The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-29
NEW YORK TOPICS.
DRIFTS AND UNDERCURRENTs OF
THE METROPOLIS.

THE METROPOLIS.
What the Conviction of Devery's
FactOtum, Giennon, Means to the
Police Department ShadOwing
the Jury and Signalling to Wit
ncsses, Characteristic Police
Methods-Bcggary Along Lines of
Dramatic Art Practices by the
Women Mcndicants of the Holiday
Seasonal Case Where "Mr. Fish
Was in-WnIl street News and
Views; Standard Oil Brains in
AmaIgamated Copper.
New York, Dec. 27.-It is not too
much to say that 1.-The finest police
force in the world" is in a state of
AFFECT panic. The conviction of Ward
man Bissert was a jar. Then came
! Capt. Diamonds dismissal from the
force after an Albany jury found him
| guilty of dereliction of duty, and an
other shudder ran through the de-
! partment. But these were minor
shocks compared to the result in the
case of Eddie" Glennon, virtual cap
tain of the famous Tenderloin pre-
cinct and the factotum and personal
representative of Deputy Chief Devery,
although he is officially only patrol
man. No policeman could be brought
| TO believe that one so near to the
ruling powers of the force could ever
be convicted "Devery'n fix it," they
| said; they can't nail Eddie" And
| they awaited the result with as much
interest as if the future of each one
of them were involved. His conviction
was absolutely stunning to them. Late
Saturday night as 1 was walking up
town 1 was stopped by one of group
| Of eight or ten policemen all but two
of them off duty, the others having
come out to await the finding of the
| jury. The policeman who was an ac-
| quaintance of mine asked eagerly
whether l had heard anything from
the court.
Yes" said I. st have just heard
over the phone that Glennon has been
| found guilty.
Guilty." exclaimed my acquaint-
ance Are you sure you had it right,
sir? Boys" he added turning to the
| others, "he says they convicted Eddie.
At first they wouldn't believe that
the news was correct. Presently, how
ever, a gambler of some prominence
rushed out of a nearby saloon, his
face red with anger Those fellows
| have soaked Eddie Glennon!" he
shouted, only fellows" wasn't the
term he used.
For a minute there was a babel of
| voices. Then in a pause one of the po-
lice group said gloomily:
This comes pretty near meanin no
more graft. Poor Eddie! Wonder how
Devery's feelin'. Looks as if he might
| come next"
| But though the outcome of the trial
has daunted the force, its lesson has
not been taken thoroughly to heart.
| This is shown by the sinister conduct
of the police officers who attended the
sessions. In the first place they got
at" Edgar Whitney, the tipster who
was to have been one of the principal
| witnesses for the prosecution and either
| intimidated or bribed him into refus-
ing to testify. That they intended to
make a similar attempt upon the jury
must have come to the knowledge of
Recorder Golf, who is thoroughly con-
versant with police methods, for he
adopted the unusual course of keeping
the jurymen together and under sur
veillance during the recesses instead of
letting them go to their homes at
night. on the ground that he had re-
ceived information which rendered
this necessary. 1t is stated, with some
degree of authority that a system of
signals was arranged, in the court
room, whereby police witnesses were
directed how to answer by a represen-
tative of police headquarters interests
seated in far corner. This has been
denied with some vehemence but there
is precedent for il. In the LeXow in
vestigation of the police department,
officers were caught signalling to wit
resses, and later. when the Mazet Com
mittee was investigating, a detective,
high up in the secret councils of police
headquarters, was expelled from the
court room and narrowly escaped con-
tempt proceedings for tipping off, a
stupid policeman who was laundering
in the witness chair.
When the Glennon verdict was
brought in the court room was full of
policemen in plain clothes These
crowded around the jurymen as they
emerged after being discharged and
sized them up" as criminals are
looked over. for future identification
Not only this but. but most, If not all, of
the jurymen were followed on their
homeward trips by one or more DO
licemen. This means beyond doubt
that sooner or later the police force
meditates revenge for the conviction
of Glennon. If l were a member of
that jury I should be extremely cir
cumspect. l should not venture into
any slum part of the city. There are
plenty of loyal friends OF the police
there who can easily get up a fake
street fight and involve an innocent by
stander in. it, and if the innocent by
stander CHANGED to be one of the men
who found Glennon guilty he would
be rather more likely to be arrested.
Nor would l go to a fire, or stop any
where where a crowd was collected,
lest some Jealous officer with night
club might feel ii his duty to make
me move on" without due warning. If
l were in business l should look out for
all kinds of petty prosecutions; If l
violated any one of the hundred little
ordinances which nobody pretends to
obey should expect to be hanled to the
nearest police station forthwith. and
l should esteem myself extremely for
tunate If l were not dubbed for ire
sisting" or "sassing' the officer in the
process. Yes it looks like troublous
times ahead for the Glennon jurymen.
But there is another side to the mat
ter. If anything untoward does hap
pen to member of that jury I should