New-York tribune., 1902-03-24
DAY OF HALCYON WETNESS
THE WIDEST OPEN SUNDAY SINCE
TAMMANY'S OVERTHROW.
JEROME SAYS THERE'LI. BE AN AWAKEN
ING WHEN SIX OR SEVEN POLICE
CAPTAINS ARE BROKEN"


ing glasses. At the doorway of the Bowery
concert halls was seen the old familiar face OF
the barker" and the we'll known strident notes
OF his invitation. Walk right inside select and
refined family entertainment now going on"
was heard in the land again. There
screens to hide the people basking behind the
family entrance. AS the water comes down
from Lodore. the beer flowed over the bar
and gladdened the heart Of the bibulous citizen.
It may have been that springtime touched the
heart of the guardians of public virtue with it's
genial glow; 1t may have been that even police
were thirsty yesterday, for not few were
seen drinking their beer without any saving
sandwich. But be that as II may, not since
reform first occupied City Han and sent forth
its edicts Of strenuous morality has there been
such free and easy town. The same condi-
tions prevailed all over the city. The weary
and sun-parched citizen had no need TO
judgment in the choice of his drinking place.
To and ALL stranger and habitue alike, the
halls OF the saloon were open wide. The soda
fountains. which had been stocked in the pros
pect Of a busy day, were idle. Their proprietors
loud in their denuncations Of the open
door. but silently and swiftly the thirsty sped
to the family entrance. East Side West Side,
all around the town" there was absence Of
restraint of the anxiety which has
characterized other Sundays under the present
regime. Neghbors who for Sundays have not
dared to drink together hobnobbed over their
glasses and discussed the lyric cry in the first
robins song yesterday.
There were many interesting features in the
way the excise question was observed yester-
day. On the Bowery the openness of the sa-
looms and the rough fashion in which people
urged and dragged toward the concert
halls strongly reminiscent Of days long
past. Far UP on the West Side a battery of
artillery their way to Madison Square Gar
den halted for moment. Instantly there was
a rush for the open doors Of surrounding sa-
looms. and patriotic barkeepers who stood treat
for the boys in blue were temporarily put out
of business by the size and rapidity Of the or
ders they received. Along Fourth-ave the bar
keepers in various saloons could be clearly seen
serving liquor over the bar. Everywhere II
seemed as If Manhattan had Just recovered
from the effects Of long. cold and rather dry
winter and was joyfully renewing its old habits
with the coming Of a new season.
Only dscordant note Jared a little with
the vfnous harmony OF the day. That pro-
ceeded from the District Attorney from his
watch tower at the Union Club.
Mr.. Jerome declared in the afternoon that
the police In the near future would be found
vigilant in the enforcement of the excise law.
and that they knew their duty in this respect
the police could not be made 10 mend their
present ways IN a day. and that he and Com
missioner Partridge practically working
hand in hand for the collection Of material with
which TO teach the police a severe lesson. and
which would probably result in the breaking Of
six or seven police captains. Without an honest
and efficient police force. he said. neither the
office Of District Attorney nor that of Com
missioner Of Police could be expected to do much
in maintaining law and in bringing evildoers to
justice. He was not inclined TO speak at length
excise. as he said It not the duty OF the
District Attorney to enforce the excise law. but
that of the police. The substance OF his remarks
on the subject revealed the fact that the police
are blindly treadng shaky ground. that
many eyes are watching them 10 learn the
manner in which they are performing the work
which they are paid to do. and that many of
them think they are fooIing their superiors when
they really only getting more firmly placed
IN dangerous paths When they are rounded
up with the goods Them there will he a
"shakedown' which. 1t is thought will quickly
bring about the desired change of front in the
police department Plainly and tersely Jerome
told how or indicated in what way the work OF
rerfecting plans for raising the police depart
ment to a high standard being carried out
The police seem to think" said District At
an easy mark He Is far from being an easy
mark They will find he is just the reverse
II is impossible TO accomplish the change Of
heart sought in a day. Give time Commits
sioner Partridge is a thoroughly capable and
honest man. The reason he is thought TO be
an easy mark Is because he does not transfer
the captains about as was done by other COM
mssiOners. His attitude IN this respect meets
with my hearty approval If wholesale trans
fers were made the opportunity Of getting evi-
dence against the captains for failing do their
duty would az good under
ditions. By changing them from one precinct
TO another they could say that they had not
time 10 get acquainted with new place before
being shifted to some other place. An order
from the captain. as almost every body knows.
would result in strict enforcement OF the
excise law"
When will there be a real dry Sunday" "
asked.
Il am not striving to have dry Sundays but
TO make the police do their duty. When six or
seven captains broken for not doing what
they should do tell you the other captains will
quickly that the laws are enforced. l think
you will find after 1 have been in office six
months a great change for the better in the
Police Department. Even II my efforts to help
bring about this desired change were not
cessfuI in that time | would not cease to strive
to obtain the end which is being sought for.
I'm gutter"
There were twenty-eight excise arrests in
Manhattan and The Bronx. by precincts as fol-
Eliza beth-st.. 2; Mulberry-st.. 1; Delancey-st.
1; Union Market. l; West Thirtieth-st:. 3; West
Thirtv-seventh-s .: East Thirty y-ffth-st.. l:
West Forty-seventh-st. l: East Fifty-hrst-st..
2; East Sixty-seventh-st.. . West One hun
dredth-st-. L: East One-hundred- -and-f1urth-st,
l: East ne-hundred-and-twenty- -sixth-st., ,;
West hundred and-fi -fifty-second-st.. 3; Alex
ander- ave. 1; Morrtsania, l; fremont. l; Wake
field, 1, and Bronx Park, 1.
There were thirty-ntne arrests on the preced-
ing Sunday.
ZELAYA MAY VISIT IGLESIAS.