The New York herald., 1921-10-24
THOSE INSIDE GET RICH

| Herewith Is published the first Of
series Of articles dealing with tie
conduct Of the departments of the city
government under the Hylan admin.
istration. These articles will be pub.
iished daily during this week. The
article to be published tomorrow Will
| deal with the Hylan adminlstration's
record as regards New York city's
schools.
1t has long been municipal dictum
that a city administration must be
prepared to stand or fall as judged by
the efficiency and integrity of its
Police Department. Under this test
the administration of Mayor Hylan
has been weighed in the balance and
found wanting.
Mayor Hyian's first Police Commits
sioner was Frederick II. Bugher, who
had made an approved record as a
deputy under Gen. Bingham. former
Commissioner, and who Ia said to have
had the Endorsement Of Samuel Inter
myer, afterward general counsel to
the Lockwood committee. Commits
sioner Bugher lasted less tran one
month, His retirement was the first
serious breach in the Hylan cabinet.
The Mayor demanded Mr.. Bugher's
resignation for the ostensible reason
that the Commissioner had refused to
suspend certain motorcycle policemen
accused of grating from automD-
biliats.
Commissioner Bugher pronounced
this a mere pretext. He already was
taking steps to bring these cases to
trial, he asserted. The Mayors real
reason, he said, was that he, Commits
sioner Bugher, would not tolerate die
taticn in the department after having
had the Mayors assurance that he
should be unbound and unfettered."
Declined TO Appoint solSvei.
In his explanatory letter to the
Mayer Commissioner Bugher wrote:
Yesterday aIr. O'Hara detective
Sergeant Irving o'ffara. the Mayors
brotheT-in-law and personal attendant)
came here with n man who impressed
me most unpleasantly. with the per-
emptery message from you that ap-
point him property clerk On Saturday
you Unexpectedly confronted me with
Mr. Smith and placed me In a most
embarrassing position in connection
with your decision that appoint him
deputy.
"other suggestions. such as that of
| Mr. Solovei and your letter strongly
urging Mr. Schneider as the Brooklyn
deputy, have also given me great un-
easiness.
II have been particularly disturbed
by your frequent urging that ! take
guidance and advice from one of the
suberdinates In the office and listen
to hts views, which arc to be conveyed
10 me by him through you, If not dl-
yectly by MIN to me.
II have no friends to favor or re-
ward, no enemies to punish. no political
ambitions to further and no politicians
with string tied to me. J could not
| have continued 10 serve as Police Com
missioner without tho abandonment OF
my principles and the loss Of all self
-esnect."
The 'Mr. solovep' to whom this let
ter refers was Joseph A. Solevei a
young Brooklyn criminal lawyer. close
friend and protege of Mayor Hyiau.
During the latter's campaign for the
Mayoralty it was Soiovei who had do
mated the use of his automobile and
to whom Mr.. Hylan referred jocularIy
as my commissioner Of transporta-
tion." District Attorney Harry E.
Lewis and Assistant District Attorney
| Conway both OF Kings county. spoke
of Soiovei as having been known for
many years In Brooklyn as attorney
In court for professional pickpockcts. .
After Solovei failed of appointment
| In the Police Department Mayor Hylan
rlaced him as an assistant in the Of
sice of the Corporation Counsel at 81. 900
/ a year He was suspended from that
post last December. when a Federal
Grand Jury indicted him and he was
arrested charged with attempting to
bribe revenue officer to drop charge
against Benjamin Gross. accused OF
conspiracy to violate the yolstead act.
| The Indictment was dismissed on a
.echnicality, and Mayor Hylan imme-
distely reinsteted tho accused man.
Solovei. however. resigned his job last
February. In April Judge Manton IN
the United States Circuit Court refused
20 dismiss a second indictment and
ordered tho case TO trial.
Enrigbt's Sudden Rise.
on January g. 1919 the day the Mayor
received Commissioner Bugher's resig-
nation, he appointed az Police Com
missioner Lieut.. Richard Il. Enright
The man whom fiylan summoned from
behind the desk in a Williamsburg
police station to wear the golden badge
surrendered by his predecessor had been
for twelve years president of the Police
Lieutcnents Benevolent Association.
Though he stood high on the eligible
list. Arthur Woods and other Police
Commissioners had refused TO promote