New-York tribune., 1918-01-02
Mayor Hylan Springs Sur
prise by Naming Former
Deputy as Commissioner
Didn't Seek Post,
Says New Official
Accepted on Earnest Solici-
tation of Samuel Inter
myer, He Declares

The big surprise of Mayor Hylan's
appointments to his official cabinet
was that Of Frederick A. Bugher AS
Police Commissioner. The appoint
ment was almost surprise to the
Mayor himself. as he met Mr.. Bugher
for the first time last Saturday night
at the home Of Samuel Cntermycr,
who took a prominent part in Mayor
Hylan's campaign. The new Commits
sioner was appointed at Mr.. Inter
myers personal suggestion, as ap-
peared from the statement issued by
Commissioner Bughcr from Police
Headquarters yesterday.
MIR. Untermyer last night refused to
saw why he considered Captain Bugher
50 fitted for the Ccmmissionership
that he has urged his appointment on
Mayor Hylan. or to discuss in any way
the important appointment for which
he WAS responsible.
New Commissioner Wealthy
It was apparent that this impor-
tant appointment was not settled un-
til the eleventh. hour, as it was not
officially announced at the Mayors Of
flee when the list was made public,
hut became known shortly afterward.
Police Commissioner Woods had no
inkling Of the appointment until a
few minutes before the new Commits
soner arrived at Headquarters. Mr..
Bugher and Commissioner Woods
served together as Deputy Police COM
missoners under General Theodore A.
Bingham. Their meeting at Headquar-
ters was very cordial.
The new Commissioner is of inde-
pendent means, his income being esti-
mated at S150,000 year. He is a
nephew Of John R. McLean. proprietor
of THE Washington Post" and of
Mrs Dewey, widow of Admiral Dewey.
He had reputation as a vigorous ex-
ecutive while in the Police Depart
ment and was popular with the officers
and the rank and file Of the men.
In his statement issued yesterday
afternoon Captain Bugher criticised
Commissioner Woods's administration
IN regard to telephone wire tapping.
and the merit system esta blished by
the retiring Commissioner. He de-
clared, however, that the morale Of
the force hai been VASTLY improved"
<under Commissioner Woods, and that
there were many features of the
Woods administration which he would
Try to carry out.
Appointment Unsolicited
Commissioner Bugher issued this
formal statement:
The offer of the position was en-
tirely unsolicited and unexpected. |
have at no time been in any sense a
candidate. The thought had not oc-
CURED to me until Saturday morning
when Samuel Untermyer, who is my
friend and counsel, asked me to call
at his home. He then told me that on
the previous evening, on the way here
from Washington, Mayor Hylan had
asked his advice and assistance in Sc
lecting a Police Commissioner, and
that, after thinking over the situation,
he had recommended me, if l would
take the place.
when he first made the proposal I
fatty refused. on the ground that I
feared there might be politics injected
INTO the department, and | knew that
would wreck and destroy me- Mr. I'm
termyer assured me that Mayor Hylan
would protect me against any such use
VI we uepdi lilleHl. AS cNluenCc OIL tnaL
he referred TO the fact that neither
Mayor iylan nor himself had the
slightest idea what were or had been
my politics, and that Mayor Hylan did
not in the least care whether had any
or what they were.
"Mr. Untermyer explained further
that the Democratic organization,
speaking through it's leader. had re-
peatedly assured him that it wanted
nothing TO do with the place and that
Its main desire was to keep as far away
as possible from it and its patronage,
as 1t had been the rock on which Demo
cratic administrations in this city had
been too frequently shipwreckcd and
,ney wanted no part of the response
blhty Of It's administration. Mr.. Un-
,ermyer finally overcame my objections
by insisting that | consider the sug-
festion on the ground that at this
crIsis 1t was a patriotic service which
l had no right to refuse 1 finally ar
ranged with him to meet Mayor Hylan.
whom | had never met, and we met on
mat same day Saturday at Mr.. Tn