New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-03
Work of Department Speaks
for Itself and Accusers Are
Henchmen of Den Keep
ers, He Declares, After
Visit to City Hall.
CURRAN READY WITH REPLY
Commissioner Never Closed Any
Dens Nor Knows Who Keeps
Them, He Declares-Fight
Expected in Board
on Report.

on Report,
The recommendation of the Curran
aldermanic police investigating COM
mittee TO the Board OF Aldermen that
the Mayor be requested to dismiss
Commissioner Waldo was adopted in
committee yesterday afternoon by
vote of to 3. It brought out volley
OF statements and counter complaints.
supporting or accusing Waldo, which
kept popping we'll toward midnight
Mayor Gaynor defended waldo's ad-
mnistration of police affairs in a
statement issued just before the Cur
ran committee went into session.
Alderman Frank Bowling. the Tam
many floor leader, conducted the fight
in the committee against any conden-
nation of Waldo.
Waldo himself rushed down to ses
the Mayor. and. returning TO Police
Headquarters half hour later, issued
this statement:
AN administration that has closed
the gambling dens and other evil re-
sorts kept by the henchmen and sup
porters of the political leaders is suro
to be attacked by them or their allies.
The work Of the department speaks for
Itself"
Es,u Oussfions for Waldo
Alderman Currap. chairman OF tho
|comnitttee that asks the aldermen 10
ask Mayor Gaynor TO remove his Po-
lice Commissioner responded 10 Wal
dos statement with the following:
Waldo never closed any gambling
dens How does he know who are tho
men who keep them? Who are these
political leaders he refers to? Let him
name them. His belief in this matter
is like his belief and faith in Becker.
which he clung to until that man WAS
arraigned for murder almost before lie
had time TO remove the police officers
badge which Waldo had kept on him
until after he was indicted"
When both sides ceased firing late
last night, it appeared that Mayor
Gaynor, the Tammany aldermen and
Commissioner Waldo were determined
TO stand united in support of Waldo's
administration and that Alderman
Curran will have hot fight 10 line 10
enough fusion votes TO put his report
through the board.
Late last night friend Of Waldo's
said that the Commissioner would
probab bly, make a det.iled and cate
goriCal answ> 10 the twelve charges
made against him in the Curran conn
mittee report. This answer, it was
said. would take the form of letter
to the Mayor, or possibly 10 the Presi-
dent Of the Board of Aldermen.
Form Of WaIdos Reply.
According TO the statement Of this
supporter Of the Commissioner, he
would take up the charges one by one,
and his answers would follow approxi-
mately this outline:
/ To the first charge he will say that
the statement that he has not worked
! 10 t.llDlDdNt AT 10 ldiSNf hiidh
the belief that there is a System Of
tlackmail and extortion is mainly
theory. To the second charge he will
say that he allowed the "self-investiga-
ton" of complaints against policemen
only in minor cases, and that in all i'm
portant cases he directed an indepen-
dent Investigation.
The third charge will be dismissed
with the simple response that il is
false, and to the fourth he will say
that he could not get sufficient proof
TO enable him To discipline inspectors.
All the inaccuracies in the Headquar-
ters system OF reports will be blamed
on the installation of new methods of
! checking up which were instituted by
/ him and will be his answer TO the fifth
| charge. and the sixth charge, that he
permitted commanding officers TO con-
| ceal valuable information from him by
allowing them TO dispose OF citizens
complaint, he will say is absurd.
To Defend His Course.
In answer TO the first section OF the
seventh charge, he will say that the
system OF a pension board. as he es-
! tablished IT, was not desired or re-
ouested by any members Of any asso-
citation. He will say that lieutenants'
badges are not numbered in any large
city, in answer 10 the second section Of
| this charge; that his remissons of
fines were not illegal in answer to tine
third section, and that the cases Of re-
instatement charged in the fourth sec-
ton numbered only fourteen. and it
would have unjust not to have rein
stated the man concerned In each Of
| these cases.
| Responsibility for bad appointments.
charged in the eighth specification,