New-York tribune., 1901-02-22
POLICE BOARD GENEROUS.
wIprNG OFF CHARGES FOR ALL coNIERs-
CLEAN RECORD APPARENTLY FOR
THE MERE ASKING


These are clearing DAYS at Police Headquar-
ters Any police officer, high or low, who has
charges grave or trivial hanging over his head
would do Well TO step Up 10 the counter promptly
and have them wiped of the slate before the
present Board is leg.slated out of existence. The
time is short. Step lively. now. Get clean rec
ords almost on your terms. The Boards
stock OF fakors is well nigh exhausted. All the
high priced goods have been disposed Of. There
remain, only some job lots Of whitewash. Who
will bid for them?
The Tribune has told how Chief Devery had
the old charges against him dismissed without
trial on Wednesday. Yesterday Deputy Chief
w W. Mclaughlin Of The Bronx. appeared be-
fore the Board and had the old charges which
have been hanging over his head ever since he
a captain wiped off his record without the
slightest trouble.
President York. after the meeting, was asked
by the reporters if there were any other charges
against any other officer on the force that had
not yet been dismissed. and he replied with a
smile: Il don't know of any. but some might
appear before the Board adjourns for good:
who knows
When Mr. York was asked how the vote stood
on the motion 10 clear McLaughlins record. he
said:
What difference does it make how the vote
stood: The resolution passed, and that is
enough. These charges were practically dead.
anyway. Deputy Chief Mclaughlin came here
and asked 10 have them dismissed. and they
were. That is all there is 20 it,"
When Mr.. York was asked for copy Of the
charges or a summary OF what they contained. il
came that the Board did not have even
copy Of the charges before them. They were
said ~ he in the Office ~ Frank Moss the law
yer who pressed them for the complainant. on
information given 10y the Rev DIR. Howard
Crosby. The charges were for failure 10 sup
press gambling house at No Sc Fulton-st
when Mclaughlin was captain. in 1889. It
was tried once and the Trial resulted in a tie
vote Of the Board. Commissioners Voorhis and
MacLean voting for conviction. and Commis
sioners McClave and Martin for acquittaL
NcClave was afterward accused before the
LeNow Committee Of taking a bribe Martin
is mentioned an a candidate for the new single
Commissioner OF Police. The grave charges sus-
taned after a careful hearing by one-half Of the
Police Board Of 1889 were dismissed by the
Police Board OF 1901 without even hearing
And Yet this complasant Mr.. York Of to-day is
the same man who solemnly declared at the
recent dinner Of the Ststioners' Board of Trade:
There is need Of Improvement in the moral con-
diiicns Of this town. and God knows that IS true
The city is in need OF so3d soyefnmeni II ever u
anybody does. and say from the bottom Of my
heart that the city needs good cleaning Up. and
needs u badly.
And again. on November l6 1900.
There is minoing matters. II places are
run openly it is the ault OF NE captain Of the pre-
CinCt Il stands 10 reason that when vie place
Is run openly day after day. the captain is getting
some Consideration for letting this thing 20 on
Mclaughlin. il is reported. hopes TO be one OF
the new Commissioners deputies. and hence
wanted his record pursed from all stain before
he put forth his hid for that important offce-
The only other business transacted by the
Police Board was on pension claims that have
been pending. The Commissioners said that only
insgnfcant business of a routine nature was