New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-15
Continued from second page.

81 the inspectors and captains Dark and
devious methods of retaliation by the sys-
tom were not employed. The system, for
once ar least was mt work in broad day
light Also IL chose the best day Of The
week 10 strike the blow. Swiftly the word
travelled through the department: Smash
the saloons and go along the line That
ono Sunday was Sahara in Now York.
Gambling houses as we'll as saloons were
closed.
This meant, Of course, that lawbreakers
would quit paying so much a week to those
higher up for protection. This meant
also that the district leaders would not be
able TO hold control The administration
would automatically pass out Of favor The
revolt of the patrolmen endured through
out the whole Of that Sunday. The next
Sunday everything was right and proper
once more TIE superior officers ana the
patrcImen had met Tn the mean time. Every
saloonkeeper willing 10 produce the requi-
site s. a week reioiced produced. and vlo-
lated the law The SYSTEMS roller had
smoothed ont all wrinkles.
The membership of the Patrolmen
Benevolent Association alone is upward Of
eight thousand men. IL includes on its roll
the uame Of every officer II the Police De-
uartment who Las passed through the
grade Of patroman. The ostensible pur-
nose of its existence Is set forth by its
title. but evidently what the critics Of the
Police Department mean when they refer
bitinglv to the system is that the functions
NJ the association arc not fully set forth
4, IFS name They doubtless mean that the
nublic should ask itself whether, In view
u the extent Of the work performed by tile
Benevolent Association, IL or the officials
elected bv the people OF the city decide the
question of the enforcement " the laws or
the reverse
These critics contend that the ability Of
the system 10 see that laws are ignored Is
so.lv 10 be understood in view of the way
the system works through It's friends
The. declare that the patrolman often is a
friend Of the saloonkeeper, the sergeant OF
the small politician. the captain u me
gamblers and the bigger politicians, and
The inspector Of the political leaders ana
their moneyed associates The power ~
such system 20 do things resulting in the
handing down Of wrons decisions by police
court magistrates Is also pointed out Oy
those Who arc working for an Improvement
in police conditions.
when a person is arrested he rs first
taken 10 the magistrates court. as II Is
sometimes called. More often II Is called
the police court. Which Is IL? The records
show that about three-fourths ~ all COM
ulalnsnts i'm that court are policemen. The
degree Z corruption that may be In the
Police Department cannot. II is maintained,
fan 20 affect the whole court Not that
the magistrates would knowingly be a
party to anything that was unfair The
argument OF the men who from time 10
time criuCse the police system would be-
that the court is often transformed into
police whip 10 lash refractory criminals
into obedience TO the law OF the station
house This is the system OF reasoning
followed by such students Of police con-
ditions.
They say that a really successful police
captain knows exactly what evidence will
force magistrate 10 retain his prisoner
ana what missing evidence will lead 20 his
discharge. BY judging strictly on the evil
dcnce. as all good magistrates should DO
the result foreseen and desired by the cor
rupt Official VINO superintendent the gather
INK OF evidence. complete and ancomplete
h. thus brought about The perfectly good
Judge therefore. IL is 20 ne seen, assists IN
the working Of the most refined injustice
and the operation is automatic
The stck-toEether handspring of the sys-
tenn enables the critics say. the inspectors
| ana captains, II 80 inclined, 10 plan the Sc