New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-29

40 YsTBM'-apphed 10 ue H,o, NC
~ general method by which ponce
- collect tribute from gamblers
,isor5erly house keepers and Cther Ia"
,,..,kers-has come into such frequent use
~, as q word it has almost gained tiie
,,,,,dir,, ,f 2 noun with that definition
- ono sense it is q much abused word
Granting that IL has arrived at the point
ybcro II does not need quotation marks
~ hold il up. and that is in the sense
d., g., &c Generally believed system ana
craft 90 hand In hand and are never 10
be found apart.
In the recent disclosures I'd the New
yo.l- Police Department a feature Which
has not found It's way into the news COZ
umps because OF its suoordinatea i'iip0'
lance as compared 10 the revelations %
graft collections is that the system az
Il works in that department, reaches OUT
and grips hundreds and hundreds OF loWlE
ICONS" mere patrolnen, who do not snare
81, a cent oof the graft-srips them with
an influence that is stronger even thah
the lure Of the graft money TO the VEL
vet collared inspector.
\ udtIOIllIdll- RNAAl5 AlioAA A~- ~
first few weeks Of his service as such is
olits likely 70 have ideals Of that sc:-
vice. He feels that ne is serving the city,
that the city is trusting in him 10 do MS
duty. he approaches that duty, I'm fact,
very much as a citizen soldier goes 10
The front from motives OF pure patriot
ism.
That is at first. II you believe that
those ideals last ask ten oldtimers
series Of questions as 10 how they view
their police duties. In ten such inter
views 70 might be that one parolman
would be found who still chung TO his
ideals. bur 10 is more than likely that all
ten voull answer in substance that they
looked on II solely as a fob"
Therein lies the real secret OF the "sys7
tenn" Taken by and large, the New York
policeman is a domestic man. lie has a
family. and if not that nearly always he
has a wife apd always he wants to hold
his job.
Here. then, is the testimony OF pa
trolman in a New York police precinct.
This man is one OF the witnesses. Of
minor Importance, in the case OF the
People vs. Charles Becker. under the in
dictment charging that Becker conspired
to bring about the murder Of Herman
Rosenthal.
FROM THE cops" STANDPOINT.
To save this patrOlmdn his job, al
though he told the writer the following
story without restrictions. his name il not
mentioned. This patrolman has his ideals
of duty still before him, although they
have been somewhat shattered in his
years Oh the police force. He had just
come from giving his testimony before
the grand jury on night toward the
latter end Of August just before tie
Becker indictment was handed down.
As to his testimony before that body
of Investigators he would say nothing, but
he warmed up 70 the opportunity Of say
ing a word or two, from the patroiman's
point Of view. as to the real underlying
strength Of the system"
You fellows" and he indicated with a
wave Of bis hand the press in general;
"yOu newspaper men don't seem TO get
at the real root of this proposition at all.
Of course, you've got Becker. and things
seem to point now TOWARD his having
forced these other poor guys to murder
Rosenthal But away back Of that crime
les the influence Of the real system the
system that duplicates most every cop
most every day.
Now, listen here-I came on the force
like most fellows come on. I'd been
tssmster, and what with days off and
strikes and one thing or another 1t wasn't
as steady work as / liked, and the force
looked good TO me for a steady job. with
a pension in sight when | got too old
TO work ! know my limits. and [ didn't
come on expecting 10 be an inspector,
nor even a captain. Maybe | thought /
might get 10 be a lieutenant IN time, but
e; that pass.
I'm married. and I've got couple OF
kids, and need my job. Just mark
that, viii you? I need my job. and
reckon most Of the cops en- the force are
In the same fix.
of course / know I'm working for the
city and OF course / know that nothing
shcld keep me from doing what | know
II called for by the law. but just remem-
Der this-that the city that I'm working
for isn't on the job and my captain ~.
lie sees me every day. and If he taxes
dislike to me or 10 my work he mas
ways Of separating me from my JoD OF
OF making il so disagreeable for me that
I'd want 10 quit II, and there's the whoIe
point Of this business