New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-16
BAKER SEES MAYOR
Gayr0r Asks an .AbOut Plain
clothes Men.


clothes Men.
Mayor Gsynor's war on s.ths system Of
police misruie has its sSirInish line al the
very heart OF the enemy's country. and.
what r. more. the Mayor Is now ready 10
make his attack IN the open and let ths
public know H. Yesterday he gave ont a
letter which he had written 20 Commits
siOner Baker asking for the name and sta
ton 81 every "plsinclOthes man" IN the de-
partment and openly questioning the neces-
sity for piainclOthes men at All and ths
abuses Of power. possible and actual which
spring from their employment
The men who know the history Of police
scandals say that a piainclOthes man has
been concerned IN almost every shady
Transaction that has ever come TO light
Not all Of them are grafters. these men
say. but their position under direct orders
from the captain % their district and the
fact that without uniform they cannot be
recognized by strangers as policemen have
made them the customary messengers be-
tween dishonest police officers and the
saiOOnkeepers. gambling house keepers and
women who have had 20 pay blsckmail FOR
protection
The Mayors letter shows that hs has
learned ana pOndered over All this That
he wants the names and addresses % ali
the plainclothes men Il believed 20 show
that his Investigations have already car
ried him even further than had been sus-
pected. The mere fact that he made hts in
quiry openly and no longer in secret Is
looked on as proof that he has practically
made up his mind 70 some definite pro-
gramme and that his plan II likely 70 elm
mate the pIainclothes men altogether. The
letter says:
Please be 50 good a. 70 furnish me with
the following information;
L How many OF the uniformed force are
where ass', are they stationed and what are they
dOingf What do they do which cannot Dc
Just as we'll done BY man man ~ ne. Si ~ rol
I lect money! II they are permitted 70 enter
saloons and houses. do you not think ~
/ inevitable that they Will take money % stay
out or % see nothing wrong II they come
in2 Why should not all such services ne
done bv men in uniform. 50 That every one
may see and know that they are police
> How many Of the force are assigned 20
what Is called special duty. what are their
/ have now come to the point I'm my con
| stantly interrupted consideration Of the
| Police Department where this Information
| is necessary.
/ soon after this letter was sent 70 Police
/ Headquarters Commissioner Baker arrived
AT the City Hall.
There are about so plainclothes men in
l the department. IL is said They are at
tached 10 the different stations and are
always personally known 20 their captains.
often owing their appointments 70 the cap
tain's recommendation. Their duties in
cIude the minor detective work Of the pre-
cinet for which It is not advisable 20 call
on the Central once
! The Mayors letter follows directly on his
order for a probe into the cases Of two
patrolnen. Thomas keenan, and Charles +.
| Cunningham. who arrested a number OF
Bronx salOOnkeepers for violating the Sun
day law. although the two patrOimen were
i of duty and out % their districts Com
missioner Baker said yesterday that charges
were being prepared and that the two men
would be tried as soon as practicable. The
Mayor intends. II II said, 90 probe these
cases 20 the bottom and find out during the
/ process az he can about how the excise
Z law il administered in The Bronx.
/ George c. d'Arry. counsel for one Of the
arrested saloOnkeepers. said yesterday that
| Cunningham told him as long ago as jan
I uafy 81 NnaL ne tGuunlusidlul MEANT 10 ar
rest the president OF every liquor dealers
| association in the city so as 70 show
things up"
! Commissioner Baker also announced a
number OF changes in the department. In
l spector John F. Linden. in charge Of the
\ Bureau OF Repairs and Supplies. was re-
duced 10 the grade OF captain and sent 70
the s0th Precinct. az Stapleton. Staten ISL
and His place will be filed BY Lieutenant
/ Frank Rathgeber. Captain John J. Murtha,
I Of the Brooklyn Bridge squad. was placed
I in charge OF a new inspection district-the
iSth-vith Offices al Police Headquarters.
/ He will look after the squads OF the Brook
/ Ign, Williamsburg. Mahattsn and Queens
bOro bridges.
Captain Thomas Palmer. OF StapletOn.
was sent 20 Mulberry street station. and
I Captain James McGlynn 20 the Fulton
/ street station. Brooklyn. while Captain Gil
l lespie IS on two months sick leave. Lieu
tenant Edward Bourke was appointed act
/ ing captain OF the Brooklyn Bridge squad
/ PatrOlman James Lambert was dropped
/ from the force. He was convicted before
/ Deputy Commissioner Walsh on a charge OF
playing cards in a Brooklyn club when he
! should have been on post.