New-York tribune., 1911-04-04
Magistrate Replies: "This Mat.
ter Is Too Big to Deal with
Personalities"
CROPSEY AGAIN A WITNESS
Grand Jury Investigating Police
Department, Now Starts to
Dig Into Excise Law
Violations.

Department was receiving further cvt.
dence yesterday afternoon. Mayor Cay
nor took occasion to reply TO Magistrate
Joseph f. Corrigan's further criticism
Of police affairs at the City clubs
luncheon on Saturday by personal allu-
sions TO the magistrate which the latter
met by suggesting that the Mayors re-
marks did not remedy the Increase %,
AZ per cent of homcides during the last
year"
"As have stated" said Magistrate
Corrigan. this matter is too big TO deal
with personalities. The grand jury Is
investigating my statements. and they
will find out that they are true"
The remarks Of Mayor Gaynor to
which he referred were a follows:
do not persist in asking me about
Corrigan. He is one of those In this
city whose heads are filled with vice and
crime How did their heads get so filled
with vice and crime? You only have 20
follow them around at night to find thae
out. Let those who want to befoIl this
vicious place go right on. Those OF us
who have to deal with the city intend TO
go right on with the large things which
confront us"
Long Wait for Cropsey.
Police Commissioner Cropsey was an
hour and a quarter outside OF the grand
fury room waiting to give further testi.
mony.
They'll have the whole police force
here after a while" was his comment
when he arrived shortly after 3 o'clock
and noticed Captain McElroy. OF the
West 3Oth street station, standing there.
Captain McElroy had been subppnaed
TO produce half dozen blotters OF his
precinct He was in the jury room only
long enough 10 turn them over to the
grand jurys secretary.
They are to be used II is understood.
TO make comparisons with the so-called
"soueal book" used at headquarters FOR
the entry Of all complaints. Commis-
sioner Cropsey did not produce this book
Yesterday. hut il will I've given up as
soon as the grand jury requires IL.
For the time being the blotters turned
over by Captain McElroy verified state
ments 10 the grand jury by previous WIZ
nesses regarding peculiar entries mahc
therein. Just what the entries are were
not disclosed yesterday. bur 1t IS sa'n
that they throw interesting light upon
methods Of the present police era.
croos.v Out After 25 Minutes,
commissioner Cropsey was in the
Grand ilry room about twenty-five MIN
utes.
Are Won never going to discuss po-
lice conditions" he was asked.
Never" he replied
While he was sitting outside. William
T. MUMMY. counsel for the Patrolmen's
Benevolent Association. arrived anu
went inside. Murphy resigned from o'e
ro,ice force in March. 1910. after four
taan wears service. For five years prior
% bis resignation he had been connected
with the legal bureau Of the department.
having been admitted to the bar IN i''o'
1ye resigned because he was assigned 70
patrol duty.
.I can tell the grand Jury whole lot
II they will let me-" he remarked as no
entered the jury room.
EFF there is any laXity on the part OF
the uatrolmen OF the Police Depart
n,ent." he ST., giving an outline of the
information he intended TO supply 10 tho
waiting jurors, as spokesman for the
,en thousand policemen In the depart
ment. ut is brought about by their IN
ability 10 meet the new line OF ponce
duty required by the present admlnistra-
ton
| IF an officer holds up a man on sus-
pic.on. for instance. and that man ooes
nor turn out TO be a crook, he can prins
complaint against the officer. This
complaint generally reads that the pa
trolman is charged with conduct un'
becoming an officer with 'assaulting
citizen or with profane and indecent
language
Complaint Stays on Record.
"If the complaint is dismissed IT re-
mains on his record a a complaint MADE
against him by a citizen but dismissed.
and will be taken into consideration
when he comes up for promotion.
~ will cite the case OF serseant
Hughes. In Brooklyn. who stopped man
carving a dress suit case at s O'Clock
IN the morning The man resented the
| suggestion Of the policeman that mis-
travelling around at that hour OF the
morning with a suitcase was suspicious.
He exhibited the contents OF the case.
which 1. happened. contained photo
graphic plates The man was a photog-
rarher.
"The man brought complaint against
Hughes. and although the complaint was
dismissed IL will be considered In the
record OF Hughes when he comes UP
for promotion.
Heretofore a complaint OF that kind
would have been inspected 10y the in
spector. who would decide whether or not
Il was worthy OF consideration by the
trial commissioner. and II would not
have appeared on Hughes's record.
"As a result OF the Hughes case men
have come into my office and told me
they would not take chance in such an
event. and | don't blame them"
The lawyer also referred To the ''shoo-
fly" policemen who spy on patrolmen.
reporting as slight an infraction OF the
department rules as conversation With
a friend