New-York tribune., 1920-01-01
Hackett Quits
Police After Row
With Taxi Driver
Patrolman Suspended for
Action Reinstated by the
Mayor Within Few Hours;
Shake-Up Predicted Now

The rumored resignation of John c.
Hackett, private secretary of Police
Commissioner Richard f. Enright, was
confirmed yesterday by the Commits
sioner. Through Lieutenant John Buck
ley the Commissioner announced Mr..
Hackett had severed connections with
the department last Friday.
His withdrawal, it appears, came in
the nature of forerunner to a con-
siderable shakeup, some details of
which were gathered at headquarters
yesterday. While the Commissioner
would assign no reason for Hackett's
resignation. he was said to have been
forced out by the Mayor following the
suspension Of a patrolman in Brooklyn
Reason for Action
AT about 80 o'clock on the morn
ing of December Is, the story runs,
Hackett got into an alteration with a
taxicab driver in front of a cafe in
Brooklyn. During the argument Pc
trolman John w. Hilbert, of the Ber-
gen Street station, appeared and or
dered Hackett on his way. Hackett is
then said to have communicated with
Third Deputy Commissioner A. J.
Porter, who Immediately ordered Hill
bert's suspension without pay. Hill
bert is said to have taken his case at
once to the Mayor, and on the same
day was restored to full duty without
trial.
Hackett entered the Police Depart
ment with the Enright regime, when
he was made secretary of the depart
ment. His promotion 10 the Commits
sloner's secretaryship followed shortly
after Before he entered the Police
Department he had been a magazine
writer. He lives at the Hotel yelling
ton.
In connection with the names sug-
gested as his possible successor it de-
Veloped that there has been in Com
missioner Enright's Office an assistant
whose duties, it was said, correspond
to those Of social secretary. He is
Henry W. Dearborn. Dearborn is listed
IN the civil service records as a ste
nographcr to Second Deputy Commits
sioner Lahey, but exempt from civil
services rules. Attaches to Lahey's
office say he is to be found in Com
missioner Enright's office, where. it is
SAID, he meets the Commissioners Wis
ltors, attends to his engagements and
performs the duties of a social secre-
tary.
Captains Transfer Explained
The transfer of Captain William #
Davis from the Quartermasters De-
partmcnt to the West Tooth Street sta
ton was explained yesterday in GER
tam quarters as the first move on the
part OF the Commiss siOner to elevate
Davis to an nspectorship Davis, it
was SAID, was one of Enright's most
intimate friends and had asked for
some such appointment about month
ago AT that time Inspector Thomas
Waish, of Bronx precinct, had been
told fhat he could retire on an inspec-
tors pension shortly after the first of
the year, when his fve-year term ex
plres, and it is probable that Davis
VIII succeed to the Walsh Inspector
snip when the latter retires
DAVIS was treasurer of the Lieuten-
ants Benevolent Association. He was
placed in command of the Quarter
masters Department about a year ago
and was made captain last April
II was learned that Captain Patric,:
Corcoran, Of the Atlantic Avenue Stu
supplants when Davis takes his plac.
at the Tooth Street Station, will take
over portion of the bridge command
lhls command now has been divided
INTO two parts, one portion to be or
ganlzed IS new precinct, known as
the 9th Precinct, which will be
headed by Corcoran. 1t is considered
by officers in the department as a less
desirable appointment.
The Macdougal Street Police Sta
ton was abolished at midnight. the
force being distributed among other
precincts Captain Edward j Demp-
sey, who headed this station, was
transferred to the New Dorp Station.
Staten Island.