The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-04-27
CAYNOR DEFENDS HIS RULE
pOLlCE CONDITIONS BETTER.
mr. TELLS THE GRAND .ItRY,
C-au ca, out with the Wardman and Dcs.
pottm Checked -Watchmen ought
4 W, to Have Police Power Ex.Com.
missioner BAKER the Next witness.

potism Check cd -Watchmen Ousht
Va, to Have Police Power Ex.Co,n.
missioner BAKER the Next witness.
Mayor Gaynor talked for nearly an hour
And a half Yesterday to the Grand Jury
which is inquiring into police conditions.
When he had finished and was on his way
down in the elevator he thought Of some
thing more he vented to say and went
hack His second visit lasted only u few
minutes. II was said tina. he reminded
tho Grand Jury that ils proceedings
we're supposed to be secret. At any
rate not only were all the members Of
the District Attorneys stan warned not
TO talk but each succeeding witness was
pledged TO secrecy.
The Mayor came from the City Hall
with George Gordon Battle. one Of the
directors of the inquiry. He went Mt
once to the Grand Jury room on the fourth
roor After he had entered the doors Of
the vestibule were closed and policemen
stationed in the District Attorneys Office
took his stand in front of the door.
The Mayor testified that he had done
some important work in connection with
the police. hut that he had proceeded
slowly and carefully. He had no reason.
he said, TO he dissatisfied with what had
been accomplished. In fact he felt il
was matter for congratuaton. When
he took hold Of the Police Department
no had certain reforms in mind. He
believed those reforms had been brought
about very largely. Al any rate a good
start had been made.
He thought that possibly the most
striking reform accomplished was the
abolition Of police graft. That had been
e1tineuished entirely. he assured his
ouestioners. There was little or no
gambling going on in New York and ex-
c,se conditions we're better than he ever
remembered. Now and then the law
was violated. but that was due to human
weakness and was not the result Of police
graft.
The police. he was sure. were no longer
autocratic. He had seen to that. Police
men didn't go about any more levying
on saloon keepers. because payments Of
graft ceased when ne took the plain clothes
men away and ordered that uniformed
men should enter saloon only when il
vas plain to them that the law was being
broken. Nor did the few gamblers that
remain pay tribute. because the wardman
had been abolished.
The Mayor said that he had made the
police feel that they were the servants
not the masters of the people. The pro.
lection Of personal liberty. he said. was n'-
portant. II was part of the duty of the
police to see that citizens were safe.
guarded in their personal liberties. He
dwelt on what he termed the return OF
personal liberty to the city.
Crime wave1 Therr vas no crime
wave There was an absence OF crime
mere. New York was an orderly city. nc
matter what people might say.
The Mayor was asked il he knew any
O'Bren's case. He replied that il was q
departmental matter on which he was
not informed.
The Mayor told the Grand Jury tha
Deputy Commissioner Flynn was doins
his duty and doing it intelligently. 1t ap
reared from his talk that he has beer
very we'll pleased with Flynns handling
Of the gamblers.
Before he left the stand the Mayor said
A good many people are trying to run
the Mayor. but they can't do it,
Few questions were asked OF him
His memory. he said. on the details o!
specific occurrences was not always
clear He was questioned about the
order taking away the shields from
special policemen. an order which was
plants from banks. department stores
and individuals whose watchmen have
los, their police authority as a result o
the order have come to the notice of th'
Grand Jury. Commissioner Driscoll is sale
to have told its members that the orde
did not apply to the subway or elevated
lines
II was said that Mayor Gaynor de
Tended the order vigorously saying tha
many Of the special policemen wer,
not meg who could he trusted with pollc'
althorty They abused the privilege
gwen them. he said, and lost it. He il
also sald TO have stated that if Commits
soner Drscoll understood that the orde
dld not include the special policemen ol
the elevated and subway lines he wal
n -taken, II referred to every one.
Mayor Gaynor was followed by forme
Police Commissioner william +. Bake
and 10y Trial Commissioner Walsh. Tn
presenc" Of the three gave rise to tn
sllrmise that the Grand Jury was tryin
TO learn more about the case of Capt
v brcn who was inspector in charg
OF 'on"y Island and who was tried a
Headquarters as a result of an investiga
Ion OF conditions there made while Joh
Prrroy Mitchell was acting Mayor.
MIR Baker. whom Mayor Gaynor dis
placed for James G. Cropsey, the presen
commissioner. did not wait in the CORR
oor where he might meet the Mayor. h
was shown to the Office of Assistant Dis
irct Attorney Moss and stayed there unit
time for him TO be called He spent nearl
h"lf an hour before the Grand Jury.
was IN Commissioner Bakers regime tina
IN" investigation at Coney Island wa
made and the trial of Capt, O'Brien be
gin Commissioner Baker during hi
service ~ Police Commissioner receive
many letters from the Mayor advisin
MN of the course he should take
Ihlrd Deputy Commissioner Walsh, b'
i"r" whom Capt O'Brien was tried, was III
It...t RI "A L. I,,.