The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-12-04
CROPSEY NO LIAR,
BUT TOLD UNTRUIH
L|EBERS TEST|F|ES
Police Captain Denies He Asked
Leniency When Caught
Falsifying.
WALDO AS "REMlTTER."
Predecessor Tells of Penalties
on Commanding Officers
Reversed Later.
WALDO AS "REMlTTER."

hnes remitted by Commissioner Waid,
which had been inflicted upon captain,
and other high officials by Commits
sioner Cropsey. Mr.. Buckner. counse
Tor the committee. said that forty foul
hnes amounting to 5000 inflicted upor
commanding officers by Cropsey wcr,
RENTED by Waldo. but Waldo remittes
no fines inflicted by Cropsey on patrol.
men.
Capt George Lebers furnished the
sensation OF the afternoon when hi
declared that testimony given by for.
mer Commissioner Cropsey was untrue
Mr.. Cropsey had just testified Llebers
had admitted 10 7ilm making false
statements ana had pleaded for LEM.
ency. with tears In his eyes. 80 warmly
did Liebers plead. Mr.. Cropsey said.
that lie was fined thirty days pay In.
stead OF being dismissed.
Then Llebers took the stand and said
he never admitted to Cropsey that he
had made u misstatenent. lie said he
wouldn't call cropsey II liar. but would
say that Cropsey didn't tell the truth.
The LIebers case. as brought out to-day.
showed that Liebers's fine was RENTED
after most perfunctory rehearinx be-
fore Deputy Commissioner Dillon. at
which no witnesses were heard. Mr..
Buckner established that Dillon did not
even have the minutes Of the first qriaL.
Former Police Commissioner Cropsey.
now District-A Attorney OF Kings County.
was the frst witness OF the session.
Mr.. Cropsey said that when he became
Police Commissioner he looked up the
law and asked the advice Of the Cor
poration Counsel upon the right Of q
Commissioner to review cases tried by
h4mself or to remit fines Imposed by
himself or any Of his predecessors.
FOUND NO RIGHT TO RETRY or
TO REMIT FINES.
The law and the Corporation Coun-
sells advice. he said. convinced him he
had no right TO retry a case or remit 4
fine. Mr.. Buckner read into the record
n lettsr from the Civil Service Com
mission to Commissioner Waldo, dated
April Il. 1912, advising him that he had
no right to remit fines or reverse md
ings o: former Commissioners.
Mr.. Cropsey said he had fined many
commanding officers because he had
found that complaints were seldom made
against sergeants. lieutenants. captains
or inspectors. while countless charges
were made against patrolinen. lie made
an investigation TO fnd why patrolmen
were charged with all attractions Of the
rules and their superior officers with
practically none. As n result OF this in
vestigation. he said, many charges were
brought against commanding Officers.
Didn't YOU think you were going pref
~ far when YOU fined Lieut. Enrlght,
president OF the Lieutenants' Associa-
tlon!" asked Mr. Buckner.
somebody told me Il was q mistake"
replied the witness with a smile.
And did you fine Capt. Grant, presi-
dent OF the Captains Associatlo 20
asked Mr. Buckner
Il fined him twice"
MT. Buokner then read into the record
charge, made In November, 1910,
against Capt. George c. Llebers, that
Liebers had failed to Investigate a
charge that two prisoners were ASA ult-
cd on the way to his station house ny
special patrolman. MIR. Cropsey re-
cited the circumstances O. the trial as
he recalled them. He identified photo
graphs Of the two compla lnants, taken
couple OF days after the assault, which
showed bruised and discolored features.
L!ebers had denied the men were marked
when they reached the station house.
LlE6ERs Confessed AND ASKED
MERCY FOR OTHERS.
Mr. Cropssy said no found Liebcrs
gully not only of failing TO report and
IlnvestiEate. but OF making a false state
ment to Deputy Police Commissioner
Driscoll. He nned Liebers thirty days'
pay. Liebers, he said. called on him
before the hne was inflicted, and after
q representative Of a high public offi-
cial had interceded for the captain
Liebers. MIR. cropsey said. asked per-
mission to say something.
with tears In his eyes," said Mr.
Cropsey, "he told me he had lied to
Deputy Driscoll and had lied on the
stand. II II wasn't too late, he said
he wanted to show me ne had some
decency and manhood left. He said
Commissioner. a doorman and a iieuten.
ant testified TO help me. l want 70 ask
consideration for them. too. II the,
can be excused l wish you would do the
best you can
II decided there must be something
good In that man and didn't dismis,
him. fined him. transferred thu
lieutenant and kept the doorman In tn,
station house"
Mr.. Buckner brought out that soor
after Commissioner Waldo took ono,
the fine t.Licbers was remitted.
Mr.. Cropsey stepped aside and Capt
Liabers was called The captain, VIII,
had heard Mr.. Cropsey's evidence, wal
plainly uncomfortable as he took tn,
stand. Lebers said the fine imposed OF
him by Cropsey amounted TO about SEQ
II was RENTED and refunded. he said
about a year ago. Liebers fatty con
tradicted Mr.. Cropsey's evidence tina
he Q.iebers) had confessed he had lice
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