Norwich bulletin., 1912-08-15
Names Vigilance
 Committee
NEW YORK MASS MEETING TAX
 Es UP POLICE INVESTIGATION.
OVATION FOR WHITMAN
His Speech Received With Housing Enthusiasm-Committee to Back Up Officials in Doing Whole Duty.

determination of the citizens of New York to rid their police force of it's system of graft and blaelman was given forcible expression tonight at mass meeting held at the historic hall of Cooper Union. when they appointed a vigilance committee of prominent men and women to see that theSpub- lie officers now engaged in exposing the treasonable alliance of the police with organized crime" do their full duty.
 Thousands Blocked the Streets.
 The mass meeting was attended by a crowd that overfowed the hall. With 4.0o0 people within the auditor fun and hundreds standing up, thou sands more blocked the streets and c1amored for admittance.
 It was one Of the largest town meetings" held in the city for years and there was no mista,king the earn estness which pervaded the gathering. The atmosphere of levity often pres ent at public mass meetings was who'll ly absent, and each speaker was heard with respectful attention, interrupted only by dignif1ed applause.
 Sweeping Resolution.
 The resolution appointing the wig
 
 the power to increase it's number to thirty and to solicit funds and en- gage counsel, called @upon the police department to put forth additional ef- forts looking to the arrest of all those implicated in the Rosenthal murder; upon the district attorney to bend ev- cry energy of his office, as he has been doing, to the apprehension and con- victfon of those guilty of this crime, upon the aldermanic Investigating committee to make a thorough, non- partisan and unsparing examination of blacSmail and graft, and to propose remedies by which these causes may be removed; and upon the citizens and officials having information on these conditions to lay it before the district attorney or the aldermanic committee in the full confidence that they will be protected against terror ism and oppression of every sort"
 On the Committee.
 The members of the committee were Eugene H. Outerbridge, Jacob H. Schiff, Eugene A. PhiIbin, Henry Mus kowitz Allan Robinson. F, s. Tomlin, Raymond v. Tngersoll. Mrs. Charles H. 1sraels and George B. Agnew.
 The speakers included District At torney Whitman Dr. Lyman Abbott, Rabbi Samuel Schulz Alderman Hen ry H. Curran, chairman of the alder manic police Investigating committee; Emory R. Buckner, counsel, for the committee; Henry Der rest Baldwin and Mrs. Charles H. Israels, who is prominent social worker. Rousina Cheers for Whitman.
 District Attorney Whitman received a tremendous ovation when he arose to speak.
 It lasted more than ten minutes and the efforts of Charles P. Holland, chairman of the meeting, to stop the demonstration, were without avail, until the district attorney started to speak. Many of the women in the audience stood on their seats and waved handkerchiefs and parasols. One lusty-lunged man kept repeating: You're the man to get the grafters, Judge!" and when MT. Whitman final ly began his speech he was frequently interrupted by cries of approval which had not been given to the other speakers until they had finished their address.
 Challenge to Civilization.
 T want to say this" said MT. Whit 1 l know is near your hearts as it is near mine. with regard to a crime l that has shocked this city and shocked this nation, perhaps as few crimes have in the history of the city or in the history of the nation. The kill ing of Herman ROsenthal was a mur- der of course. an awful murder, but it was more than that. In the light of all the circumstances connected with it, 1t was a challenge to our very civ iiization itself.
 Made LeisureIy Escape.
 Tt is not a question of who or l what Rosenthal was, or who may be or who may not be police commission 1 CT or who may be district attorney: 1t Is not question of Becker or a few | men who may or may not have been accomplices. It is a question of wheth- l CT it is possible for four hired mur- 1 derers to commit an atrocious crime in the heart of this city and get leis- urely away. Unfortunately these are | the conditions As I said before, there is the challenge to the civilized nation of the twentieth century-to the city of New York, and I appreciate tonight 1 ladies and gentlemen, that you have accepted that challenge as I knew you would.
 Public Accepts the Challenge.
 And the public of the city and the police department of the city and the l district attorneys office of the county and the courts of New York are goins to unite on this proposition to demon strate to the people of thes world tha1 the man does not live, whoever he may be, who in this. the city of New York can with impnity set at defiance the majesty, the dignity, the sovereignty of the law"