The evening times., 1901-06-05
DEFECTS 70 Be RBMEDIED
Regulations to Improve the Eff
cheney of the Police Force
Relieved That Bad management in
the Ayers Mystery VIII Result in
Better System for the Con-
duct OF Such Important Cases.

the Ayers Mystery VIII Result in
Better System for the Con-
duct OF such Important Cases.
Now that the police and detectives have.
to their own satisfaction, about clear
ed up the mystery surrounding the
death of James seymour Ayers. IT, and
the case has passed into the hands Of the
District Attorney, they are beginning to
review the wori. which they have accom-
piiShod and tC Sc where the defects in
the handling Of the case occurred That
every man connected with the depart
mcnt worked long and hard upon the case
there can he no possible doubt. and that
they displayed a degree of energy
that is unusual is equally certain.
Despite these facts. however, it is
uudeuiabIc that certain blunders were
made in The handling of the ease and that
lack OF preparedness to handle large
matters without warning was evidenced
Tt = understood that, recognizing this
fact. Major Sylvester has already set him
self to the task Of preparing such regu-
lations as viii cover the action Of the
members of the department under SINH
I lar circumstances. Probably the most
| fIaerant defect was the absence of a
ranking official of the department upon
the scene Of action. There were a score or
more Of detectives and policemen at the
hotel with no one in command to lay out
the work and direct the investiga ton. and
it resulted in a needless duplication Of
work by officers who were ignorant of
what had been done and needless en-
barrassment of certain persons in the
/ hotel by continued questioning from
almost every detective present. while
other and in some instances more
| important matters were left undone with
the expectation that others had or would
pursue that line of enquiry
When Policeman Brady arrived at the
/ hotel a few minutes after the finding OF
the body there appeared to be no suspi-
cion Of foul play and he proceeded in the
manner that is customary in the handling
Of cases of suicide This was about s:3C
clock. \ few moments later Precinct
| Detective Williams arrived and Coroner
hewitt was on hand within half an hour
/ of the time Of the arrival of the police
men He was Joined a few minutes later
/ by two newspaper reporters. An investi-
/ cation af the surroundings convinced the
( Coroner that 1t was not a case of suicide
/ and he at once commenced a thorough
/ search Gf the premises. All Of this time
/ no one at Police Headquarters had been
/ notified that there was anything unusual
[ in the case and it was not until 10.I5
! o'clock when the reporters returned to
Z the Detective Office that Captain Board
/ man and Major Sylvester were notified
3 In the afternoon an official notification
/ of the facts was sent to Police Head
{ quarters. Upon being informed Of the
nature Of the tragedy, Captain Board
! man, however. detailed a number Of his
/ men on the case and sent them to the
/ scene Of action as rapidly as he could
/ reach them. Each man that went TO the
/ hotel vas the equal in rank of the other
/ and no one assumed or had the right to
( assume control OF the case
/ Lieutenant Moore was soon there and
/ directed the work of the police from his
/ precinct. but in Difference to custom ne
/ did not interfere with the work Of the
/ detectives Each man questioned only his
own VIII as to what he should do and
none had an adequate idea as to what
was being done by the others. Had there
/ been q controlling mind in charge Of the
/ operations Of the men. it is claimed that
/ the case would probably have been clear
/ Cd up long ago
! In the Fire Department the foreman OF
/ the first company to arrive on the scene
/ Of action is in command of the entire
/ forces present until the arrival Of his su-
I peTior- Had this same rule applied to the
/ Police Department much labor would
/ have been saved and much would have
! been accomplished that, it Is said, has
4 been left Undone. Practically every mar
! present at the time knew what should
/ have been done, but no one was present
J who had the authority 20 place plan into
I execution Had the force available beer
/ inteiiigenCly directed al the time there IS
J f..4fFE J.
/ hours the guilty person or persons would
/ have been placed under arrest.
/ It is believed that Major Sylvester vii
! soon correct any deficiency that has be
/ come evident in the police regulations
! such as could probably have not beer
/ fCTesesn-