object" cried General Tracy who then asked
the If he had SAID that the big transfer
was made after consultation with the Police Com
missoners. Yes. sir" replied the witness.
Chief Conin then made q little address. Up TO
the present quarrel" said he the Board was as
unit, working for the same end, the bette-nent OF
me force. Commissioner Parker and President
Roosevelt
tending Methodist meeting together. al the time
the transfer took place The Commissioners up
held my hands and am grateful for H. Commits
Eoner Andrews has done excellent work and so has
Commissioner Grant"
At this point Mr. Root interrupted the witness and
said the statement was irrelevant
Why did you stop him before he reached Com
missioner Roosevelt" asked Genera. Tracy.
1T would take him all day TO sing the praises OF
President Roosevelt" said Mr.. Root.
Il want certificate OF character from my sub
ordinate" interposed Mr.. Roosevelt.
Chief Conlin then left the stand.
Mr. PARKER AT HEADQUARTERS.
David X Chase. who has q law office IN the same
room with Commissioner Parker. testified that from
the appointment Of that Commissioner he did not
visit his law Office six times from October. 1895. 10
March, 1896. "Mr. Parker passed all his time at
Police Headquarters" said the witness.
Roundsnan Henry Relyea. OF the Bureau OF In
formation. testified that a rule Commissioner
Parker remained az his Office Police Headquarters
until 9 or 10 o'clock night
Charles Cole who the elevator at Police
Headquarters testified that NJ. Parker remained
later a, his Office than any other Commissioner.
The witness also said that Commissioner Grant on
trial days" remained very late.
Richard Z. Goodspeed. coorman IN the main hail
a. Police Headquarters. testified that Commissioner
Parker's attendance was as regular as that OF any
OF the other Commissioners. He said that Mr..
Parker was q. his Office on Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas Day last year, and added that he missed
MI Parker in all only seven or ten times from his
Office a, Police Headquarters. He had never known
him 10 be absent days in succession.
THE COMMISSIONER TAKES THE STAND.
Commissioner Parker next took the stand. He
said he was appointed Police Commissioner on May
G. 1896 From January. 1871, TO the fall Of 1881 he
was s,enographer in the Corporation Counsels office
under William c. Whitney He was private secre-
tary 10 the Collector OF the Port in 1856. The Wit
ness also said he an assistant Dstrct-Attorney
under Colonel Fellows. Since he had been appointed
Police Commissioner. he has devoted practically al
his time 10 police business and had been only about
elx times In his law Office LAS rule went 10
my Office 10 o'clock in the morning and devoted
OF an average seven eight hours day to my
work at Police Headquarters said the commits
soner in reply 10 General Tracy. Il attended to
every kind OF work connected with the Police De-
partuent I went about the precincts and observed
how the captains, sergeants and roundsmen olc
their work"
Mr.. Parker said tha, great deal Of his time was
devoted 10 becoming acquainted with the personnel
OF the Police Department, and that he had con-
slant stream Of persons calling at his once IN re-
lation 10 police affairs. He had gone 10 Albany on
police business. and one occasion whle there re-
NAMED overnight.
What was the condition OF the police force when
Vol, vera arco.ntad Commissioner" was asked.
1T was in an unprecedented state OF demoraliza-
ton" vas the reply
Nj Parker said that this decentralization was
caused by the revelations OF the Lexow Committee
ard the fierce assaults 10 which the Department had
b-en subjected by the press He then told IN detaii
~ condition OF the Police Department when he
took Office lie said that the day before Chet
Byrnes resigned he visited the grea.eT nuin M 0I
the precincts with the intention Of nndng the men
who were available for duty. Il had a long tax
with the Chief said he. who tod me ne was "lil,
Ing 10 resign his position II II thought ne stood
In the way OF reform. the Department was dear
to his heart
REORG AIMING THE DETECTIVE BUREAU.
Commissioner Parker then told about the work ne