New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-07
CONSPIRACY, SAYS MACK
ACCUSES GEN. BINGHAM.
Er-Thid Deputy Declares Chef
Would Bust" Whole Department.

" Ould Bust " h0tS Dep0rfHeHt.
Police Commissioner Bingham and his recen
deruty. James r. Mack. INDUCED in fresh re
examinations yesterday. continuing to contradic
each other as 20 me reasons for Mr. Mack'
hasty resignation on Monday and Mr. Maci
made some fresh charges. declaring that Gen
eraI Bingham in conspiracy TO drive ou'
OF the Police Department several OF the oes'
known and ablest officials In Mulberry Street
General Bingham. although asserting that Mr.
Mack lied in some particulars. did not deny the
conspiracy charge. Said the latter yesterday:
General Bingham told me that he going
20 clean out the force at Police Headquarters
from top to bottom. He swore that by the time
he had been in office six months there would
not be left in the building an official whom ne
found when he went there. he forced lnspec-
tor Brooks out by degrading him. He meant 10
81 the detective bureau. by sending MN 10 the
Tenderloin against his viii. He has determined
20 force out Colonel Kipp, the chief clerk OF the
department, who is the ablest man at Headquar-
tiers and one OF the longest in service there.
Colonel Kipp knows that he will have 10 get
out in a few months at the longest He knows
General Bngham's plan. because he was pres
sent when General Bingham talked to me about
George Hopcroft. deputy clerk who has been
in the service at Headquarters fOrty-fve years
and was attached TO the office of Chief Inspector
Cortright. General Bingham ordered the trans
Ter or Hopcrot TO the complaint clerks office
and told me In Colonel Kipp's presence that
must make charges against Hopcroft and break
him ''D-n him. / want him broken You
must get rid OF him. Prefer charges against
him. c--n him." That is the way General
Bingham talked about Hopcroft when told that
Hopcroft was a Naua BILE account of his
long experience and his familiarity with details.
Hopcrot is now at his home leave of alb
sence, suffering from nervous prostration.
In Hopcroft's case General Bingham was guilty
ol conspiracy because he was acting as the tool
OF Mayor Mcclellan and Fire Commissioner
OBTien. 1T is part OF the Mcclellan O Brien plan
70 clean out the force at Police Headquarters
nF l1fr ola ssnw.f T7 81
building up Of a political organization. and
General Bingham is there 10 DO their work. II
IS part Of the conspiracy turn out Colonel
kipp and his subordnates.
The conspiracy isn't confined to the men at
Police Headquarters. either. General Bingham
is bound 10 break a good many other men in the
department. They who are supposed
10 have worked against Mayor Mcclellan at the
last election. / have been present at discussions
about transfers when the attitude I'm the cam
paign Of the men TO be transferred was talked
over. The orders are given to General Bingham
from the Mayors office through Fire Commits
sioner o Brien and Dan Slattery. General Bling
hams secretary. General Bingham personally
Is so ignorant OF the city and of police affairs
that when he gets an order Slattery has to tell
him what it's all about and what part of the
city it's I'm.
Nj Mack said that in his short stay Police
Headquarters he had discovered that the depart
ment was being robbed I'm the purchases of sup
plies. In the feeding and shoeing Of the police
horses alone he had discovered that it was pos
yearly salary every month. He had no doubt, he
asserted that $4,000 was being wasted in the
police bureau of supplies every year. and that
dishonest deputy in charge of the bureau could
make $4,000 every three months in graft by
winking at the waste.
General Bingham was asked yesterday about
his plan to force out Colonel Kipp and his order
10 have George Hopcroft broken" related
by Mr. Mack and his only reply was, Nothing
TO say
When told that Mr.. Mack asserted that in
discussing transfers he had asked about the at
,itude Of men in the recent election, General
Bingham said hotly: He lies"
Asked again II he were after Colonel Kipp's
scalp. he replied: Nothing to say"
Apparently wishing 10 sum up the situation.
General Bingham said: las a result Of all the
events, II is my judgment that did not get rid
Of Mr.. Mack one second too soon for the eff
cheney Of the Police Department"
Chief Clerk Kipp who is lieutenant colonel of
the 9Th Regiment. and counts among his friends
many Well known and influential Of the
city did not seem to he disturbed yesterday by
the report that he was 10 be forced out Of
Office. He would not talk about a report that
Mayor Mcclellan and Fire Commissioner O'Brien
had plan to GUST him and put one of their
friends in his place lie had heard that some of
his friends We're ready 10 ask Governor Hig-
gins 70 remove Commissioner Bingham as soon
General Bingham served any charges. AS
veteran Of the Civil War. Chief CLERK Kipp could
eot he turned out OF office except on charges
Mayor Mcclellan said yesterday that he had
been informed before Mr Mack resigned OF
General BingEam's purpose 10 get rid of MI
Mack. adding 1T is the constitutional right Of
ever, citizen 10 criticise any one in office and
-ir Mack has simply made use Of his constitu-
Tional riHht I'm going out Of his way 10 insult
me"
Fire Commissioner OBrien said Yesterday that
be did not know until told by Mr. Mack that
J. @ Neishborz MI Mack's stenograpber. had
brother who was brother Of Secretary Roots
secretary. He added:
can we'll understand the agony Of s1lspense I'm
which Mr.. Root and Mr.. Ryan awaited the de-
Cision ~ the Third Deputy Police Commissioner
In The matter OF the retention Of a 81 200 a wear
ftenoErapher. For Mr.. Mack TO have in his
hands the future % all the legislation at Albany
$40 al Washington was great responsibility.
u MI Nelghbors can control the legislation at
Albany and the Secretary ~ State at Washing
Ton ana Nj Ryan i'm New York / will gladly
give him $1,000 year place.
Reports that General Bingham intended TO
force the retirement OF his two remaining depu-
ties. Waldo and O'Keeffe. were fatty contra
dicted Yesterday. General Bingham said he
probably would have everything 10 say in the
selection Of a man TO take Mr. Mack's place
bus he was not ready TO name the man