New-York tribune., 1920-12-15
Commissioner Answers 9
of Ia Questions of The
Tribune, but Refuses
Inspection of Records
Faurot and Cray
Support Chief
Only 21 Unsolved MUIR
ders, He Insists; Denies
Force Is Broken Down

Police Commissioner Richard E.
Enright replied yesterday to nine
Of the fourteen questions put to him
by The Tribune on December 8.
The Commissioners reply, given
out at Police Headquarters, at
tempted to deny;
First, that there have been more
than 100 unsolved murders since the
first of the year.
Second, that there has been a
breakdown in the department.
The first denial is based on the
statement that in the 100 murder
cases in 1920 there have been nu-
merous arrests, and that in reality
only 21 unsolved murders remain on
the records. The Commissioner con-
tends that an arrest is equivalent to
a solution.
The second denial rests on state
ments made b. Joseph A. Faurot, Third
Deputy Commissioner, and John J.
Cray, Fourth Deputy Commissioner
Faurot and Cray were in charge of the
Detective Bureau under Arthur Woods.
The control of the bureau was turned
over to William ]. Lahey, Chief Inspec-
tor, when they were promoted.
Enright's Method OF Analysis
reaching the conclusion that there have
been Only twenty-one unsolved murders
this year:
The total of murders since January
l is l90
But in 14S cases arrests have been
made. which, according to Mr.. Enright,
leaves 42
But in eighteen more cases, SAYS Mr..
Enright. the perpetrator is known and
will be nnaily apprenended and in three
other cases the perpetrators have COM
mltted suicice.' Which, according to
Mr EnriCht. leaves 2l
Mr.. Enright's contention is that
whenever an arrest has been made the
murder s solved. He does not concern
J.
The Comml refuses fatty to
permit Tribune investigators to ex.
anime police records and cites a Law
which ne says allows the Police De
parimeRt TO close Its rles to newspaper
men.
The Commissioner also refuses te
make public the grounds on which he
had rensteted men who had been
dismissed by the previous administra
ton and denied reirS tatement by ths
courts.
Police Breakdown Denied
Enright, Faurot and Cray all deny
that there has been any reak-down ir
the Police Department. and the two
Deputy Commission rs explain their
removal from active detective work by
saying that they were promoted tt
missionerShips for good service
While it is claimed that no radical
changes have been made in the specia
squads, it is admitted that experts
perform the work for which they were
trained "in conjunction with other
daties." No explanation is offered fol
the removal from vice work of In
spector Mcdonald and Captain Costi
gan and the int. usting Of these duties
to Inspector Be-ton.
NO explanation IS Of1ered OF why II
hss been found necessary by the pres.
ent administration TO employ motor
cycle sldecars in supervising the work
OF petroimen, nor is it said whether
this Is d return to the "shoofy" sys
TEN.
The Commissioner fails TO provide
Inc Tribune with a,list Of special de-
tails, but declares that these details
are fever today than under any pre-
yious administration. These details, il
mas been charged, contribute greatly tC
she underpolicing of the city.
Defense Of Administration
The Commissioner concludes as fol
lows:
The JOB hunters, lawbreakers ans
members Of the underworld, then
agents, exploiters and supporters. seen
- De at the bottom Of these attacks
but this gang will not be permitted K
run IN : department while | am Police
Commissioner"
Here Is deta led examination o
81! Enright's statement:
ne Trioune's first question was:
Do you deny the statement that hal
Deen emphasized throughout The Trib
gnes surrey, namely, that there hav'
BEEN since TIE first Of the year NOR
.aar 100 uneoIVed murders in the city?
Ccmnissioner knright's answer wa
nat thc total was twenty one, pointiri
'ts that IN Jso cases there had bee
aTrshts. Following the publication as
tcsn,iausd en- page three