New-York tribune., 1911-03-26
.CORR|GAN CHALLENGES
MAYOR TO GUST HIM
"In the Fight to Go the Limit. :"
Magistrate Says Of His At
tack on Police Methods.
ARRESTS DROP 20 PER CENT
Bureau Gives Figures-E. A,
Philbin Says Corrigan's State
ment Of Conditions Is
Entirely Correct.

! cnailenge MAYOR "a nor 10 'IN "
remove me from Office" said Magistrate
Corrigan yesterday. The Mayor has
no power az removal over me. The APP
pellate Division il the only body with
the power OF removal over city mag
istrates'
Magistrate Corrigan had been all the
afternoon in consultation with his friends
over police conditions in this city when
ne issued his challenge 70 the Mavor.
II am in this fight 10 go the limit. he
continued ut was only after deliberate
consideration that sent my letter TO the
newspapers. have been a close Oh
server Of police conditions In New York
for many years and the places ! have
held in the District Attorneys office and
On the bench qualify me 10 speak as an
expert. Ny letter expressed my delib-
crate opinion.
For several months 7 have had II in
my mind 70 write this letter. intended
10 write il last summer. but 7 learned
that the MAYOR was about n 90 20 Eu
rope. and I held of then until his re-
turn. II would do no good 10 write the
letter while he was away. and I did not
want 10 be put IN the position OF making
ar attack or him behind his back.
though this Is in no way to ~ consid-
cred personal attack.
Waited for Mayor 70 Get We'll.
After the MAYOR vas shot waited
lie
wounds. Now -el that It is impossible
70 wait longer. The conditions are such
that they c-y for action. and something
must he done 10 make life and property
safe in this cit, and 70 end the open and
constantly increasing violations Of the
law
II have started this tight and I am in
II 20 stay the limit"
Magistrate. COrrigan would not talk
about the evidence he had 70 present 70
the grand jury. If one should be called 20
investigate the conditions he has rected
in his letter, but it was known among
his friends that he hoped for and urged
grand jury inquiry He has large
amount of detailed evidence 20 present
before that body. and he Is prepared 70
suggest many lines for investigation. but
he does not want 10 inform beforehand
those whom he considers responsible fo-
tho conditions. so that thcy MAJ hI,d
up their defences.
The Bureau OF Municipal Research is-
sued yesterday table comparing the
number of arrests for various crimes in
tho last six months Of 1909 and 1910
Tho table showed d total Of arrests ~
1909 Of io2.774 and a total in 1910 of
73.o1i. decrease in 1910 of 90 go Or
90 per cent The arrests for homicide
in the last six months Of 1909 numbered
397. while in 1910 the number was 2oI.
p decrease Of 42.S por cent,
Force Is Oemorall zed"-phlbir.
Eugene \. Phnbin. who was appointed
District Attorney nv Governor Roose-
velt 10 succeed Asa Bird Gardner. up
held Yesterday the position taken by
Magistrate Corrigan.
The force. as a force. is den7oraHzed.' o.
ne said. speaking Of the police. Never
i'm my time has il been I'm such n state
and / believe that whether mis- statement
was judicious and well timed or not.
Magistrate Corrigan was entirely cor
rect in his description Of the conditions.
Mon are afraid Of their commanding Of
iicers. not in the old sense OF knowing
that they must obey them. but in the
sense Of having no confidence in them.
most 20 call their souls their own. OF
course. such q condition IS intOerable.'
When Patrolmen Rafferty, and Dc
Milto went 20 the Harlem police court
Yesterday for warrants for tho arrest "
the managers of a boxing bout at ths
New Polo Athletic cub Oh Friday night
MAGISTRATE Butts added his opinion TO
the many already expressed in condem-
nation Of the administration Of the Po
lice Department
1T l. a confession through YOU police
men Of the general ineficiency Of the
Police Department. said the magis
trate. and reflects no credit upon police
affairs Of the city Of New York for you
10 ask for A summons or a subpoena
when Won make no sworn statement Of
a crime being committed NOW under
stand. 7 don't blame YOU TWO policemen,
or your Heutenants or your captain. but
il certainly shows the ineXperlence. If
not the stupidity. in tho police admins
tration Of New York. The court Is pow
erloss to put in motion its usual process
iu this case. and your application FOR a
warrant is denied"