New-York tribune., 1901-09-04
DEVERY REFUTES MURPHY
COMMISSIONERS BOAST THAT THERE
ARE NO MURDERS HERE MADE
RIDICULOUS

There are fifty murderers laying down there
in the Tombs waiting for trial." said Deputy
Police Commissioner Devery yesterday, en-
deavoring to cast slur upon District Attorney
Philbin. IT'S licensing crime and murders In
New-York," he roared.
Devery had interrupted Commissioner Murphy
who trying hard to convince reporters that
he not joking when he wrote to the Mer-
chants Association that there were no murders
and no robberies in New-York. Devery's inter
ruptions were of a kind to disconcert Murphy,
and were partly contradictory TO the Commits
sioners statements but he was standing by the
Commissioner. apparently to see that he did
not talk too much 1t was evident from the
tmd and hestating way in which Commissioner
Murphy answered some inquiries and from the
way he turned appealingly to Devery at times.
that he afraid of his big deputy.
Commissioner Murphy asked if he was in
earnest when he wrote to the president of the
Merchants Association that there were no muir
ders and no robberies in New-York. and that
a man could go anywhere in the city without
being moested He replied that he meant what
he wrote and that newspaper reports showed he
was correct. His attention was called 10
statement of Frank Moss. the former Police Com
missioner. that many robberies in the city were
not reported. and that they were not recorded
properly in the police books. Mr.. Moss was said
TO have declared that in one year when Devery
was Chief of Police the station house books
showed about fifteen thousand robberies in the
city. while the headquarters books showed only
about four thousand robberies Murphy tried
to say that no such state of affairs existed but
Devery broke in.
'Ill answer that, Commissioner" he said
and I'll show that the books are all right
I'll show by the books in Moss's time and in
my time"
That the books agree?''
That they are all right"
Commissioner Murphy was asked what he
meant in writing TO the Merchants Association
that there was politics in the newspaper reports
about the police. He replied that he meant that
the assaults on the police were caused by poll
tics.
DO you mean that the politicians control the
Newspapers he was asked
Il don't know who controls them" he replied
Sometimes I would like to know. but don't
He was asked later IL he objected. his letter
to the Merchants Association seemed TO imply
10 the publication of the police scandals when
the statements In the newspapers were true.
No. Of course | don't" he said. why should
I? Here's a case now in NewYork. The GRIM
inal branch Of the Supreme Court closes its
doors. and the judge has to walk out because
there are no cases"
Yes" broke in Devery. there are nifty muir
derers laying down there in the Tombs waiting
for trial There's no reason why they should
lay there. It's licensing crime and murders in
New-York. The judges have no work 10 do
There are no cases prepared for trial. Why
don't they go on and try those cases2"
Commissioner Murphy seemed 10 be surprised
and annoyed by this outbreak of the deputy.
He had spoken about the closing of the criminal
branch Of the supreme Court apparently TO sup
port what he had said about there being no rob
berries and no murders in the city, but Devery
had spoiled everything by eaEerness TO take a
rap at District Attorney Philhin. The express
sion OF Commissioner Murphy's face was comical
when Deyery finished his outbreak
That's different from what you were saying,
Commissioner" one OF the reporters remarked.
THAT shows that there are some murders in
New York"
There are some murders" the Commissioner
said. shocpIshly. making a weak effort to recon
cile hts former statement With Devery's.
What you mean to say Is that when there
are crimes. arrests are made" corrected Dew
cry. In Nosss time there robbery and no
arrests were made" Dcvery a captain then.