The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21
Commissioner Woods Joins Cam.
paign Against Vandals
and Thugs.
FAIRGROUNDS NOW UNSAFE
Parents and Teachers Fear for
Children With Rowdies
in Possession.

parks to such an extent that Park Com.
missioner Cabot Ward has adopted meas,
ures for the punishment OF persons who
wantonly despcll park property and thug.
who take possession OF breathing spot. and
Fairgrounds to the exclusion of others
He has taken up with Police Commits,
sioner Arthur Woods the necessity OF dc.
failing more policemen to preserve tina
parks and already moro bluecoats hay.
been obtained for Central Park
The Commissioner has also started A
campaign not only FOR the reformation n,
ordinary vandals who destroy fo- N.
sheer fun OF despoling. but for the bench,
Of the more enlightened persons who
persistently offend, although they know
better.
Mr.. Ward said yesterday that the park
vandsls have been carrying on their
work for years In fact ever since tho
park police were merged with the regu.
lar Police Department, and that the stu.
alton Is now most acute. The first imme.
diatc relief. he said. will come from In.
help that he expects the Police Commits.
sioner will give In policing the parks. A
phase OF police work which has been
long neglected.
chop Down Trees.
one morning last week early goers 10
the De Witt Clinton Park found that van.
dals had amused themselves during tn.
night by chopping down trees. Fourteen
all told were felled The majority lad
been hacked through the trunk about two
or three feet from the ground. the man
with the axe being too lazy to lean over
and make a clean job Of Il. one fine tr,o
was at least so years old. but mos, OF
them were fiourishlng saplings.
In another park thugs. under the cover
OF darkness. ripped up large area OF new
sods that had Just been laid and carried
them off, apparently for the purpose Of
making grass plot IN some body's back
yard.
In still another park a gang OF roughs.
out FOR lark. had gang fight with sod
which they ripped Up and threw az one
| another before the grass had had
! chance to take root.
MI ward says that as q result OF lacs
OF police protection the vicious and dis
orderly element has taken possession OF
certain parks and women and children are
afraid to enter them.
In the three months of his adnninistrn
| ton. he says. "A number of young tree
| have been chopped down. old trees have
been sawed partly through, rings of barA
have been peeled from others and old and
sturdy shrubs have been dug up and
| carried out Of parks
l. M. Beard. principal of the choir
| school of the Cathedral OF st. John tn
( Divine, recently complained az chairma.
| or the committee OH parks and plav-
grounds OF the South Harlem Neighbor.
hood Association that Thomas Jefferson
Park OH the East River front, betwe n
l1lth ana lI4th streets. Is NO overrun
with rowdies that II Is extremely danger
Gus for school children 10 go there.
| Rowdies In Full Control.
This splendid playground" said Mr.
Beard To reporter for THE Sun yea.
terday. rs little used by children nov
! There Is no police protection and III,
| place Is In control day and night OF ffty
or more men, 90 years old and Older
Girls have been insulted and schoolboys
beaten on the Fairgrounds. and teachers
have forbidden the children TO go to the
park. Conditions for the last ten days
| have been very bad"
Thomas Jefferson Park cost the city
several million dollars. including the
| amounts paid for the land condemned TO-
the park site. II has the largest play.
ground plant In the city. which Is prao-
tically useless by reason of the rowdyism
that Is rampant during the hours when
decent order should be maintained by
the police so that children may have In
benefit OF Il.
IT am no. criticising the police" Park
| Commissioner Ward said but this qut.-
ton OF the lack OF proper police protto.
ton In the parks is n very serious one.
am confident. however. that Connls-
sioner Woods IL going to solve the prob
lem that faces u.s. There has been the
| same trouble ever since the park police
were merged in the regular department.
Il "In 1907 there were 204 policemen II
Central Park. They were under the tso
platoon system. In Janulry last there
were only seventy-six policemen In the
park with the three platoon system This
great decrease ~ park poltcenes1 "
| equally true OF all the pa riSs."