New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-24
NO SYSTEM, DILLON SAYS
"It's All Rot" Talk of Such A
Thing, He Tells Committee,
TAPPAN CASE TAKEN Up
Deputy. Commissioner Note,
Distinctions as to Falsehoods
Upheld in Court.

OHAClu III SOuII
Deputy Police Commissioner Dillon NJ.
witness again yesterday at the alder.
manic investigation into police conditor,
and told how cases of dismissed polIc..
men were reheard. The case Of Cania,
John F. Tappan was taken I'D by ",
Buckner, counsel for the committee wbo
wanted TO know If Tappan had mad
written application to be reinstated
Il never saw any application" replied
Dillon.
Asked If he had called Commission,
Waldo's attention to this fact, Dillon said.
II have stated to you several times, ana
/ make no further explanation now tina,
held that rehearing after I had been
directed TO do So"
Mr.. Buckner then read into the record
the charges against Captain Tappan, on
which he was dismissed from the depart.
ment by Commissioner Cropsey.
did the charge against Captain Tap
pan constitute conduct unbecoming an
ofiicer'?" asked counsel
Commissioner Dillon replied that Il did
not-that Tappan did not tell deliberate
or malicious lie. He said there were two
elements in a falsehood, and that con.
duct unbecoming an officer was On
elastic term. He quoted the courts az
unfolding his definition. Mr.. Buclner
was unsuccessful in trying TO make Dll.
lon admit that he had reneard Tappan's
case upon the receipt OF orders from
Mayor Gaynor.
Commissioner Dillon was next asked
about the case of Patrolman Rogers, who
obtained a leave of absence 10 attend
the funeral Of Peter" Peter was dog.
rs there any difference between the
case of Tappan, who was reinstated, and
that Of Rogers, who was dismissed, for
making a false statement? demanded
Mr.. Buckner.
There was no lie in the Tappan case,
while lie and falsehood existed In the
Rogers case" the witness answered.
Mr.. Buckner then switched to the case
of Lieutenant Stanton, who was dis
missed recently. Does the fact that
Stanton was dismissed for conduct unbs-
coming an officer close the case forever,
in your opinion?" he asked.
please don't ask me to criticise my
SUPERIOR" said Dillon. Il know nothing
about the Stanton case, and l am at
loss to know why you refer to it now"
The record OF Dillon's rehearing Of the
Tappan case, which took place in Janu-
airy. 1911, was then taken up by Mr..
Buckner. At that time COMMISSIONS
Dillon recommended the reinstatement Of
Tappan, on the ground that the evidence
against him was insufficient" Nh
Buckner wanted TO know If the witness
had not realized that the system" was
at work for Captain Tappan.
The only place l ever saw anything
about the system" replied Dillon, was
in the newspapers. 1 have seen lawyers
stand by each other, too
1T is pretty hard for patrolman to
testify against a. captain, isn't it?' asked
Mr.. Buckner.
IT'S hard for any man 10 testify
against another" answered Dillon.
Alderman Esterbrook took occasion at
this time TO ask OF Dillon:
What is the system
Commissioner Dillon looked wearied and
bored as he said:
Il don't know there is such a thing
Maybe when a man gets into trouble he
NAV get a couple Of friends 10 set to.
gether in his behalf, but that's all. In
my experience as trial commissioner
there has been no such thing as a sys-
tenn in the Police Department. It's al
rot"
Mr.. Buckner aroused the Commission
ers ire when be abruptly asked:
What did Captain Tappan do for the
three men who changed their words IN
his behalf?"
Nothing" replied the witness, and
then. as Mr.. Buckner turned 10 some
thing else, Commissioner Dillon re-
marked:
Hold on there. Mr.. Buckner. Don't
leave that thing up in the air. Don't give
false Impressions" He then said he
didn't know what the three men did after
leaving the department
Throughout the testimony the Comnis-
sioner kept repeating that he did not oe-
leve the evidence against Captain Tap
pan was ION the level" and that Com
missioner Cropsey had sent two police
men out to look things over IN Tap
pans precinct.
"I believe Mr.. Cropsey is an excellent
lawyer, one Of the best cross-examlnsrs
and probably one OF the most technically
correct trial commissioners the depart
ment ever had, but DO not say that MS
Judgment Of men is good" said Dillon.
In referring TO the case OF Lieutenant
Foody, who obtained a rehearing, MI
Buckner said he would recall Commls-
sioner Waldo and put him on the stand
again.
The hearing will be resumed at o'clock
this afternoon, when the dismissal OF
Lieutenant stanton probably will be