New-York tribune., 1901-02-23
MURPHY POLICE HEAD.
DETERI, FIRST DEPUTY CON-
MISSIONER.
GIVES UP CHIEFSHIP WITH A PROTEST
HEALTH BOARD PRESIDENT.

HEALTH BOARD PRESIDENT.
Commi>.,oner and Chief of Poiiee-NJcH~
AEL a. MURPHY.
First Deputy Commissioner OF Police
WILLIAM = DENERS-
President of the Health Hoard-IoHy n.
SEXTON.
The new police law went into effect in this
city at 3:15 p. m. yesterday. when Mayor Van
wyck appointed Michael c. Murphy to the Office
OF Commissioner and Chief of Police under tha
measure which Governor OdeH signed in the
morning. Mr.. Murphy said he received notice
Of the Mayors intention only quarter of
hour earlier when he was at his home In
Broome-st. He went Immediately 10 the City
Hall to receive from the Mayors hand the GER
tifcate of appointment and to be sworn into
office by the Mayor. Before taking the oath as
Commissioner Of Police. however. Mr.. Murphy
signed his resignation Of the Office of president
of the Board of Health B..
The Mayor announced that he had decided to-
appoint John r. Sexton. OF the Police Com
missioners legislated out OF Office by the
law. to succeed Mr. Murphy president OF the
Health Board. No explanation was made by
the Mayor to the manner in which he had
received official information that the Governor
had signed the Police bill
From the City Hall Commissioner Murphy.
IT,
accompanied by Colonel Ladd the Assistant
Corporation Counsel assigned to the Mayors
office. They arrived at Headquarters at 4:10
p. m and walked into the office Of the Chief ot
Police. where William s. Devery and John r. 4
Sexton were waiting to receive them Chief
Devery as we'll Commissioner Sexton had
been put out OF office by the law. They had
been told over the telephone of the appointmenr
OF Mr. Murphy. Commissioners York. Hess and
Abel. who had been legislated out of office. too,
had remained away from Head .uarters.
DEvERY NOT OUT LONG. ~
Devery was out of the Police Department. only,
short time before he was in office again az
First Deputy Commissioner of Police One o-
the first acts of Commissioner Murphy was to-
appoint Devery to the Deputy Commissioner
ship. The second deputy is yet to be named
1t was reported almost Immediately that Mr.
Sexton was to have Mr.. Murphy's former Office.
the presidency Of the Board of Health Mr.
Sexton said he had no knowledge of the Mayors
intention to make such appointment Mr.. Muir
ply said he did not know who was TO succeed
him in the Health Department
Commissioner Murphy had not been at Heal
quarters many minutes before he sent out an
order to transfer Captain westervelt from, the
Second Precinct. in which is No. 20 Dey-st The
order understood to mean that JTr llIrDhy-
would not stand for Captain VVestervelt'4
failure to discover the poolroom at No 90 Dew
st. against which District Attorney PhfIbir led
the recent raid Mr. Murphy is a member of
the Tammany Committee on Vice and an asso-
cate of Lewis Nixon. who helped the District
Attorney TO secure evidence against the pool
sellers. Mr.. Murphy is the Tammany leader in
the Ist Assembly District in which the Second
Police Precinct is situated.
The appointment OF Commissioner NrIrphy
was surprise 70 most of the policemen of the
city and TO most OF the politicians Many
thought that Mr. Sexton would get the Police
Commissionership Probably he knew better
when he was waiting for some hours at Head
quarters yesterday for the Mayors action. PROB
ably Chief Devery. who was practically in COM
mand of the Police Department yesterday untr
he was transformed into a Deputy Commission
er knew what was coming. other officials s.'
Headquarters. including Deputy Chief Corr-
right, remained completely in the dark until
Commissioner Murphy arrived, soon after Al
o'clock
The first information Of the change that vas.
flashed over the police wires was the following
message. sent out from the Central Office at
4:15 o'clock: L
Michael G. Murphy has been this dav an.
fed, he'd '''e' - ''''' anu mas ''Ai'-
That was followed almost Immediately by-
the following:
Captain westerveIt. transferred from th.
Second TO the Ninth Precinct Captain HalpirI
transferred from the Ninth TO the Second Pre-
MICHAEL c. MURPHY. r.
Commissioner OF Police.
Soon after the transfers OF the two police can.
tains were announced. the newspaper men who.
had been waiting in the outer room we're adj,
mtted 70 the office which has been Devery,s,
private Office. Commissioner Murphy received
the reporters with smile, and said:
There is little that can say to you. Aur
ask is that I shall be proved by my deeds
have been appointed Commissioner OF Police -
NewYork. and / mean 20 enforce the laws as
/ find them. IL doesn't make any difference
who interferes. I'll that the laws are en-
forced. I shall use all the means in my power
TO do that.
7 have Just appointed Chief Deverv as F-irSs
Deputy Commissioner 7 would like to appoinE
Deputy Chief p. Fl Mclaughlin. of Brooxlyn
as Second Deputy Commissioner, but he il not
here, and have had no opportunity 20 talk WITH
him. I would like TO be surrounded by men
who have had good police experience.
APPOINTED ON SHORT NOTICE.
Mr. Murphy was asked about his anpo,nt.
ment to Office. and he said in reply to the IN.
quires:
did not know 7 to be appointed Conn
missioner of Police until O'Clock when r was
in my home in BrOome-st.. and received a mes
sage. giving notice of the intention OF the
and received the appointment and was sworn
into Office by the Mayor. i think il was then a
quarter after 2 O'Clock. I resigned the pres-
dency of the Health Board before / was swor,
in Police Commissioner, but I don't know
who is TO be my successor in the Health Board
why did you transfer Captain westerveIt?''
was asked
"Ob Mr. NrurDhv repiiad "thara vvas no.hi,--