New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-05
VICE REPORT PUTS
BLAME ON GAYNOR
Continued from first page.

always made whenever there liz the
slightest question OF the truth OF the
testimony given by policemen In courts
No Moral Study Of Problems.
, The report itself emphasizes in lis
opening paragraph that the committee
considered the problem OF gambling
and other vices only as they involve1
police problems under the present
laws. No attempt was made to study
them as moral questions. or TO make
any recommendations other than as %
police methods Of handling the PROP
lens
II is noticeable that the committees
in this section Of It's report accepts me
proposition that the Mayor and the
Police Commissioner are Jointly re-
sponslble for the police policies Of this
administration, and condemns fatty
the outward order and decency
method Of dealing with vice.
Among the conclusions arrived at by
the committee. according to the report
after hearing much testimony and ex-
aiming the records ~ the department.
are the following.
Although tho present Mayor and Pc-
lice Commissioner have endeayored 10
enforce laws against gambling. Their
Efforts have not been effective.
There has been widespread black
mail levied by police officials upon the
Keepers II gambling and other unlawful
places.
This extortlon has been made pos
sible by weakened discipline and a
failure to employ proper administrative
methods. We readily understood the
alliance between policemen and viola
tors OF the law when our investigation
revealed the following.
"(al \ total failure effectively to
check the work of police officials and
TO discipline those officers shown 10 be
neglected. Of their duties; (b) the Com
missioner's stubborn confidence in the
integrity Of men selected by him 10
supervise this work. (c) a system OF
referring letters charging officers with
, misconduct and crime 10 the very men
accused. for their own Information.
Id the Commissioner lack of informa
ton concerning actual conditions; Ce)
ability Of inspectors and captains 10
keep important complaints from the
Commissioner and his deputies. %
faulty methods Of handling complaints
sent TO the Commissioner; 90 hostile
attitude toward citizen complainants,
and (h) no supervision over testimony
OF policemen I'm the courts"
The report says that the adminlstra-
tive changes recommended are essential
TO check the evils and 10 enforce the
laws. These include more secure tenure
for the Commissioner an Increase in the
number OF deputies. abolition of the in
spection districts and establishment OF
the precinct as the police unit
Headquarters vice squads. operating
under the Commissioners personal drec-
ton. should be employed small secret
service squad. composed OF men other
the Commissioner TO obtain evidence
against corrupt police officials. A central
bureau should be installed for the erfec-
tive disposition Of all complaints received
from citizens
The report presents a brief review OF
the connection OF Lieutenant Charles
Becker with the Roscnthal murder. the
testimony OF Mary Goode George A. Sipp,
Thomas J. Dorian and Mary Coleman
and the confessions OF Patrolman Fox
and Captain Walsh. The twenty indict-
ments and the nine convictions. exclusive
Of the Rosenthal cases. obtained by Dis
trict Attorney Whitman I'm connection
with the police graft investigation are
tabuated in support OF the third conclu-
sion. that there has been widespread
blackmail levied by police officials.
The testimony given before the com
mittee is reviewed in the report to en-
phasize the point that Form 29' in the
department reports. which IS supposed TO
furnish the Commissioner with an ac-
curate Idea OF tho city's condition. was
treated or ignored in so many different
ways by different captains as to make it
practically useless.
The report cites the examples printed
in The Tribune yesterday morning as to
the manner I'M which complaints against
Lieutenant Bee -rr and Inspector Sweeney
We're referred TO those officers themselves
Tor investigation and report
The sale OF liquor should be regulated
BY local legislative authority the report
recommends. 1If the public does not de-
sire the enforcement OF certain Laws. APP
peal should be made To the legislative
body controlling the matter. The Police
Department should nave no discretion
with reference 10 the enforcement OF the
law. because the enforcement OF all laws
must be policeman first duty"