The New York herald., 1921-09-21

with the police administration.
While the position OF Special Deputy
IS honorary. il is identified as closely
with the department as II there were
salary attached.
Mr.. Enright's Characterization or the
transactions as a gift Is regarded as re-
licving him of any official connection
with II. As far as members OF the conf
mittee and its counsel could state. there
is nothing in the general law or rules
dealing with. such case. II was re-
garded in the light Of an impropriety.
perhaps falling in the same class as
Senator Clayton r. Lusks acceptance
OF silver service.
All OF the information presented in
connection with the Wall Street deal
took only q few minutes in day of
testimony. Yet 1t provided the COM
nittee, the big audience which crowded
City Hall and the whole city admins
tration with genuine thrill. There
was wide speculation last night on
whether the Mayor would do anything
about 1t. Mr. EnriGht was understood
10 have communicated with the Mayor
Immediately after the hearing.
The trend OF the whole days testi-
mony was toward one objective--that
the police have little fear of severe
punishment at the hands OF their supe-
riors. The police terror dreaded by cfti-
Zens was In part accounted for by the
system OF dealing with the policemen
who run amuck. The same story was
told over and over until its repetition
became wearisome-officers beat up
citizens. violated all the rules and laws
prescribed by the city and department
for their conduct and escaped with 1T
tie or no punishment.
Three thousand such offences are COM
mitted annually. 1t was shown. There
are $4,000 men In the department The
Commissioner defended the police sys-
tenn of imposing fines. He said even
those cited We're just.
Grating on Grocery stores.
One little system which exists in the
department Is known as getting things
on the shield" This happy practice
consists merely in policeman going
into store, taking what he wants In
the way of groceries or other light
housekeeping commodities, refusing to
pay for it and taking it home. That IS
not a crime in the eyes of the police
authorities.
The practice in the Police Department
for years had been to railroad men out
on charges and he stopped t. Commits
sioner Enright said. His determination
was 20 dismiss only on charges which he
knew would be sustained.
Instead or using quick, repressive
measures 1t was shown that In most
cases cited the judgment was not in ac-
cord with the charge In one case
policeman was accused OF attacking
girl of I5 years. She died before he
went to trial and the charge was dis
missed.
Police officers are to protect the peo-
pie, not to assault thern," Mr.. Brown re-
marked.
They are not assaulting them to any
great extent" the witness said.
ANY protector that assaults Is guilty
of double offence" the lawyer added.
.'In the case OF Charles G. Potter he
was found guilty OF ordering and taking
from a store a pound of butter without
paying for it, and ordering and taking
from the store groceries and refusing to
pay for the same. That is what they
call taking something on your Shield
is 1t not?" Mr.. Brown said.
II don't recall the case" Enright said.
1T is not stealing; he orders something
and takes 1t and refuses to pay for it.
We have thousands OF those cases"
"You don't have many cases like
that?"
Eyes. they go and buy clothes from a
ldllOI anu TcluSC " Poy.
Fined for visiting a saloon.
Policeman Patrick DAILY. according to
n record read, went into a saloon at 2407
Washington avenue while of duty and
was fined.
THE charter provides that you must
try these cases on the specific statements
made and not on something else." Mr..
Brown said. You cannot switch from
one charge to another"
I'VE can punish for anything growing
out of the case" the Commissioner said.
lie read a long statement defining his
opinion of the Jurisdiction OF the police
officials in handling such cases. The
courts have held that charges against
Lolicemen are not to be read literally
like indictments and the officials have a
free hand in deciding which feature Of
the charge snail be acted upon.
The case OF Charles F. Tighe, who
gained much notoriety recently when
he became known as clubbing cop."
was reviewed. 1t was shown that sew
eral charges had been made against him