New-York tribune., 1901-08-22
UHITNEYS CONFESSION.

Whitney's confession of his dealings with
members of the police force and an agent of the
Society for the Prevention of Crime, whom he
supposed to be in his pay and betraying its con-
fidence. must produce deep impression 1t is
not altogether clear and orderly in arrangement,
and il reveals one or two rather singular lapses
of memory but taken in connection with known
facts and with such coToborative testimony
as has been given to the public. 1t is more con-
vincng and important than it had generally
been expected to be. How complete the corrob-
grafton is the District Attorney has not yet
chosen to indicate fully. and there may be con-
siderable dstrust of his ability to secure convlc-
tions under forms of law which have proved
exceedingly useful in the past TO official wrong
doers of whose guilt the whole community was
convinced: but the moral demonstration needs
little further support.
Consider particularly the testimony extracted
from Captain Flood and Sergeant Shells before
Justice Jerome il relation to Wardman Glennon,
with whom Whtney's negotiations were directly
carried on. They have admitted under oath
that he came and went as he pleased, received
no orders and made no reports. All the other
men in plain clothes who were attached to the
precinct were required TO make written reports
as TO the performance of their duties; but not
Glennon. Why? Because Glennon was in
class by himself He was there before Captain
Flood was assigned TO the precinct and the
captain made no change in his way of work
ing" 1t was well known that his way of work
ing was satisfactory to Devery, and that no
change in it would be tolerated. He was not
responsible to his captain. who consequently did
not interest himself in his way of working, and
would now have 1t supposed that he is unable
TO tell how the notorious wardman passed his
Rf- frNAn N6nr1nn zNnG
a condition thoroughly understood at precinct
headquarters for Sergeant Shells, who was act
ing captain in Floods absence, never gave Glen
non an order or received from him report, or
made an inquiry as TO his proceedings, or knew
anything about what he doing except as
he saw him walk in and OUT Truly n re-
markable exhibition OF superiority TO the regu-
lar discipline on the part OF Glennon, and OF
rigid respect for the higher law" OF the de-
partment on the part of Flood and Shells!
The spokesmen of Tammany are eagerly pro-
testing that the pursuit of these trails leading
10 and from the Police Department is "all for
political effect" SO it is, but not quite in the
sense they impute to those words. The political
effect which is being sought is the punishment
of detestable scoundrels in the public service
and the rescue Of this city from unbearable
conditions. That is an effect which impera-
lively needs TO be produced, and no decent per
son can imagine that any apology for the effort
TO produce ii is required. II is discredtable 10
good citizens that similar efforts in the past
have been too few, too feebly supported and too
soon relaxed. There is reason 10 rejoice ard
take courage In the belief that this one is gain
ing momentum from day to day, and that II will
last long enough TO produce an immense pol'ti-
cal effect Nobody knows what the courts m6y
find it possible necessary to do with the
accommodating charges of police connivance with
vice and crime but there are strong indications
that majority of honest citizens are finding
just verdict which will be recorded IN No
Yarnhar