New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-18
OPPOSE CIVIL SERVICE.
Magistrates Prefer to Select Their
Probation Officers.

According to testimony submitted before the State
Probation Commission at the Charities building
yesterday afternoon, the city magistrates ara all
unsItsraby opposed TO Civil Service qualifications
for probation officers The relations between the
magistrate and his probation officer are so close
end confidential. they said that it would be i'm
possible select such officers according to Civil
Service rules
Most Of the Judges agreed also IN preferring a
police officer 10 a civilian IN this capacity.
a Isvless youth or a delinquent husband has q
respect for the blue coat and brass buttons Of the
policeman that the civilian cannot command" said
Magistrate Furlong. Of Brooklyn
Al the same time. the magistrate complained
bitterly that he could not get special officer de-
tailed for this duty. He has 20 utilize members Of
the court squad they are available and these
the Commissioner Of Police is always sending away
70 Go duty IN summer at Coney Island. or in win
ter 81 theatres and political meetings
Z have made applications for q special proba-
ton officer" said Magistrate Furlong, but they
were never granted The Commissipner says he
cannot help Il. as his force is Inadequate 10 the
c,tys needs. But Il re could only have a sufficient
number q probation officers II would effect great
saving 70 the taxpayers"
Other magistrates also complained that their PRO
baton officers were drafted for other work, being
kept on duty sometimes from O'Clock a m. 10
or $50 o'clock the next morning.
Magistrate Pool. whose experience with probation
officers began with the late Mrs. Foster, the
''Toulbs angel" was the only judge who wanted a
civilian in this position.
An educated man or woman said the mag
istrste is better fitted for this work than any
policeman IN existence. Such persons come into
closer touch with the people they have to deal with
than any policeman could. They are more sym
pathetic. They come more directly under the con-
troll and direction Of the magistrate than police
man. and he can talk 10 them with a greater de-
gree Of confidence would rather DO without any
probation officer than have policeman and I am
not alone in my opinion believe the commits
sioner shares it. One Of my probation officers
Frederick a. King was. without exception. the
most efficient officer ever had under my observa-
ton. He brought me information Of conditions the
existence Of which had only conjectured. and the
knowledge was very useful 10 me-
When asFed what information MI King had given
I'm s49lsC.e [Io SAD ne gs-IeIreq LhaL II
should come from Nj King hlIaselI put IN answer
question, ne admitted that Mr.. King mad been
his reports regarding persons on probation. fhis
was one reason he stated for his preference for
leyTnen in such positions.
DO you think there is anything in the position
q policeman W--cA IIle5eS nm prllcul4rIy SUB
Jet 70 this temptation asked the chairman,
MegistraTe Pool was not prepared to say but
reiterated his statement that OF all counts laynen
Magistrate Barlow also stated that money was
used TO influence me reports OF probation oficers
~. N.-el sL - IfLotS I-qs 70 me .lh!E o. q
ostr!ct leader we're Ake!y 70 tead 10 transfer ne
It s Ct The present time the custom IN most q
The city courts for the male probation officer to
rotate with the Judge. while the female officer re-
except Judge Furlong approved OF this arrange
They said that the female officer had to do
with different class Of cases, requiring a knoTl-
edge Of me neignb0rhood. and that by remaining
RttachedstO the court she q. great help TO the
rotating Judge. Magistrate Fu-long said that the
male and the female officer should both be the per-
soaal attaches OF the judge and should go from
court TO court with him Magistrate Furloug
also remarked that time the salaries Of the
women officers, which had been held up in some
mysterious way" by the Controller we're paid
All the magistrates bore witness TO the good work
that the women had done but Magistrate Barlow
declared that about u per cent Of them were utter
y incompetent
Magistrates Wahle Whitman and Battery Dan
Finn we're also called The probation officers VIII
be heard to-day
Among the members Of the commission present
were Assistant District Attorney Howard S. Cans,
Lawrence WELLER, Marcus Stein, Charles F. Nc
he1Ca Samuel J. BarTOV-s. Howard r BaEne. Miss
Alice Woodbridge Mrs Tuuis @. Bergen, OF Brook
Iya; Mrs ". Y Armstrong. Of Rochester, and
Frederick Alr7v 81 FufTslO