New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-14
Became Unconscious Fri
day Night from Attack
of Indigestion.
SERVED AZ YEARS
WITHOUT REPROACH
On Retirement. in 1909. Was
Named in Orders as EX-
ample for Policemen.

Moses ". Cortright, who in 1909 re-
tired as chief inspector Of the Police
Department with the distinction Of
having passed through forty-two years
Of service without the slightest scandal
ever having been ever whispered about
him. died yesterday a. his home. 500
West l49th Street, from acute indiges-
ton. lie was seventy-seven years old.
He had been in poor health since
November, but there was no intimation
that the silment was dangerous until
midnight OF Friday. when he became
unconscious.
Mr.. Cortright worked for 2 short
time as q leather tanner before joining
the 56th New York Volunteers IN an
swer to President Lincoln's call. Later
he was transferred 10 the New York
Mounted Infantry, and before the raw
ages OF q fever necossitsted his dis
charge. in 1854. he had been promoted
to 3 first lieutensncy and commended
for distinguished service on the firing
line.
Merit Forced Promotion.
Re served eight years as a patrol
man in the old Metropolitan police
force before the meritorious perform
suce Of police duty forced his promo
ton TO roundsmsn over those who were
taking advantage Of the opportunity TO
buy promotion. A year later his high
rating IN the examination for promo
ton and the distinguished performance
Of duty moved him up 20 the rank of
sergeant, now known as lieutenant
In 1884 he reached the rank of cap
tain With a reputation, startling IN
those days. of utterly disregsrding pol
iucisns. The sterling honesty which
caused him to stand out among many
Of his fellow officers singled him out
for still further honors in 1895, when
nc became an inspector, and a year
later he was made deputy chief. hold
inr that position until that Office and
that Of Chief Big Bill" Devery was
abolished. He was then made chief In
spector.
Cortrieht was one Of the few redeem
ing lights in the cloud of scandal that
enveloped the Police Department after
the Lexow investigation. When the
public was clamoring for the removal
OF police captains following the revela-
ton of graft and partnership Of police
and "red light" house prOprletors by
Max Schmittberger, now Chief Inspector
Of the Police Department, Cortright
vas sent down 20 the Eldridge Street
station 70 clean up. He did.
Named in Orders as Example.
During the Bingham administration
Cortright decided TO resign and turned
a deaf ear 20 the pleading of General
Bingham. To express his respect for
Cortright and his regret at losing him
Commissioner Bingham issued gen
sral order TO the members of the de-
partment announcing Cortughts re-
tirement and holding him UP as an ex-
ample for every policeman. such an
order had never been issued before and
has not been known since.
After Commissioner Bingham had
been supplanted by Commissioner
Baker, the latter. following a confer
enee with Mayor Mcclellan, offered the
post of first deputy commissioner to
Mr.. Cortright The retired chief i'm
mediately declined the honor, stating
that there were younger men who could
satisfactorily fill the place. Since then
he had lived in retirement.
Funeral services will be held at the
Cortright home on Tuesday at . o'clock,
and the former chief will be buried at
Kensico. Both services and funeral
will be private.