New-York tribune., 1919-02-10
SSChute'' Set
For Costigan,
Coff Asserts
Continued from page J.


circumstances, including the Costigan
affair, which are not for the best of the
department.
LAS far as Costigan goes, when
was appointed Third Deputy by Com
missioner Enright at the beginning of
his administration, l found Costigan
assigned to my Office. He and his vice
squad were 'leftos'-that is they were
left over from the previous admins
tration.
ut was very clear that Costigan was
in disfavor with the Commissioner. 1t
was generally understood that Costi-
gan was 'on the toboggan' from the
moment Commissioner Enright went
in.
at was apparent from the way
things were going that Costigan was
destined for the chute. Costigan was
attached to my office for several
months. Then he was transferred to
the headquarters division under Chief
Inspector John Daily.
"Costigan knew that he was 'tobog-
gaming Talking it over with me in
formally, he said he knew he was go
ing to be denoted, that he believed
they would go to any lengths to get
him. and that he was prepared for
anything they might try to do.
Right from the beginning of the
Enright administration his powers
were gradually shorn. Some of his
best men were taken away from him
and other steps were taken to limit his
activities. Among these were the cur
tailment Of expenses He had been in
the habit Of getting expense budgets
advanced to him each month under the
previous administration. Then he ap-
portioned the money out to his men.
"This system was stopped under the
Enright administration. His men
made their respective expenditures out
Of their own pockets and their vouch-
ers went through the usual expense
money routine, but often while wait
ing for their bills the men were with
out funds and unable to do their work
properly.
"Costigan complained about this mat
ter Of expense to me, and declared it
was checkmating his work. He told me
that he spent considerable money out
of his own pocket to keep certain i'm
portant Investigations going.
81 took this matter up with Commits
sioner Enright after Costigan talked
it over with me, but no change in the
system was made. One Of Costigan's
objections to having his men go around
short Of money was that it opened
them to graft temptations he did not
wish to subject them TO. l do not want
to 60 further into things done to shear
Costigan of his powers.
Costigan "On the Job
PERSONALLY, l always liked Costigan.
He was straightforward, respectful and
oblging, and, judging from the actual
experience he had had, regarded him
as valuable man.
"While attached to my office he made
daily reports to me on gambling and
general vice conditions throughout the
city. These reports indicated that he
was on the job, an honest and compe
tent officer and working as hard as he
could to make good with the limits
placed on him. | believed fully in his
sincerity.
after l had been in Office a short
time | asked him what his orders were
from the chief. He replied tha he did
not know, because he had not been in
the Commissioners Office. He said En-
right had not sent for him.
"Costigan felt that his unpopularity
was due partially to the fact that he
had conducted lot of work for the
District Attorney. Costigan's assign
ment, of course, was the most i'm
portant in the department, next to that
of chief inspector.
Not Wanted by Enright
81 do not think Costigan's demotion
is to be taken as an indication of in
competency. His record in the past
showed that he was competent. His
demotion shows simply that Commits
sioner Enright did not want him in
that Job.
II saw the way things were going
and told Commissioner Enright that
did not want to be responsible for
Costigans work under conditions as
they existed when he was under my
supervision.
"I also told the Commissioner that
if had been the head of the depart
ment and did not want Costigan /
simply would have announced that
was going to reorganize the depart
ment and removed him in that way in
stead of gradually taking his powers
away from him, the method they
seemed to have selected
"I am holding no brief for Costigan,
nor have 7 word Of criticism of the
Commissioner, | am simply stating
facts as saw them.
81 don't know anything about the
statements that the underworld had