New-York tribune., 1901-03-22
THE FTVE.S WEAK REPORT
TELLS NOTHING NEW-CLAnIS CREDIT
FALSELY-THROWS BURDEN on
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

| Sufficient time having elapsed since the Tam
many Committee Of Five signed its final report for
that colorless document to have been mailed 70
Richard Croker read by him, approved and re
turned. the innocuous contents have been allowed
TO leak" although every member of the commit
tee denies strenuousy that 1t is he who has vio-
lated solemn promise to keep the report secret
until fl had been formally presented to the execu-
tive committee OF Tammany Hall. Now that the re-
port IS public property, the wonder is tnat there
should have been slightest fear about giving it
The report begins by claiming credit for the Five
for causing the police 10 impose some restraint
upon the immoral women Of the East Side. This,
Il Is well known the police felt impelled 10 do be-
cause of the powerful appeal made TO the Mayor
by Bishop Potter for at least outward decency IN
the Red Light district.
The Five next declare their advocacy Of ''segre-
CATION as remedy for the social evil and inti-
mate that they would not stOop 10 seek evidence
that the police collect protection money from I'M
moral women.
Concerning gambling the report says;
The gambling situation is in control OF the ponce
their representatives. who came before us no con CON
nued gambling could go on at any pn"e age Evidence vi
that conviction Of those engSged IN una "
full practices of this nature would conSequttIL,,! qt,
cause the conviction Of the captain who knowingly
permits such violation
This Is the only pointed part of the report and 1t
is nothing new that gambling cannot flourish un-
$3.50
when he appointed the Five. Police commissioner
Work said the same thing before the Five were ap-
pointed. The newspapers have been saying II Ior
years Every who CANDLES IN 1orN
knows il. The Five knew il before they Desah 10
investigate One might suppose that the report
would next go on 10 point out some police captain
responsible for gambling in his precinct: but no.
tie Five calmly put il up to- MT. fhlioih' 'ie
anti-Tammany District Attorney. and WASH 'he'r
hands of the whole affair in the following way;
Feeling that 10 suggest remedy without con con
crete examples Of its application would be i9tl.e he
this committee collected evidence Pi Sde s
after formal notice had been given me pohSe' ana
this evidence as fast as as srt i MAS AtorneH We
are satisfied that effective use will be mace Oh IT,
This ignores the well known fact that the Dis
trict Attorney has declared the Five's evidence 10
be lacking In strength sufficient to procure an IN
dictment from any grand jury.
II is reported that Chairman Nixon wanted 10
make this report more explicit and stronger but
that his fellow members overruled him. on this
point Mr.. Nixon said yesterday:
The draft the report Of our committee as, as pub,
shed today is s9hStsntlaiES E otcs idea that
it would be made public. except by a%Gqon % ot me me
rough draft was carefully revised by the committee
in entire harmony I should not have signed me
TfeOfh e nation haa % Se% of the calling the
itee INTO being have always Tsl6 aLer n0iS s9G
commissioner could correct the abuses mat caIled
into being, ana the truln oI tillS ihll'iO9So4i
shown by the fact that conditions are very much
improved throughout the city as can De seen ~
the unprejudiced observer. This improvement VIII
continue and the good results Will be permanent.
The drastic measures now employed are an evil
dence Of the sincerity which inspired the investi-
cation.
Commissioner Murphy was asked about the ru-
NOR that the original report had censured Devery'
but had been edited by Mr. Platzek 50 that the
meaning had been lost
Il don't know damned thing about it, said he he
"A copy Of the report has been in the safe iE my
Office here for three four weeks. but the enve-
lope has never been opened. didn't make IL pub
lie, and don't know who did"
Mr.. Platzek said about the same thing. only in
| language less explosive.