New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-09
WALDO BLAMES COURTS
Says Public DenounCeS Police for
Faults of Judges.
MEN ARE DOING THEIR DUTY
Tells Captains Refusal to Convict
Criminals Reduces Efficiency
to Zero.

to Zero.
Police Commissioner Waldo went to the
police captains dinner at Healys last
night and seized the opportunity to take
another crack at the courts and the
judges.
1T is the custom to blame the police
for every evil I'm New York" he said as
soon as he had passed out a few compi-
ments and got into his stride 1T IS time
for the public to stop this and look TO the
courts If the courts don't support the
police they reduce the efficiency of the
force to zero. When the courts won't ac-
cept evidence and convict criminals they
reduce the efficiency Of the police force
to zero"
Then he gave few examples. N man
goes into a store" he said. and holds up
the proprietor and rob5 the store. and he
gets three months. Three highwaymen vi
as second offenders get suspended sen
fences \ man is convicted Of a felony
and fined s25.' Then the PogCi case. a
man kills two men and woman and gets
thirteen months I'm the reformatory lie
is arrested again for carrying concealed
weapons ana is released in $4,000 bail. lie
jumps his bail. Then he turns up and is
released in the custody Of his lawyer lie
never does come back. OF course not
Why should he?
The police are doing their duty and de
tCcting crime. No police anywhere III the
world are getting better results. But We
will not have an orderly city until the
courts do their duty. It is time the public
Ia, I'D.
their duty. Take the example Of other
cities, where Justice is administered in such
a way as 10 force the criminal element to
respect the law. In London the police go
alone and uuarmcd, and in population e
seven million there Is an average Of only
twenty murders year. Crimes Of yio-
lcuce are reduced to minimum. The
Paris police are equally efficient. but they
20 in pairs and are heavily armed, and
there are as many murders I'm Paris I'm
day as London has in a year
The reason lies I'm the courts. In Eng
land the law is enforced and the criminal
punished. In Paris the lawbreaker is SYM
pathzcd with lie IS told that he is IA good
fellow and II IS a shame he got In trouble,
or it Is said that ne is a citizen Of the re-
public and has a right 10 break the law If
he wants TO. II is up TO us TO decide what
system OF justice We want-whethcr We
want TO let the criminal escape or hold "A
man responsible for his acts.
II found this out in the Fire Department.
where l used TO hold the trials myself /
always gave the men the benefit Of the
doubt but If they were found guilty they
got the maximum punishment The result
was that at the end Of year there were
no more trials. They were eliminated en-
tircly. Tie same is true Of the criminal
II he thinks he can get away with 1t he is
going to take chance"
The Commissioner made a great hit with
the captains and inspectors when he said
ne thought they should have more pay.
The captains organization Is called tho
New York City Police Endowment Asso-
citation, and is the oldest police organiza-
ton in the city, but So has not followed the
custom Of having annual dinners The
lieutcnants organization began several
years ago to give annual dinners and invite
public men 20 them. and others who were
not 50 public, but had more influence. The
lieutenants got their pay raised and lot
Of other things.
So the captains began last night with a
bcefsteak dinner AT Healy's restaurant, at
65th street and Columbus avenue. They
had plenty 10 eat and plenty Of noise and
plenty Of guests. II went so well that 1t
WAS announced that next year they would
give A swell dinner and do IL right
They had at tho guest table last night
Maurice Connolly. Borough President Of
Queens. Ralph F0kc eX-Gnspector "Alcc.
Williams. Thomas +. McAvoy. John +. Gal
vim. Patrick 4 Whincy Herman \. Metz,
Congressman Sulzcr, Deputy Commissioner
Dougherty. Borough President McAneny
Patrick r. MCGOWAN, Deputy Commits
sioner Dillon, Justice Almet +. jerks,
Henry Sicccl Commissioner Waldo, In
spcctor Donald Grant, president Of the as
ISOLATION who was the POSTMASTER; John
y. Crimmins. Justice Edward A. Mccall.
Deputy Commissioner Mckay. Justice Luke
-. Stapleton. Borough President Steers,
John j. Walsh. Bridge commissioner
O'Keelc. George Gordon Battle Robert
! Adamson, William II. Kipp DR.. Marvin II.
Palmer, john r. voorhees, and Alfred
| Smith.
! INSPECTOR John D. Herlihy was the prime
mover in the dinner. and tho guest table
| had to be run the long way Of long room.
! and then IT was crowded. Besides there
| we're letters Of regret from George j.
| Gould. Job Hedges, Congressman Calder.
! j. j. Morgan. jr, William A. Day, presi-
dent Of the Equitable Life Assurance So
] cictv: John Purroy Mitchell, President OF
| the Board Of Aldermen: George W. Perkins,
| Borough President Miller. Borough Prcsi-
| dent Cromwell and Thomas r. Mulry. The
Mayor was invited but said two days ago
! that he could not attend.