New-York tribune., 1901-08-03
THE BIssERT CONVICTION.

The District Attorney has won an important
victory in the conviction of Wardman George
Bssert for accepting bribe from the keeper OF
a disorderly house. His success Is highly credit
able for il was generally unexpected and was
attained in the face of the greatest obstacles.
II is always difficult TO prove such crime as
this No blackmailer carries on his business
in public. and his eXactions are known only
through the confession of his victims. whose
testimony is always open to suspicion ana III
need of confederation. Under the most favor
able conditions this cOrrOboration is hard to
obtain. When. as in this case. the whole power
of the police is turned against the prosecution 10
prevent it's securing legal proof of the crime the
difficulty of obtaining a conviction is almost
insurmouutable.
The pOce began by tampering with the VII
nesSes against BiSsert. compelled the District
Attorney TO remove them from the House or
Detention and finally succeeded in disposing OF
one of the three women who were expected to
testify against him. Every effort was made 10
prevent or delay the trial and at every stage OF
the case the power of the Police Department
was exerted in behalf of the guilty man. one
of his Jurors was a member of the Iammah!
Hall committee and naturally inclined to take
as favorable view as possible of case in
which conviction would, il was believed. deal a
serious blow 10 the Tammany administration.
The charge of the Recorder is admitted by Bis
sert's counsel 70 have been perfectly fair to the
defendant The jurors had cause for possible
irritation against the prosecution because o1 the
strict secIusion in which they were kept. Under
such circumstances they would never nave con-
yicted unless forced to by an overwhelming
sense of duty. Regardless Of politics or personal
feelings. and without any prejudicial influence
rI..h hoy brought a
diet of guilty. which not merely stamps Bissert
as a hlacknailpr. but establishes concretely the
fact that backmailinS is a police institution,
and that the power OF the Police Department is
instinctively put forth 10 protect the system and
those who carry it on.
The conviction of Bissert is generally con
sidered of great political importance, and indeed
ii may be That depends on the intelligence and
the conscience of the people of New-YOrk. They
have before them once more definite. positive,
proved case of police partnership in immortality
and crime. The general assertion that the Tam
many administration guilty Of the same
denominations which aroused the voters 10 revolt
in 1894 is specifically and legally established.
Ii Was morally established long ago. Nobody
doubted the fact who did not want 10 doubt ii,
either because he sympathized with Tammany
or was Indifferent and wished plausible excuse
for Indifference Will the legal proof of crime
make any difference? Will it touch the con-
science of New-YOrk il has not yet been
touched by the plain signs on every hand OF
Incompetence. jobbery. eXtortion and protection
of gambling and vice? The people have yet TO
prove whether police force growing rich from
the contributions of vicious women and gam
blers really seems to them something horrible
and not 10 he tolerated. or is something which
they have grown used TO till having hated :. at
first they have gradually come 10 endure then
pity and now embrace. The BiSsert case makes
it impossible for any citizen longer to rest easy
and say things are not so bad as represented.
1t forces him 10 say whether he loathes such
conditions as it reveals is cynically content
that they should continue, provided his business
and his comfort are not disturbed.