The Washington herald., 1912-09-25
CR0PSEY TELLS
Of RESIGNATION
Former Police Commissioner OF
New York Says He Called
Gaynor Liar.
CONFDES TO ALDERMAN,
COWARD ALSO WAS USED
Waldo, Upon Being Recalled, De.
clares that Blame for Appoint
ments Rests with Creelman.

New York. Sept. 24-After Jane
Cropsey. District Attorney of Brooklyn
had testified before the aldermanic inves
tigating committee that, while Polic'
Commissioner, he called Mayor Gaynor &
coward TO his face. and told him he lied
| Commissioner Waldo. recalled as a wit
appointment OF unfit policemen TO tht
Civil Service Commission. OF which
James Creelman is the head.
| Creelman testified yesterday that Waldo
| himself was responsible for the appoint
ment OF these policemen. and that he haC
! no option in the matter. This afternoon
however Waldo, taking up specific cases
| tried to show that Creelman's boart
was to blame. He admitted that he hat
| appointed sixty policemen without inves
tigation, but justified his action by de
claring that there was a crying need
| for additional patrolmen at that time.
Asked by Inquisitor Buckner II he made
any attempt to find out what sort of men
he was putting on the force. he said he
accepted those certified by the Civil Serv-
ice Commission.
Accuses Mayor of Falschood.
Cropsey's testimony was the sensation
of the hearing. He accused Mayor Gay
nor OF falsehood as a witness. told of his
own denunciation of the Mayor as a cow
ard just prior TO resigning from the de-
partment, and warmly defended his sys-
TEN of appointments-which was over
turned by waldo on the Mayors order
as soon as Waldo took Office.
The witness opinion OF Mayor Gaynor
was further illumined by his declaration
that he resigned because his conscience
would not permit him longer TO hold his
place under the Mayor.
The committee adjourned this after
neon until Saturday.
Mr.. Cropsey's lively testimony came
when Lawyer Buckner. inquisitor for the
committee. bringing up the subject Of
the Commissioners visit to the Mayor
on May IS. 1911. asked If they discussed
the entire police situation.
We talked for long time" said Mr.
Cropsey.
Talked Freely to Gaynor.
While l feel that was respectful to
the Mayor. l think l told him what
thought. When l got up that morning
read in the newspapers a letter he had
written to me- When l got to the Office
received copy of the letter. / asked
him how that letter got into the news
ed my question several times as insis-
tently as I possibly could. Finally he
said: Yes: I did give it to the news
papers, Then 1 said: Mr.. Mayor. it
seems to me to be a most unjustifiable
act. Its only significance to me is that
you do not want me any longer as Po-
lice Commissioner. You know l wanted
to resign three months ago. l told you
my conscience would not permit me to
do the things you wanted me to do. II
you wanted me to get out of office, you
need not have gone about 1t in this un-
fair, cowardly, and ungentlemanly way.
1t was unjustifiable from any point of
view / want to add. in justification of
the Mayor, that he did say he had acted
unfairly in giving that letter to the
1 told him a great deal
more than I have stated here"
Mr.. Buckner then read to Mr.. Cropsey
extracts from the Mayors testimony, in
which the Mayor denied that Cropsey's
system Of appointments had anything
to do with the Commissioner leaving the
Police Department Cropsey repudiated
the Mayors statement.