New-York tribune., 1918-03-02
Commissioner Takes Action
Despite Tammany Threat
of Open Opposition
Friends See Force-Out
Once Disciplined Officer Now
in Power, They
Declare

Police Commissioner Enright an.
! nounced last night that he had granted
the application for retirement made
by Chief Inspector James Z. Dillon
and that it would become effective at
1901 p. m. to-day The announcement
was made at the expiration of TWEEN
ty-day leave OF absence, for which
friends Of Dillon insist, he was forced
to apply.
Chief Inspector Dillon did not ex-
peet to make application for retire
ment when he attended the Police
Lieutenants' Association dinner on
Saturday. At that time he told several
friends he expected to resume his
duties in a few days.
The retirement of the chief was
predlcted on January 2G by members
OF the department, who, through their
lntlmate acquaintance; with matters at
Headquarters, have become known as
the We Boys" The Tribune four
Gays after the appointment of Com
mlssloner Enright quoted the eve
BOYS as stating that Dillon was to
pe gwen an opportunity to get out
or suffer the humiliation of reduction
in rank.
Tammany Men Intercedcd
A few days later Chief Dillon re-
turned from a sick. leave granted bv ex-
Commissioner Woods and went to his
Once which was occupied by Inspector
rather John DAILY, who had been as
signed as acting chief by direction Of
mayor Hylan. DAILY refused to vacate
the office, but did leave hastily for q
coHference with the Commissioner
when Dillon threatened to throw him
and his records into the corridor.
Chief Inspector Dillon later on the
same day had a conference with Mayor
Hylan after Commissioner Enright had
visited City Hall. Al 8 o'clock that
evening he saw Commissioner Enright
and emerged from the conference max
ing no effort to conceal his anger A
few minutes later the Commissioner
announced that Dillon had applied for
ana mad been granted twenty -dav
ieave OF absence. Such a leave is al
ways granted ranking officials before
they are retired
But Dillon did not plan to get ont
easily. 1t is known that several Tam
many leaders, among them Senator
Robert Wagner and Alfred E. Smith
president OF the Board of Aldermen,
decided to back him in a fight to retain
his place. It was reliably reported
that Enright was served with notice
that to Interfere with Dillon was to in
vlte opposition to several bills he plans
10 send to the State Legislature.
Say He Was Forced Out
Commissioner Enright last right re-
fused to give any reason for the retire
ment, declaring he would issue a state
ment to-day. Dillon would only say
that he intended 10 enter the marine
insurance business with his son. Friends
of the chief spoke freely of the retire
ment and charged that Dillon had been
driven from the2department at the insti-
cation of a member OF the department
now a power, because he had disci-
plned that officer while serving as
Deputy Commissioner under the Gaynor
administration.
Chief Dillon entered the department
thirty-one years ago as a member of
the old Park department force. He
rose steadily, and jumped into public
notice several sears ago by cleaning up
Coney Island, the Brooklyn Terdcrloin
and the Hamilton Avenue "Black Hand"
district in Brooklyn. He organized the
Home Defence League, now known as
the Police Reserves, under Commits
sioner Arthur Woods, while borough
inspector of BROOKLYN.