The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-18
BINGHAM ASSAILS
MAYOR MCCLELLAN
Continued from PAGE One.

politics and enter some other business
and in the meantime there would be. as
the commissioner put it, "A clean and
independent administration, above all Ill
terror influence"
DeIuSiOn Short Lived.
But" says Gen. Bingham. Il was
wrong. Ny delusion was very short
lived. soon learned that most unpleas-
ant truth. that no matter how good his
intentions were, George 3. Mcclellan did
not possess strength Of character enough
to keep his promise and TO keep poll
tics out Of M end Of his administration.
This was evident in many ways. almost
before the echoes of his words 20 me
had died away; certainly ! had ample
proof OF II before the first year Of his
second administration was well under
way"
The mayors fight against Charles +.
Murphy at the primaries and its result
are reviewed by Gen. Bingham. who
then goes on 20 give the reasons why. as
he says. one part Of the mayors plans
to obtain control of Tammany failed.
The trial. he says. led TO police head
quarters, and was the first cause Of their
strained relations.
Not Given Cooperation.
Il had assumed the duties OF the head
Of the force with the understanding that
was to have the active cooperation OF
Mayor Mcclellan" says Gen. Bingham.
Instead. I not only did not have his aid.
but constantly had to fight against him
and the political favors others had per-
suaded him 20 order me TO grant. So
bad did this political influence become in
some precincts in Manhattan after
Mayor Mcclellan began his contests at
the primaries for the leadership OF Tam
many Hall that l had TO make radical
changes in the personnel OF those dis
tricts.
lone precinct IN particular Is IN my
mind and there IL became doubtful wheth-
er the police commissioner or the de-
partgent leader was actually and active
ly in command Of the local police This
was the Harlem district. OF which Percy
Nagle now an alderman. but still a dis
trict leader. was the political ruler The
result was that discipline ceased to eN-
list. ana the policemen feared Nagle more
than their superiors II his orders con-
flictcd with the police orders. IL was dol
lars to doughnuts that Nagle was the
one obeyed."
Changed Captains.
One Of the measures that Bingham says
he took 10 put an end 10 the evil con-
dluons in this precinct. was TO send VI
there a new and active captain. There
wasn't much Improvement, he says, be-
cause Immediately rumors became gen
eral IN the district that the new captain
was 10 be transferred, whereupon be
adds
Il received a polite request from the
city hall 10 send the captain 10 another
station. Instead. went up 20 the station
and gathered every policeman IN that
precinct before me I made a speech. de-
clarlng that their new captain would not
be transferred, no matter who made the
request I told the mayor all this. and
he only smiled in a supercilious way"
The former commissioner says that he
never had any idea OF closing up decenr
resorts on Coney Island on Sundays. but
he did desire 70 suppress illegal ones.
The men behind these" he charges,
were able 70 get 10 the mayor through
Senator Patrick McCarren; that the dive
keepers knew what Mayor Mcclellan was
Inspector John Russell. who had been
instrumental in getting evidence against
the dives. was made known 10 me just
two days before the mayor ordered such
action taken"