New-York tribune., 1912-02-19

bodv. What I am stating Is fact. You
can't coax all crooks to be good
Paul Kelly has two or three garages
hasn't he?" interrupted newspaper
man.
Yes, he has"
do you think IL a good thing for ex-
convicts or people with criminal records
to be licensed as chauffeurs?'
mo, certainly not. The state should
not issue licenses to any man to perform
any work Of a public nature. such as
driving taxicabs or hacks, or keeping
billiard rooms. who has a criminal reg
ord"
DO you think that the police would be
assisted by having record Of all chauf-
feurs and cab drivers, with their pedl-
grees and photographer"
Il certainly do. think law should
be passed to that effect l think that
first however, there should be an elimi
nation of the criminal element from the
ranks OF such men. But don't under
stand me to condemn them as a class,
for there are lot Of good men among
them"
He again came back to the question Of
crooks, and said:
No man could be more humane with
the criminal than | am. No crook can
ever say | took an unfair advantage of
him. But If the crook continues to be
crook he ought TO be treated as SUCH"
Satisfied with System.
Commissioner, how do you regard the
system in vogue in the detective force
now?"
Il have confidence in the system under
present conditions"
DO you think the public has a right
TO have confidence In the Police Depart
ment?"
'The public ought not TO lose conf
dence in the Police Department of the
City of New York. 1t takes time 10 get
to the bottom of these cases. and the
public ought TO remember that"
He admitted that, as conditions stood
al present, without the morning lineup
though he studiously avoided any criti-
cism Of its abolshment by Commissioner
Waldo. insisting that the present system
was working out well-out Of town
crooks could come into town without the
four hundred or more detectives in the
city knowing of Il. Under old conditions
these crooks would be picked up and
lined up before the detectives at the
morning rollcall
Mr.. Dougherty said that he had every
reason to believe that the murder Of
Patrick Burns, a former chief of police
oi Findlay, Ohio, who was shot dead In
his saloon at 163d street and Forest
avenue, The Bronx, a week ago by two
hold-up men, would soon be solved. He
declined to answer several questions
which would reflect In any way on
changes brought about in the Police De-
partment by either the Mayor or Com
missioner Waldo. But there were many
detectives who did say that the Police
Department at the present time Is de-
moralized because Of the abolishment of
the Central Office and the scattering of
the detectives all over town.
There are one hundred and fifty men
in the department" said one detective,
who are getting $3.50 year for SUI
perior detective ability. ! am one Of
them. But team work Is impossible.
Some Of our best men are working in
Staten Island, Brooklyn and Harlem and
The Bronx. when they could be used 70
better advantage here I'm Manhattan,
which they know like a book. as we'll as
every crook In the business.
The men are disgusted. So long as
policemen are put to the expense of
hiring lawyer to defend themselves on
the charges of crooks. so long will New
York City be at the mercy Of the taxcsb
robbers and the rest Of the criminals
"Do YOU suppose a policeman Is go
Ing 10 take chance to-day in making
an arrest? Not on your life, And do
YOU know that the average crook goes
about the town with a revolver in his
pocket. knowing policeman dare not
'frisk' him? Well, ! wouldn't do IL I'M
less was alone with the crook. II
did I'd be- up on charges"