The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-24
Commissioner Kane, Not COM
niitted to Any Candidate,
Says Ryan Is Eligible.
NEW CHIEF WITHIN MONTH
PREDICTION OF Mr.. BLADDER
Corbitt Admits He Promised to
Retire, but Conditions Are
Changed, He Insists.

sThere will be n new chief of police
within the next month, and he will be
a Democrat, aud more than that, he
will be Captain Ryan of the First Pre-
ciDcf.''
This announcement was made to an
EVENING STAR reporter today by
Commissioner John Baader, and 1t
came with such emphasis as to leave
no doubt of the sincerity Of the
speaker
Commissioner Kane, while declaring
THAI he was eommitted to noseandldate.
said Captain Ryan would make O ca,
pahle chief of the department,
when Chief C'orbitt was told of the
statement made by Commissioner
Baader he exclaimed hotly:
$50 I am going to get out of this
Office, am I. Well, let me tell you one
thing, iii not get ont. They emit put
me nut / asked no one for this job.
and 1 am sure 1 am not going to ask
anybody how long / can stay here"
'The chief says frequently that he
will not get OUT Commissioner Baader
was told.
'eyyell, have mis- promise that when
1t is time for him to step down he Will
do so, and the time has about arrived"
President Harrigan, of the Police
Board, this afternoon said: Chief Cor
bitt is good enough for me until he
comes and says he wants to retire.
When new chief is to be named the
best man will be selected.
Commissioner Kane is of the opinion
that the next chief should be one who
stood the best test as to his fitness. or
course, while the commissioner did not
say SO in words, he let 1t be known
that one of the qualifications for the
new chief must be that he is a Demo-
crat. Commissioner Bennett is of the
same opinion as Commissioner Kane,
while President Harrigan had nothing
to say on the subject.
Chief Corbitt today waxed warmer as
he continued:
Corbitt Says Law Protects Him.
.'There is a law that protects me in
this Office, and as long as | can do duty
fifteen hours out of the twenty-four !
am going to stay here. | was made
patrolrnan without asking for it. I was
made captain without asking for 1t,
and I asked no one for this present
office. For twenty years was police
captain and did my duty at all times,
When l took hold of the Third Precinct
l found politics and not police duty
to be the chief work of the men.
broke this up and chased politics out
of the precinct"
"Is it true, chief that you got your
present position only after making
certain promise to retire at a certain
time?"
who says sc?" snapped the chief.
AZ want to say to you. made no such
promise, and the story that Captain
RYAN sidestepped for me is news.
never. knew OF any such thing. If one
Police Commissioner says | am going
10 get out, what do tho others say
about it?
"Don't YOU think it would be manly
for the commissioners to say to me,
Chief. YOU are over the age limit, and
we want you to step down and out
That would be the proper way.
"But If they get ugly about it will
give them a fight. Then they say Ryan
is going to be chief. Well, some OF the
commissioners have other men in view,
but they will have to wait until have
made up my mind to retire. / will 40
that when 1 see fit" And Chief Cor
bitt went out to attend to his official
duties,
"Now, as to my promising to get out,
I will be truthful to you about It,
did make promise, but under condi-
tions that do not exist now. wasn't
a we'll man and intended to get out the
following october or November SUBJ
sequent to my appointment as chlei.
I was a very sick man NOW leel
better than ever before. The commits
sioners can tell you about this promise,
but that Is the only one"