New-York tribune., 1920-12-15
Enright Holds
Arrests Solve
Murder Cases
(cSatisued from page one,

n InuIsoSS W Hal' LuIiS IlSt OF n1ty
two eases. which he said had beer
solved, The Tribune. by referring to the
records of the District ATTORNEYS in the
\ Eve boroughs found:
That IN II cases where the police
i ksc made arrests the prisoners were
| discharged by city magistrates:
That IN 10 cases no arrests had beer
made, despite the fact that the Com.
missioner stated arrests had beer
That in i've cases in which Mr. En-.
right said arrests had been made the
prosecutors office had no records OF
tie cases.
That IN only seven cases were con.
yetions obtained.
That in eight cases the grand iurv
failed 70 lndict the men arrested.
That IN two cases the suspects were
acqui.ted after trial; in three cases
the men are still awaiting trial; that
in one case material witness is be-
ing held; that IN one case the suspect
jumped his bail; that in another case
the suspect died in Jail before trial.
Thus in at least twenty-seyen cases
out OF fftytwo. the arrests did not
solve the murders, unless the fact Of
sn arrest is considered a solution.
The Tribune's second question was:
"uill YOU allow q Tribune investiga
tor to examine your record of murders
committed since the first of the year ~
Commissioner Enright saws that the
Police Department was specifically ex-
cluded by the Legislature from the OBJ
legation imposed upon other depart
ments to furnish records upon prop r
application; -hat typewriter state
ments are prepared on all matters OF
public interest which may be published d
without detriment to the efficiency of
police work.
Under the previous administration
sll records were open to the public ex-
cept in cases where the ends of justice
would be defeated by premature pub
Ecity or w.ere the city might become
involved in a civil suit
The Trlbune's third question was:
as it not true that unless there is
visible evidence of crime, under the
present policy of the Police Depart
ment, reports of crimes are not listed
but are considered merely investiga-
tions? Do you deny that as a result
OF this policy it is possible to produce
figures favorable to your administra-
ton as against previous administra-
tons"
The only answer to this question is
offered y Fourth Deputy Commits
sionar Cray, who says: 81 am not GER
tain what is meant by visible evidence
of crime
III Tribune quoted burglary in
sofance underwriters as saying that
under the present system a crime was
not considered as such unless there
was absolute tangible evidence that a
crime had been mitted r., tho
absence Of such evidence the complaint
was not entered in what was known as
the "squeal book" or blotter main
tanned by the detectives
Deputy Commissioner Cray verifes
this when he says, When a complaint
Is made that crime has been com
mltted record Of the crime will be
made upon card, which is given to the
Detective Division for investigation"
The Tribune's fourth question was:
will you allow a Tribune investi-
gator to go over the records of the
eases of the men whom you have re-
mstateo that he may learn on what
charges the men have been dismissed
under previous administrations and re-
fused reinstatement and on what
grounds they were reinstated by you ?"
Commissioner Enright appa rently
felt that his answer to the second
question covered this
Basing its story on official police
orders, The Tribune in it's series of
stories on the Police Department
dlsrega riding the courts and his prede-
eessors, had reinstated thirty-four
men, The Citizens Union claims that
many OF tae reinstatements were
Illegal.
faurot and Cray Deny Transfer
The Tribune's fifth question was:
WIZ you explain the transfer of ex-
perts like Faurot and Cray to work
entirely foreign to crime detection ?a
Faurot and Cray deny that they were
transferred and say that their eleva-
Hon to commissionership ps was in rec
ignition Of good service
Cray says that the two promotiqns
made necessary the appointment sof
some one OF experience and ability to
head the detective bureau; that Chief
inspector Lahey. having been in charge
o. the detective division for almost
three years, is now in full command
OF the division. This, Commissioners
most logical act" Faurot also admits
tsat Lahey is now in sole command of
the detective division and says that
REV and important duties have been
conferred upon himself and Cray.
The Tribune in its stories pointed
ont that in the promotion Of Inspectors
taurot and Cray the first step was
taken in the turning over Of entire
control Of all branches OF the service
to the Chief Inspector
Inc Tribune's sixth question was:
=, viii you explain why only. FIVE Of
she old Tunney boInb squad are still
engaged in that branch of the work ?"
Commissioner Enright's reply is
found III the letter from Faurot, who
says that the members Of the old
iunney bomb squad entered the Fed
sral service during the war and when
tney returned it was found that their
places had been taken by other police
msn who had made good.
:, The Tribune said that only five Of
tne thirty-fve men OF the Tunney
oofnb squad, the work OF which had
caused the Warrington officials to take
~ over in its entirety when war was
declared, had been reinstated by En-
Egnt upon their retarn from service.
The story showed that Inspector
rnomas J. Tunney and his chief aid,
ueorge Barnitz. now associated in a
pirate detective agency, mad been
iofesc into retirement by the Commits