The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-05
PARKER is TURNED DOWN.
LEFT OFF ALL THE BIG POLICE
hoard COMMITTEES.

His EFONFkNs " DAN NNNAAh- |
unily for Failing to Arrest q Crook. hut
Really for Dlscourtesy TO President Moss
col. smith Votes with Moss and Andrews.
The Police Board. by a vote Of three to ono,
crngurcd yesterday Captain and Acting In.
spector steve o'Brlen for an act of discourtesy
toward President Moss, disapproved OF his
methods, and, in Il manner not to be misunder-
stood, e,ved notice on all members Of the do
par'mcnt that INSTRUMENTATION VIII not be toll
Grated in future.
The ru.olution of censuro was mild In tone,
Int the three Commissioners who voted for IL
expressed themselves very freely during the
board meeting in reference to tho action of the
Chief OF the Detective Bureau. 1t was the first
meeting. of the board since Col. George Moore
smith succeeded f. d. Grant a. a Commits
sloner. Col. Smith took little part in the dis.
cussion OF the O'Brien matter. but what he said
indicated very clearly that he will insist upon
rigid discipline in the department.
The new Commissioner voted with Moss and
Andrews, breaking the deadlock that formerly
existed, and Commissioners Parker was still
further isolated by q Encouragement of tho
committees OF the board. He is loft of the Inn
portant Committee on Rules and Discipline.
and, in future. will be unable to stand between
any offending members of the force and q trial.
Col. Smith,, the new Commissioner. followed
the business before the board closely and In.
sisted that all existing vacancies should be
flied without delay. This was accepted as an
intimation that tho promotions so long held up
will be made as soon as tho provisions OF the
new civil service law can DO complied with. =
The meeting of the board was called to order
at 10 o'clock sharp, with President Moss and
Commissioners Andrews and Smith present.
Commissioner Parker was half IN hour late,
and most of tho routine business had been dis
posed Of when he arrived. Tho first business
that indicated Q change in the situation within
the board was the presentation by President
Moss Of somA bills which Col. Grant had refused
to approve. They were passed without discus
sion, all tho Commissioners voting to approve
them.
Then the President'announcsd that there was
Q matter relating: TO the conduct Of the Detec-
tive Bureau which should. be acted on, and
on which he should offer q resolution. Ho
looked at Mr.. Parker Is he spoke. and tho lat
ter replied that he did not wish to bring 1t up.
well, 1 think this board should censure
Capt. O'Brien for his action in the Peterson
CASE said Mr.. Moss. II sent some papers and
o communication to the Chief of the Detective
Bureau, and asked him for q reply. He failed
to answer my letter and to return the papers,
but instead made q report to Chief Conlin. I
am not a stickler for form, but I think I have
O right to expect an answer from the Chief Of
the Detective Bureau when ! write him q let
ter"
A pile Of typewritten documents lay in
front OF each Commissioner. and 1t was evident
that they had all read the record Of the Peter
son case, but Commissioner Parker promptly
rallied to the defence of 0'Brien.
81 supposed you would have q statement
said President Moss, looking at Parker with q
smile.
why did you assume thatf"
well, you reorganized tho Detective Blu
reau. and tho board now looks to you for in
formation concerning it"
The history Of the Peterson case then came
out In the discussion that followed.
On June % Q man named Peterson, who Is
the local manager Of the Theil Detective Agency.
called ON President Moss and complained of
the treatment no had received in the Detective
Bureau. Peterson had located In this city
Charles N. Fagenbush, who was wanted in
Denver on a charge of having swind.e ed the
English Investment Company In 1892. He went
to the Detective Bureau and asked to see Capt
O'Brien. After O long wait he saw Rounds
man John McCsuley. and asked for the ares
Of Fagenbush. After some delay O'Brien re-
fused to mako the arrest, and advised Peter
son to get q warrant O'Brien said he would
telegraph to the police of Denver and ask II the
man was wanted. This Peterson did not want
done. for reasons which he set forth
The end Of 1t was that, after waiting four days.
" q W ~ ~ 1o oAAAS eeotSN N
get q warrant for, the arrest OF the man he
wanted. FaRe96ush was caught preparing to
0pPft peterson g sT toid p in MtSShs Moss 'n that '6S'Brien
treated hin with great discouEtesy and used sed
S SssS i a1Pe!ieS language ans 4ssnan AtssF f ase entHaditi haa
s sstasst to 81 the pa RsPsGS found S7 cs ON the 9.R prisoner Sss
Moss sent for O'Brien and ,Ronnds4;an Nc:
Csaley sPpeNsc csad II his .,s stead; II. The hs.i prs snS n,
the same time criticised the rules and methods
Of tie bureau. He ordered McCauley 10 how
and P the ord i1aR was On ob eSsiA0 All the he converse
ton at this meeting was taken down, and The
rIssiG a Toq ssnt f e eG sS e Sl Il 20 GaP or a s stste
ment Of his conduct IN the case. Several days
sssise ASKED laS 6 Il : rsssi for a re repo afp''' linen lie
On July 81 o,Brien wrote 70 him that he wa.
GG%[ caplin y a ard isll Of ffeP fSe c ri th' % Sfss iG 1hls eh re-
port was submit ed it proved to be an elaborate
pages, Near the close OF his report Capt
u have carefully, noted the statements Of
Gauley and in the presence Of the employee o.
working. OF this bureau In this case, and his
admonition as to the course which should be
pursued IN regard TO the rules Of the bureau II
1T Is within the bounds of possibility that the
Presidents criticisms are well founded and
But with the greatest Difference / beg to re
p4Ei 10 you that an accurate acguaintance with
ty, years knowledge OF the practice OF this ant
oher important detective bureaus cause me
TO think with reason that, to relax the rule h!
suggested by President Moss would not be II
the direction of The greatest efficiency OF admin
istration.
1T will be seen, too, from q perusal Of the re
ports herewith submitted that the attention
paid to the Detective Bureau was not gratui
tous and unnecessary, as the President thought
but was imperative, II the laws OF the state ant
the regulations OF the department were TO b.
Observed"
President Moss objected to this language ant
also regarded IL as an act OF discourtesy 70
oBrien to fail TO report TO him direct. III
expressed that feeling, but In the resolution b.
offered he merely express ed disapproval OF tn
scl!oh Of toe detective Bureau In causing della,
lh.Lhc apprehension OF Fagenbush, who, he said
WAS at the time carrying on a swindle In ti
Mr.; Parker said that the motion TO censur
ana discredit the Detective Bureau was Il yer!
S5rGnEe and important matter. He then rea'