New-York tribune., 1900-08-25
4 PoLroE INVESTIGATION.

Mr.. Guggenheimer has performed & number
of important services IN the right manner during
his temporary occupancy OF the Mayors office
land given the people of this city good reason to
wish that Mr. Van Wyck would stay away for
the rest Of his term. It is particularly crafty
ing 10 learn that the Acting Mayor has been
deeply impressed by the evidence Of outrageous
conduct ON the part of the police IN connection
with the riot last week, in which many negroes
were assaulted In the streets and In public con-
veyances and a considerable section Of the city
was left In possession Of a mob for several
hours. The only possible fault TO be found with
Mr. Guggenheimers action in calling upon the
Police Department to make a searching investi-
CATION of that business Is that IT was not taken
SO promptly as 1t might have been. But the
Acting Mayor may have been justified in as
suming officially that an admOnition from him
was not needed to start an inquiry into the
affair, which has brought disgrace upon the
police and discredit upon the city.
Mr.. Guggenheimer truly says that Il the COM
plants which have been made in great volume
and with great particularly are well founded
measures should be taken without delay 70 pun
ish those guilty Of such brutality" He prop
eriy does not PREJUDICE the affair in directing
that an investigation be made but there is
charges % be substantially true, for this is q
case in which no intelligent man can entertain
a doubt. The abominable acts Of which mem
bers of the police force are accused were com
mitted IN full view Of a multitude Of competent
witnesses and with amazing Rudacity. There
was not the least pretence Of eCncealmenG The
uniformed assaflants Of the negroes were so in
famed with passion that they did not care who
saw what they did. but seemed rather to re-
joice In the publicity of their conduct OF
course, there was immediate talk among the
Police Commissioners Of inquiry, prosecution
and punishment and many citizens may have
supposed that they were actually taking the
requisite steps, though with excessive delibera-
ton. But we Judge from Mr.. Guggenheimers
sharp letter that nothing of any practical value
is being done. It VIII be interesting to watch
for the results Of his interference and to note
his subsequent proceedings If no results worth
mentioning are produced with reasonable
promptness.
It Is impossible % set q limit 30 the evils
naturally flowing from an unpublished outbreak
Of violence and brutality among the police Of
great city. Such an infection is swift and per-
vasive. It's inevitable tendency is to involve
not only the whole body Of public guardians,
but all the turbulent and vicious elements Of
the population, and to spread far beyond the
boundaries within which 1t occurs It would
not be rash to assume that the recent spectacle
Of a New-York mob encouraged and abetted by
the police nerved the rioters Of Akron week
later The main facts Of the case have already
been informally set forth in the newspapers and
otherwise Mr.. Guggenheimer is right IN de-
claring that they should be officially put on
record at the earliest possible moment But
VIII they be? Does Tammany dare to let the
truth be proved and make the punishment fit
the crime3 We shall see