Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01


began the reduction at the
building. 800 Mulberry street.
Heirs delight he exclaimed mildly,
there il no reason for many Ice coolers
In this building. There Is no reason for one
In nay Office. one next door, one next door
to that and several others on the Ssrns
door. There will be only one for us all
Gen. Bingham changed the subject by
telling the reporters how much service he
was getting out OF his automobile.
II made trip through Brooklyn yester-
day" he said. ''and we covered thlr;y-iiye
miles in two hours"
Then you must have exceeded the speed
limit" suggested one Of the reporters-tne
ever alert
The commissioner was a trtae taken back
for an instant, but he soon recovered HIM
self
well. dammitalI." he said conadentlally.
Brooklyn is a fine place and has lots OF
fine, open roads. with not much traffic.
We went trifie fast l reckon"
Gen Bingham and the newspaper men
fight many drawn battles, but they are all
good-natured affairs. The public like 10
read any of his new EXPLANATIONS and the
general doesn't seem to mind.
Soaked the Deputy.
After leaving washington. some years
ago. General Bingham was assigned to
government engineering work at Buffalo
1t was there that he met with the acct
-
ing derrick so badly mangled one of his
legs that amputation was necessary Cen
eral Bingham escaped death by the mar
rowest OF chances. As IL was, his recovery
was doubtful for some time after the ac-
eident. Except for the fact that he walks
with stout cane and limps slightly the
effect of the accident Is not noticeable
General Bingham was retired with tho
rank next above his grade, that of briga-
der general AS New York's commission
er of police he draws salary OF $500
a year, the pay of a major general on tho
active list OF the army. General Bingham
mas an automobile and policeman for a
chauffeur. There was some little hesi-
fancy on the part Of the alderpen in ap-
proving his request for four new automo-
blies recently to cost in the aggregate
$4,000 But he finally got the approprfa-
ton through and bought the autos. one
for himself and one for each of his three
deputy. commissioners-One OF the deputies
being In charge of the Brooklyn precincts
All have policemen as chauffeurs and
the advantages attaching to such an ar
rangement are not to be despised. The
other day First Deputy Commissioner
Rhinelander Waldo was trundling along
In the Bronx when small boy let fly
with an over-rtpe tomato and caught the
police dignitary squarely the jaw. A
crowd of youngsters had been amusing
themselves all afternoon by fiinging all
manner of vegetables at passing automo-
bilists. They reckoned without the chauf-
feur WHEN they tackled Deputy Waldo
threw the tomato start to run away. He
put on all speed and after chase around
two or three blocks he landed the young
ster and hauled him off to the police sta
tton, where he was locked up on charge
of disorderly conduct.
Knows No Politics.
In taking the office he now holds Gem
eral Bingham made II a condition of ac-
ceptance that he was to have absolutely
free rein. The condition was agreed TO by
the mayor and since that time General
Bingham. and no one else. has been tho
head of the department. Never having
been resident Of New York city. and hav-
ing grown up In the army. from his cadet
days at West Point. he had never mingled
In politics. With no axes to grind and no
favors to repay, General Bingham went
into the police department free agent.
Personally he was well equipped for the
place. Strong determination. self reliance.
unflinching courage and honesty of pur-
pose are generally admitted to be tho
dominating Influences Of his administra-
ton.
Gen. Bingham as soon as he got ir touch
with the police situation. began by abolish
ing all the special squads his predecessor
In office had established. The only squad
he left behind was the traffic squad, whose
members, mounted and on foot. have abso-
lutte charge of the traffic at crowded CEN
tiers. This squad was found to be doing
splendid service. and there was a general
demand tnat II SnOuld be allowed to
main. Gen. Bingham had no intention OF
abolishing 1t, and the traffic squad promises
to continue lasting monument TO the po-
lice administration of Commissioner Me
Adoo. Traffic regulation had in the past
been handled by the police of the various
precincts. Putting trained men in the seTy-
ice and all under one head worked mar
velous change. The traffic squad OF today
is one OF New Yorks finest police assets
But Gen. Bingham scattered the vice squad.
the theater squad and numerous others.
When he got through with his work along
this line he had sent nearly COO policemen
back to patrol duty on the street-"where
they will do the most good he soliloquized.
Commands a Small Army.
Little by little Gen. Bingham has gone
over the entire department. He has studied
the men in command of the various pre-
cincts and at the end of six months has
practically reorganized the force, far as
his authority to transfer. retire and rein
state officers and men will permit. He is in
command of 5000 men-quite army He
wanted the force increased to above 10000.
and believes eventually he will be allowed
the extra men. although the cost Of the in
c. ease will be more than 81 $4,000 a year.
Gen. Bingham, IL will be remembered, or
ganized the park police force in Washing
ton the green uniforms of the members at
tracing much attention. 1t was sort OF
prophetic that from this tiny force he
SlOuIQ De CdilSu 10 pTeSlue over the ldEBeSI
police organization of the western hem
isphere.
Cen Bingham had a new duty thrust
upon him the other day by the aldermen,
who passed ordinance prohibiting the
disrlay OF aughty posters on the biliboards
OF the cify and creating the police commits
sioner the censor OF advertising morals.
The ordinance was a sweeping one. but at
the same time leaves much to the judgment
Of the censor. 1t provides fine OF from
$40 to 800 for any person who shall lin
any manner expose TO the public view
of any show. play or per-
Torrance, any indecent print or any pic
ture or cut tending to represent the doing
OF any criminal act. tending to deprave the
morals OF individuals shocking to the
sense of decency, or tending to incite the
mind to acts of immortality OF crime, or to
famliarize and accustom the minds OF
young persons with the same"
This language seems not only to apply
TO the hgh-kicking burlesquers but to the
lurid Autographs depicting alleged scenes In
Chinese opium dens. murders, hold-ups and
many other melodramatic thrillers.
Last Sunday Gen. Bingham decided to
make a strenuous effort to stop the speeding
Of automobiles. On the Sabbath the streets
are filled with children at play and the au-
tomobile accidents that day have been