The New York herald., 1921-09-21
REVEAL LIGHT FINES FOR POLICE WHO BREAK LAWS

after reading these cases I have the
discretionary power to determine, In my
judgment and so has the Deputy Com
missioner. whether the man Is guilty
and whether all the facts warrant the
imposition OF the extreme penalty. That
Is what / am there for"
You do not find anybody guilty you
think innocent. do your"
mo. sir"
And II there Is a reasonable doubt OF
his guilt you give him the benefit of the
doubt. don't you?"
Yes. sir.'
Policeman Ernest w. Brender, forty
third precinct. on May IS. 1918, was
charged with knowingly making false
official report. He recorded having wit
messed an accident in which David
Greenberg. 65 years. OF 73 East 119th
street, was hit by an automobile truck
and injured severely. The policeman
testified subsequently before Justice
Abraham q. Meyer that Greenberg had
not been struck by the truck but had
"tripped and fallen and the truck had
stopped within a few feet OF him"
Bender was tried by Deputy Commis-
sioner John w. Goff and fined ten days
pay.
THE evidence shows tina, this man
had his leg broken and lost his suit by
reason of this perjury OF this patrol
man." Mr.. Brown said. why do you
think he changed his testimony"
II haven't any idea.'' the Commits
sioner said.
You haven't any suspicion about
that?"
n rt dvtf he roa
There was nothing in the papers. the
witness said, to show that the police
man had done anything worse than
''overdraw the case" in his report and
added '.we cannot deal In futures in
these cases."
what do you mean by futures9''
Something that may be dug up later.
II had thought he was guilty of wrong
doing 1 would have dismissed him from
the department"
Did you make any inquiry es to
why the form of the charge of making
false entry was changed?"
THAT was drawn by one Of the So
called most efficient officers we ever hao
in the department, Mr.. Costigan. ano
do you think he could make mistake?"
Enright asked.
IT want to ask II you have given the
only explanation you wish to give OF
why an officer who reported In his
memorandum an accident to an old man
and later when the case came up In
court swore to the contrary. thereby de-
feating his action. should have imposed
upon him fine of only ten days?"
'I would like TO answer that in this
way: Why did his commanding officer.
at that time Mr.. Costigan. why did he
say that the charge against him was
making q false entry in his memoran-
dunn book instead of giving false testi-
mony in court, and coioring it, IL It
was wrong?"
AZ would like to know"
'T would like to know, too"
II would give good deal to know.
Police officers are to protect citizens
In their property and In their rights
against aggression. This. IL true. ccu-
stituted q gross breach on the part of
this officer of his duty to protect this
citizen"
Lost Pawn Tickets Redeemed.
Policeman George Brewster, March
II, 1921, found three pawn tickets and
sent an unknown man to the Provident
Loan Society to redeem the tickets. He
was found guilty and sentenced to lose
twenty days pay.
"If guilty It was a theft, wasn't it?"
MI. bTOWH dShtu.
1T all depends, Il Is a border line
case, on what the circumstances were,"
the witness said
Detective Sergeant Thomas Fitzgerald
requested Patrolman John Pierce to
withdraw a summons against Samual
Gruntfast for violating an ordinance.
The summons charged speed violation
and was erased. Fitzgerald was tried
and found guilty and sentenced to ten
days pay. Pierce was fined ten days
pay.
II think that was adequate under the
circumstances" Enright said. TT was
a case of an officer. a rather simple fell
low. allowing himself TO be imposed on
by a brother officer. There was no
money in the transaction. just favor
between officers"
How do you know there was no
money In it7''
Both men said So"
There Is honor among thieves as ap-
piled to case like this.
II will apply that to the same class
Of people l have in mind IL you want
to apply it." the witness said angrily.