New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-10-03
Mu7RPHY ACCUSED, TOO.
WICK NOW HAS A CHANCE TO
WITH Roth HIM AND DEVERY.

-oh.n+s' Association of New-York yes
lne 1o,+ n Mayor Van Wyck formal charges
&C.. Police Commissioner Murphy. The
se osl,ed 10 remove Commissioner Murphy
May g. because of his refusal to entertain
,orees which the association made against
- commissioner DeVery. Thus the Mayor,
- --o+ long ago declared that Devery was the
- rolice chief New-York had ever had, is
-euan+ad with the duty of dealing with both
murnby and Devery
what will happen if the Mayor follows Com
.-;ss,oner Murphy's example and refuses to take
D.,or on the charges has not been announced
.. .ne association. There is a suspicion. how
- - that the association would appeal the
- .o Governor Odell and demand the re-
20, - NJ the Commissioner and perhaps the re-
oI ~ the Mayor as we'll The Governor
-. ren,oye the Commissioner without a hear
ing .
..,,s,oner Murphy and copy Of the Commits
"'a.or,s reply was sent to the Mayor yesterday
.ber with a letter signed by D. LIE Roy
1,resssr the president of the Merchants As
.o.is+;ou. containing the charges against Com
--,.ssoner Murphy. After a brief explanation of
,bs situation. the letter to the Mayor says:
Tho charges made by this association embrace not
.Iv injustice tyranny and oppression: but conduct
er charge is the essence Of the subject matter
'Tbe imposition OF fnes the severity OF the penaites
!iHpboIv within the discretion of the Deputy Com
niner ne siTay and may he proper and necessary as
missions Of discipline but Commissioner Murphy
salv ignores the moral character OF the conduct
Of hs oonpsnc aepsa his Language and the moral effects
llsereof upon the men under his command and upon
tnT Ts third specification forth the insulting
is6Trage used by the Deputy Commissioner toward
q s"-cs -ecsonTianant a member of the police force
Which language tended TO publicly degrade and hu-
rniliate the complainant and thereby to discourage
he making of such complaints by the public
through dread of being subjected to such public
The fifth specification charges the Deputy Com
missioner with publicly reyiling justice Of the the
disnissing a complaint against police officer. not
because OF the evidence presented. but because the
instce in question had previously convicted the ac
ccnsed officer of the offence charged. the officer
having pleaded guilty thereof
The eighth specification shows that the Deputy
Commissioner declared the rules and regulations
made by the Park Commissioner pursuant to tn. the
ne inflicted heavy punishment upon police officer
for enforcing those rules and regulations.
Other specifications are referred to in the let
Ger to show that the accusations against Devery
sncluded the infliction of excessive fines for the
purpose Of compelling policemen to pay to have
the fines remitted and the use of vile and
abusive language by Devery in the trial room
The letter then continues:
Commissioner Murphy does not find that such
conduct and such language anything but neces-
ssry and proper measures Of discipline In the
view Of this association none of the matters set
forth above relate TO the question of discipline ex,
cept IN far they violations of all sound
principles upon which discipline must rest
They relate directly to the unftness OF the Dep
uy Commissioner TO hold office, which is set forth
as one Of the grounds of complaint in the charges
made against the Deputy Commissioner, and upon
which hearing is demanded. as follows:
The Merchants Association of NeU--York
does demand thar the. said William s. Deve1y may
be put 10 answer the charges of conduct unbecom-
ing an officer to which charges the Commissioner
and Chief OF Police makes no alluson. and shows
no cause why the demand for a hearing thereon
should not he granted.
We. therefore upon tho record of the charges
and demand in relation to said Devery. hereto ap-
pended. and the failure of Commissioner Murphy 70
act thereon. set forth. hereby charge the said
Michael c. Murphy, Commissioner and Chief Of
Police Of the city OF New-York, with mtsfeasance
in Office in refusing TO entertain, hear and try the
issues thus raised before him, and demand that
you, Mayor Of this city. shall put the said
Commissioner upon his trial, by virtue of the au-
thority conferred upon you by Chapter 80. Laws
OF 1901. Section 2, which reads:
The said Commissioner may. whenever tn the
judgment Of the Mayor Of said city or the Gov
the public interest shall require, be re-
moved from Office by either. and shall be in
eligible for reappointment thereto"