New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-05
.CR0PSEY SAYS WAlD0'S
POLICY HARMS FORCE
Renting Fines Detrimental to
Discipline, Asserts Former
Commissioner.
LIE PASSED BY WITNESS
Captain Riebers Denies He All
but Got Down on Knees
to Beg for Leniency,
as Alleged.

~ssA"Nhy "oc aoduCcO ybbtciNoy ot Tax
Curran inquiry tending to show that
Rhinelander Waldo exceeded his powers
as Police Commissioner in renting the
, fines OF forty odd captains and lieuten-
ants who had been convicted Of violating
the rules by Mr.. Waldo's predecessor
James G. Cropsey testified that he had OBJ
| tsined an opinion from the Corporation
Counsel. during his term Of Office as Com
missioner. that he had no powers under
the law to remit or modify any fines i'm
posed by himself or his predecessor.
Mr.. Cropsey testified that such a prac-
| tice as followed by Mr.. Waldo in remit
ting fines imposed by prior Commission
er was. In his opinion. detrimental to the
discipline and morale of the force. He
had found no occasion to remit or modify
such fine during his administration, he
said. but had obtained the opinion of the
Corporation Counsel on the matter so as
to be advised legally IL any question
should arise.
1t appeared from the testimony OF wit
nesses. and from the police records read
by Emory r. Buckner, COUNCIL for the
committee. that forty-three commanding
Officers In the department who had been
tried on charges. convicted and fined by
Mr.. Cropsey from five to thirty days pay,
had the complaints against them dis
missed and the fines RENTED by Com
missioner Waldo. following a rehearing
The rehearing proved a mere Formally.
judging from the testimony of one cap
tain who described what occurred I'm his
case The fines taken from the police pen
sion fund, to which they reverted when
imposed, and restored to the captains and
lieutensnts amounted to S2,72l.
Only Commanding Officers.
There was not single fine RENTED by
Commissioner Waldo in the case OF an
ordinary patrolman. They all concerned
commanding officers. Among the captains
under Commissioner Cropsey-who BE-.
came inspectors under Commissioner
Waldo-who had been up on charges and
fined were John F. Dryer. George W.
McClusky, Cornelius q. Hayes Cater dis
missed by Waldo and William j. I.ahey.
Mr.. Cropsey intimated that politics.
from which he said he had tried to d.
vorce the department during his regime.
had a good deal to do with the remission
OF the captains fines.
Tho first captain fined by Mr.. Cropsey
was Enright who is now in charge Of the
bureau Of repairs and supplies at Head
quarters. In view OF the fact that when
Mr.. Cropsey took Office 1t did not appear
TO be the custom" in the department for
any one to make a complaint against a
captain or other commanding officer Mr..
Buckner smilingly asked the witness IL
he didn't think that his action in the case
Of Enright was not going little too
far"
Some one high in Official office at the
time told me it was a mistake" said Mr..
Cropsey "but that didn't convince me it
was wrong"
Captain George c. Liebers. who was
tried and convicted hx Commissioner
Cropsey for neglecting to investigate the
case Of two men who complained they
| had been badly beaten up after their ar
rest by a special policeman, as well as on
the charge of making false statement
| to Deputy Commissioner Driscoll. passed
| the lie as a witness to the former Police
| Commissioner. Mr.. Cropsey testified thai
Lebers came to him at Headauarters
pending the disposition of his case aftel
the trial and begged for leniency. Mr.
Cropsey asserted Liebers admitted at tn
time that he had testified falsely at hi
trial. and had also Influenced a lieutenan
and a doorman at the West 6sth stree
| station to testify In confederation OF hi
story.