New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-19
o'clock. All witnesses subpenaed will report here
at that time.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
POLICE COMMISSIONER ABELL FENCES
sKITrIIIY WITH MR.. MOSS.

POLICE COMMISSIONER ABELL FENCES
sKILrULLY WITH MR.. MOSS.
Mr.. Moss-Is Mr. Dunn present--Mr. Dunn the
Sheriff? (No response) Is Mr.. Leland present?
(No response) Mr. Abel?
Henry e. Abel sworn
Police M nossd ef the AO city you Of sI
Q.-And were appointed when? A.-on the 10Th
oa 9D + Ma Mayor 1P' Van wyck? Ayes sir.
Q.-Who FIRST spoke to you about your appoint point
ment? Al think that siias b. butcher frst spoke
9%M3eTsY AIN my house. ,. -. :, would
take the appointment OF Police Commissioner.
Q.-Who next spoke to you about it, wiz ask
S% Sa You %s f a ana y SS TG%S
take t., possibly. II there were no cond'''ohS' '"''
oWho G t did you next see? Ale asked
] would call upon Mr. Lauterbach. and told MN
Q.-And you did? Al did. ,,,
Odd you tell him that you would accept! A.
Q~Whom next did you see? A.-The Mayor OF
Q-Was any one else present. Alone man was
Q-Who was he? AIR. John windolph, the
Q.-The man that was, appointed at the same
oI The You went into the Police Board as
member Of the party opposed in politics to the
Pary H went mt into the Police Board
a Republican. but the Mayor did not make 'na'
On a bipartisan Board? AIN a non-partisan
ABEL RAPS MR.. MOSS.
o-Do you not understand that under the law 1t
was necessary to appoint two Democrats and two
Republicans? A.No. sir; and the law does not
provide 1t. and you ought to know It,
oWns dSns lecture me- f IS what
understood then and what / understand now, and
l helped TO make the law. - -, . T.,
structions those matters A.-No instructions
at all 49, r.,, r.s
and an appolntee under the new Charter? AYES.
sir; and / am going to remain SO until | am re-
moved, or until l resign or am iegisia'eu out oi
QCwere you appointed as a Republican? A
Well | and was not. . J..
Q-You are a Republican? ADO you want to
know what the Mayor said? .os r1was q
Republican, and told him always had been, and
o saw sS reason AHe s" asked me- belonged the
organization Of the Republican party and l told
hin a ~ %e gou dSn to msnn to
o-You do not mean to say that this is not b.
1t is constituted. but the law does not hold that
Ayes, and that Is the principle which the Mayor
QSAnd isn't that the reason your first lntlma-
ton about your appointment came from Repuo-
lican. Mr.. butcher? Ayes. sir, and good one
Q.-And your second information as to your APP
pointment came from another Republican. Mr.
tauterbach? Ayes. sir, and good one rsi,,,,sr,
A.~And organization ones.
Q-Certainly
you went into the Board under those circum-
stances as a Republican. to represent the hepup-
went into the Board to represent what CON
ceived to be the duty OF Police Commissioner
WITH AN EYE SINGLE TO DUTY.
Odd you go In there to forget your Repub-
licanism and to be entirely uncontrolled by any
Republican principles practices? In other words
to be entirely non-partisan man there; Is that
what you went in there for? Al went IN there
first to perform my duty. NJ,
Q.-Certainy. And secondly? AIAnd secondly L
went in there with the determination tnat no par
tisanship should be exercised TO prejudice any he-
publican in the police force per,,,cors IN the force
Ayes, sir, to protect them. and that Is what l
o-And did you go in with any idea. other things
being equal to secure the advancement or hepuD--
Leans in the force? ALL things being equal l
o.~sc that when you went into that Board. Mr.:
Who ike yourself were good Republicans and
to perform my duty as a Police Commissioner.
Q.-certany: AGAnd seeOndar1y; o. orv other
good man Republican or otherwise.
Odd ind that was neSsssny to 1 be Ser
OF Q .nf PG any timer A-Neeessary by what cond
ON any condition. A-Not specially.
Q.-Against transfers, details, fines or anything?
o.HWeli, did you, generality A.-No, not by the
0 but aid yo d to keep
eyes open to project members Of the RepnolieGa92
Ayes, sir l always keep my eyes open. am
not asleep. 49,, 80
Quoted according to your ard mas gesn
who their organzation people we're in the force; il
was their duty to the party to know II ana Jake
oITo Know who the members Of the organiza-
ton were in the force and to look out for them7
A-Not particularly.
WAS NOT CAUGHT MAPPING.
Dwell, Mr. Abel you found that the two
Democratic members OF the Board doing all
that they could TO secure promotion for theiI
friends, didn't you? A.-Well, /
Q-Didn't you find that so? Al was salts
fed they would. and put myself In position &C
Q.~Knd because you suspected that they would
do so, you kept YOU self in readiness to Look out
N iST 5nGfe is ha so H e to
Q-And in order to do that 1T was necessary, or
Commissioners to find out what the politics of the
members Of the police force were? A-No, not
Q. But you did find out. didn't you? A.-Not
QYou found out in most cases in the higher higher
there We're the matters of as
and % 10 Gscs ana
on those matters to lock after S as you say
men nSG We're. didn't your A.-Hot in ali cases.
ON most cases you did didn't you? Al
men who are suitable 10 the service.
Q--Isnt IT fact that under this admin tion,
OF which you are a part now the political consid
erations have occupied some part Of your time
and attention? Ayes.
O-And that mainly because of the attitude OF the
Commissioners who represented the dominant party
who were looking out for theirs? A.-No.
Q.-You said you thought II was necessary 10
look out for your side. because you thought they
were looking out for theirs; did you mean that? A.
Yes but not because of any aggressveness on their
part. .o
MR.. ABELL IS CAUTIOUS.
Q-Do you think Mr. Abel that such condi-
tion where the Commissioners who are managing
a police force spend their time or some portion OF
their time, In looking out for the politics OF lido
you think such condition that is good and
healthy and conducive TO the proper administration
OF the police force for all the people? A.-Well,
that depends. II they put that above public duty