The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1909-07-02
CommissionerBingham
Is Remoued From
His Position
RESIGN
Commissioner Given Twelve Hours in
Which to Remove Subordinates. De.
clines to Act, But Obnoxious Officers
Tender designations, This, However,
Does Not Save Commissioner.

RIEW YORK, July lit was
announced today that Mr..
. Hanson had rendered his
resignation and that Mr.. Bing-
ham had accepted it. The depu-
ty commissioner in his letter of
resignation asserted that his re-
moval was not demanded because
of his connection with the Duffy
case, but because of the demands
of politicians who were unable
to influence his decisions in po-
lice trials. In accepting the res
lgnation Commissioner Bingham
lauded the retiring deputy.
With Mayor Mcclellan and Police
Commissioner Bingham at odds and
uncertainty shrouding the situation, It
has been many years since conditions
in New York police circles have been
SO chaotic as they were when the city
awoke to the business of today. Mayor
McClellan's drastic order of last
night demanding of Police Commits
stoned Bingham the removal of GER
tain of the latter's trusted lieuten-
ants, created crisis which the 12-
hour limit fixed by the mayor for
compliance with his orders was be-
lieved would dissolve. The expira-
tion of the time limit, however, found
Deputy Commissioner Hanson and
Secretary Slattery, the officials mark
ed by the mayor for removal, still in
office and no indication as to what
the commissioners intentions were
concerning the other peremptory or
ders issued by the mayor.
1t was generally expected that the
commissioners removal would follow
his noncompliance with the executive
demands. The mayor has full power
to make such removal at any time.
The mayor today directed Inspector
McCafferty to prevent either Commits
sioner Bingham or Deputy Commits
sioner Hanson from removing any pa
pers from their office, although they
were to be permitted undisturbed oe-
cupancy of their quarters. The may
or's directions further were that First
Deputy Commissioner Baker was to
be considered in charge of the depart
ment and that the inspector was to
take orders only from that official.
The designations of Deputy Police
Commissioners F. H. Bugher and Ar
thur Woods, and of Secretary Daniel
G. Slattery were accepted by Com
missioner Bingham just before he was
removed from office. Commissioner
Bingham said on receiving notice of
his removal:
Il am now a has been. Politics
caused it ALL"
The removal was followed by the
announcement that the mayor had ap-
pointed VIM. F. Baker, the first dep
uty commissioner, acting commission
er to succeed General Bingham. Pro-
ceedingS in behalf of an inconspicu-
Gus and almost friendless youth
brought about General Bingham's re-
moval from the police commissioner
ship. Commissioner Bingham's re-
fusal to comply in the entirely with
Mayor McClellan's order following an
investigation of the case of Geo. B.
Duffy, a 19-year-old Brooklyn boy,
lead to the official decapitation of the
commissioner
Duffy's case was taken up recently
by Supreme Court Justice Gaynor.
who in scathing letters to the mayor
asserted that the youth had been made
the victim of police persecution, that
he had been frequently arrested with
out justification and despite Commits
sioner Bingham's knowledge of the
youths innocence, the police had re-
fused to remove Duffy's picture from
the rogues' gallery.