New-York tribune., 1901-04-13
DEVERY ACCUSES NALLY.
SAYS CAPTAINS DEATH SAVED HIM
FROM POSSIBLE DISMISSAL-YORK
BACKS Up SENTON

Bernard j. York, former president of the Police
Board, made it exceedingly clear 10 lhe members
OF The State Civil Service Commission yesterday
that a policeman's politics makes a good deal Of
difference with his chance % promotion under
tannany rule in this city. This what the
National Civil Service Reform Association charged
IN its complaint 10 the State Commission. Mr..
ordway, counsel TO the commission. examined Mr..
York about the peculiar ratings given under the
supervision of the old board.
You say that politics has influence when it
comes to prom ptions do your" asked Mr.. Ordway.
'Oh, lhiags being equal. it certainly did and it
ought to-" said Mr York I'd favor Democrat
every time if circumstances were alike. Don't
make any mistake about that"
Nj York said thee We're sixteen vacancies TO be
filed. and the apPointees had TO be selected from
thirty men.
1T got down finally so that. excluding the vet
Grams. who had 10 be appointed, Abel named one
Hess named one and Sexton and / named the
Others We had the right Of the patronage, and a
man who wouldn't look after his party wouidn
" have any business TO Zoe there" said Mr. York
With officers just alike, YOU would select a
Democrat then
Every day in the week and every hour III the
day" was the emphatic reply.
Mr. York said that the system Of appointing cap
iains was not a good and when asked for a
suggestion for improving il answered:
I onl.- ways. Either the chief must
have power 10 promote on mis- own reaponsi-
bility or the men must be advanced according to
their seniority alone
William :. Devery. Deputy Police Commissioner,
was the first witness at the afternoon session. He
said hs had sent out the white blanks from the
Municipal Civil Service Commission 10 the cap
'alis o ana ib ality I.n n b sjd When taey came
back, and i think they We're finally sent up TO the
me- and the board l claimed the right 10 name
these men. and when the board decided otherwise
/ had no for them and sent them up 10 the
vaults Deyery produced the reports and turned
If / had known what Kind Of report Captain
ioysd bin =" 10 n sSerIed the witness
What DO You mean by that?' asked AIr Ordway.
Il would have advised him not 20, answered
The witness said he thought some weight ought
he attached 70 the reports OF the captains. but
mat every captain likely to favor his own ser
geants. .o,...o,
his dying bed pat him in charge Of the precinct /
learned shortly after that ne shaking down
everybody in IT, and told him just as soon as his
captain recovered and could get evidence he would
10 out Of the service; Fortunately Ior y, Eay me me
Devary didn't seem 70 know quite how explain
~ his shaking down statement. but finally said that
II referred TO takin, a mans property away VINO
4 Sergeant Walter Morris produced medal of
which mention had been made IN the report
fi ctFg oIG foI,i W am interview he
had with Commissoner Sexton after he learned
that latter had made statement % the effect
that the appointments IS captains had 9seI fIial
1or poucal reasons MI 1870! 80 10 IN, ~ ~
saiG, that when the present adIIl came
in 20 per Of the captains were Republcans.
After the Adjournment Sergeant Nally was asked
about the statements Whc9 DepuI! 1oliIlIsS IN
DeVery made on the stand concerning him ! ne
the Madison-st. station under Captain Meakn- H
hoard nothing OF any cn4rges - aSasl h,in I'M oG{ Ut
month he thought something must be amiss.
and went TO see Devery about it, The latter did
not tell him them so the sergeant says. anything
definite which he had against him: but told him
but captain MeaIin died on the day following and
he never saw HIM: Sergeant Naly is now in the
MacdOugal-st. station, the third change he has had
since he Jeff Madison-st.