The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-14
N. W. CORTRIGHY,
HONEST Cop,' DIES
Retired Chief Inspector Served
CITY ~ Years without
Black Mark.
NEVER SOUGHT ADVANCE

me illness that prevented Moses W.
cor.right, generally conceded on his re-
,,rement as chief Police Inspector In
1909 to he the best policeman the de-
oar,ment ever had. from accepting Com
missioner Woods's invitation to review
,he parade proved fatal to him yeeter-
day. He died from acute indigestion at
HE home, 500 West 1t9th street.
Forty-two OF his seventy-seven years
o, lie were spent In active service with
The police force. In all that time he had
never received "A black mark nor ever
lad All accusation levelled against him.
cough several OF his associates came
,srough the Lexow and other inves,iga-
tens with their names furnished.
N~icknamed 'the honest cop" Cort-
rgh; never sweryed from his duty be-
cause OF political pressure, and sought
10 desirable appointments through the
avenue Of Influence" Once. II was said.
ne elected from his Office a politician
who came to him with a dlshonorablc
PROPOSITION. So punctil!ous was he that
when Prince Henry OF Prussia in 1902
presented him with n costly matchbox
because OF his services during the
Irince's visit, Cortright declined the gift.
strict DiscipIinnrinn.
He was known in the later years OF
his service as the grand old man OF the
Police Depa rtment." Though a strict
dsciplinarian he had the respect OF his
sub~o>!nates. who gave him a silver
loving cup on the thirty-Hfth anniversary
~ his appointment as a policeman. The
fac, that he was a Republican always
caused wonderment among those who
saw him command choice precincts In
the days when Tammany was a power in
the department.
Following his elevation to the rank of
chief Inspector he had tried TO resign
because Of advancing years under every
Commissioner the department had since
IL was placed under a single head. but
each time his superior. feeling that he
vas too trustworthy TO lose. induced him
70 stay. When he finally succeeded in
dropping his duties on February .. 1909.
commissioner Bingham issued ii general
order commencing him, the fist Of It's
Kind ever sent out from Police Head
quarters. II said in par,
The Chief Inspector through all the
viciseitudes and changes of his police
service has always had the respect OF
the community and OF mis- associates. a
respec, based on his integrity, honesty
capacity and rssoucefuln.sS IN com
mand he has always been equal TO every
occasion. or commanding presence and
modest demeanor, of p!easln; and quite,
address. not concealing, howevcT, his
force of character. he nay well be held
ui 20 the younger members OF the force
as a model police officer"
served In Civu War.
Born IN Waldogue. Sussex county. y
J.. December 20. 1899. COPYRIGHT WORKED
as Il tanner unit! the beginning of tn
civil war. when he Joined the Fifty-s!xtf
New York Volunteers. Following par
tcipation in some of the principal bat
ties, which caused him TO be mentioned
fN distinguished service. he was dis
charged In 1864. having caught a fever
and retired with the rank % First Lieu
tenant IN the moupted infantry.
Entering the Old Metrop Titan Police
Department In 1867, he was raised to tn.
grade of roundsman seven years later
r. became a sergeant in 1876
a captain in 1884, inspector II
1875, Deputy chief of Police in i>9t
and, when that oitce was abolished
chief Inspector in 1909 az "A salary .
$1,000. Several times he was ofrere,
the position of Chief OF Police. but a,
Ways declined.
one Of his warmest friends among tn
Police Commissioners was odor
Roosevelt, whom ne lften accompanied
on night tours OF the city. At ose
v-lt's behest Cortlight drove ,ut q
business many notorious resorts on tn
East Side.
When Cortright went back to privat
NE he had little besides his home am
his pension OF $4,000 "A year. thong
other inspectors owned blocks of rea
estate and pleasure yachts.
on June II. 1874, he married Harrie
Gumaer. He had n children. Thre
brothers. George. Levi and Webster, sur
yive him. Private funera! services VT
he held at the home at . o'cloc. OF