New-York tribune., 1900-12-25
NIXON ATTACKS POLICE.
TALKS OF HAVING RECREANT CAPTAINS
INDICTED.
DECLARES FOR SINGLE HEADED COM
MIssIoN-DEvERY BACK AT HEAD
QUARTERS. SUPPORTED BY SEX
TON AND ABEII


TON AND ABELL
However deficient the Tammanv Vice Com
rnittee may be in sincerity so far as Its protesta
tions that IT is bent upon cleaning up the citv
are concerned. there is no doubt that the com
rnittee and the police odds. Lewis Nixon
and his colleagues are angered over the fact that
the police have not closed up the places uuon
which the committee put its ban. II will he re-
called that Wednesday last Mr. Nixon gave
q list Of forty-eight gambling places to Acting
Chief Cortright and requested that they should
be put out OF business
Those places were closed on Friday night hu+
on Saturday they were running as merriIy and
as openly usual When Mr. Nixon learned of
this his ire was reused, and he took pains to let
il be known that he intended to retaliate Yes
terday he threatened TO go before the Grand
Jury and secure the Indictment Of the CAPTAINS
in whose precincts the Illegal resorts were situ-
ated. AS between the police and the Tammany
committee the situation is becoming somewhat
OF a perplexfty- It is well understood that the
gambling houses which the Tammany commit
tee desires closed forty or fifty small places
which the gambling commission has decided
detract by competition from the larger ones
which yield big revenue 70 Tammany's Golfers
The police have refused to close these places
as TO which side has the support of Mr. Croker
General opinion inclines TO the belief that the
Tammany committee has authority for its ac-
tions state nent issued yesterday by Lewis
Nixon clearly inspired. On the other hand
Commissioners Sexton and Abel were in con-
sultation with Chief Devery nearly the whole Of
yesterday afternoon. With Sexton and Abel
remaining loyal TO him, Devery cannot be re-
tired. So long as these two Commissioners sup
port him he is the master of the situation for
the time being.
But whether not Sexton and Devery are
insubordinate to the Tammany powers. or
whether the Vice Committee is reaching out in
dependently, will be definitely known within a.
few days. IT is openly asserted by men who
understand what they are talking about that the
solution is close at hand. and that Devery with
out waiting TO be legislated out OF office by the
Republican Legislature, Will request the Police
Board to retire him. Commissioner Sexton It is
said has already in his pocket the Chiefs writ
ten application for retirement
TAMdANY COMMITTEE MEETING.
The Tammany Committee held meeting yes
terday afternoon at it's headquarters. No. 1872
Bowery For over hour the committee was in
executive session, and was waited upon by the
wardmen OF the districts Of Captains Price
Albertson and Thomas. Acting Captain McDer-
mott Of the Eldridge station also went before
the committee The errand OF these police off,
cials was made known by Mr.. Nixon in a little
address which he made to the newspaper rep
resentatiVes after the committee went into open
session
This committee has been waited upon" Mr..
Nixono said, "by several representatives Of the
Police Department, who come from the captains
Of fsdistr1cts in which were certain places COM
planned OF as being suspicious. A list Of these
places was furnished to the Chief OF Police by
me These police representatives stated that the
places referred TO closed in each instance
II is said that by repute these places were dis
orderly, but the police representatives disclaim
any knowledge Of actual disorderly conduct IN
these places. I the term disorderly COW
ering every form OF illegality. Now. the police
ask for further evidence against these illegal
resorts, although they claim that these places,
whatever may have been their condition, are
now closed
before the Grand Jury, and not to supply it TO
the police Why should we provide the police
with evidence? Such evidence we have OBJ
tained could be obtained by the police readily
as by this committee"
Mr.. Nixon added, in reply TO inquiry, that
the committees purpose in going to the Grand
Jury would be TO secure the indictment OF those
captains who permitted vice TO continue arter
complaints had been lodged with them.
Mr.. NIXoNs STATEMENT.
At the close OF the committees meeting Mr..
Nixon gave out the following pertinently worded
statement:
The list OF suspicious places handed to the police
is by no means complete and we shall be guided
by developments as TO when and how 1t shall be
made public My object is TO close such places ana
by closing them demonstrate TO their owners that
those who have taken money from them for pro-
lection lack the power to protect. No matter what
PARTY Is Office, about the same set of men Will
be found farming out immunity.
The great mass OF Democratic voters not
willing 10 see their party sacrificed to the greed of
a few corrupt men. Every department Of the city
government except the Police Department is doing
good work I am satisfied by what / have found
that the Chief of Police could close every gambling
mouse and poolroom in the city in few hours
Our motive now is to show that these places are
not protected by the Tammany organiza ton, but,
further than that, TO show that system which
has existed during this and the preceding admins
trations can be stopped If the Police Department
can be induced 10 act
A single headed Commission, with power can
remedy existing abuses not only for time, but
permanently. A bipartisan Police Commission and
the Excise Department are the sores OF the oody