New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-13

backing OF Mr.. Mcclure and another Bronx
leader, Thomas O'Nefu The Bronx is looking
FOR recognition in the Police Department
MR.. CowANs COMMENTS.
Mr.. Covvan said yesterday that he would
main until April J. or until such time as HIS sue
cessor was appointed. and would do everything
in his power to facilitate business for Commits
sioner McAdoo.
"A man he's a right to resign a position
without giving any reason" said Mr.. Cowan
but when he takes the trouble TO give out
statement OF his reasons he should be correctly
reported. one Of the papers this morning re-
ported me as having said, IN answer 20 a ques-
ton as TO what Deputy Commissioner McAvoy
die in the department God knows This was
an intimation that I cast a slur on an assoc
clate for whom ! have the highest respect and
friendship. I never made use OF any such ex-
precision. I distinctly said that did not know
just what Mr.. McAvoy's duties We're as was
too busy with my own work 10 nnd out am
satisfied he has all he can attend to-
There is no mystery IN my resignation
am going because the work is distastefuL Be
fore I took the office ] thought II would be
fine thing 10 be connected with the Police De-
partment, hut / was soon disabused OF mat A
man IN this Office has no private life. Ihere IS
a telephone I'm your house, ana you are 'aAed
up at all hours OF the day and night by people
who want 10 talk things over with you Reading
IS one OF my faTOrlte afnuSeinelltS. pll nave
not had time 10 open a book since took TINS
position on January l. You are called Com
missioner for two years. and then you become
an ex-Commiss'0ner and there are as many Of
those fellows as there are Kentucky colonels'
Mr.. Cowan asked if 1t was true that he
was disgrUntled because he could not have po-
liceman who lived in his district transferred
when they desired to be. He laughed and re-
ilied:
7 asked for only one transfer. and that was
made, and i feel certain that If / had asked for
others my request would have been granted"
Referring 10 the question Of gambling in Har-
( L. \
those stories in regard 20 the Harlem Id being
of, the fact Of the matter is there i'd
/ didn't bother about gambling In my district.
I was working here every night until 10 or II
O'Clock, and then had 10 90 up 20 my district
and meet about one hundred people, and IL was
so late wheE ] finished / was tired and had
10 60 TO bed: There was handbook gambling
gong on IN that part OF the city, no doubt, the
same as elsewhere. and do not see just how il
can be stopped. no matter how NiEilaEt the 20
I lice are. ] am satisfied that my district Is clean
and is not infested with gamblers. as the news
paper stories claim. / viii just give you an in
stance. Percy NsEle's brother Jack has a
saloon in One-hundred-and-tw entv-fourth-st
was Informed that a certain man opened a game
, there. This soon afte- / became Deputy
Commissioner. This man Joined the Mohawk
/ Club the district organization Of which 1 am
the man and told him that If he did not stop the
game at once I would The game was stopped
Members Of the Mohawk Club arc respectable
mer. The majority % them are not members
Of p political organization in order 20 secure
office. but merely that they may have a pleasant
clubhouse 10 so TO and meet people. They do
not care abou. gambling / doubt n there Is
\ man in thai organization who cares about
playing cards. I made ms fight for the district
leadership against Percy Magic on the issue %
cleaning the district and keeping II clean. and
I won out. Before I becanIc leader, the district
was infested with gamblers and sharpshooters"
There was rumOr in Brooklyn yesterday
that Haggerty was being encouraged TO stand
his ground by Timothy d. Sullivan. as well as
McCarren.