New-York tribune., 1921-01-11
Hylan Fails to
Lift Police Rule
To Aid Inquiry
Neither Mayor nor Enright
Moves to Abrogate Sec.
ton Requiring Patrolmen
to Report Upon Evidence
Swami Promises to Act
Whitman Admits His Probe
Will Be Retarded if Jury
Secrets Are Made known

There was no effort made by Police
Commissioner Enright or Mayor Hylan
yesterday to abrogate Section 184 of
the Police Department rules compiled
by Enright, which orders any member
Of the department appointed to sid ex-
Governor Charles S. Whitman's in
vestigation of the city administration,
to report all details of the inquiry to
headquarters.
Under Section 1874, as pointed cut
by The Tribune yesterday, any men,
Der of the department assigned to Mr..
Whitman's staff, or called upon for in
formation, or any policeman who volun-
teers information, must make an i'm
mediate report Of each days develop
ments to the Commissioner In this
way the Commissioner, and through
him, the Mayor, will be in possession
of information before Mr.. Whitman
will have an opportunity to inspect
it; certainly before it can be pre-
sented to the grand jury.
Swami Promises to Act
In his conference with District At
torney Swami, when he assumed con-
troll of the investigation yesterday
morning, Ex-Governor Whitman was
assured by Mr.. Swami that every ef-
fort would be made to have Rule 1874
rescinded.
In conference with newspaper men
Mr.. Swami said he would Immediately
ask for the abrogation of the depart
ment rule which was generally con-
ceded to be the big stumbling block to
the Whitman investigation. Mr.. Whit
man said that Mr.. Swami would take
care Of the matter, but it was of little
Importance, as far as he was concerned,
because he felt that the policemen who
had valuable information would find a
way to give it to him without notify
ing the Commissioner and the police
man from whom information would
have to be "blackj lacked" would relay
1t to headquarters, rule or no rule
At about p. m. Mr.. Swami left his
office to confer with the Mayor. At
$3.50 p. m, according to Lieutenant
Quinn, in charge of the Mayors outer
office, he had failed to appear and made
no appointment. At p. m. Lieutenant
quinn gave out the same information.
Finds the Mayor Busy
At $50 p. M, at the Manhattan Club.
Mr.. Swami told The Tribune that he
had arranged to see Mayor Hylan re-
gardlng the obnoxious police rule, but
when he had arrived at the Mayors Of
fee he had been told that the Mayor
was busy with committee meeting and
would be engaged for an hour.
Il therefore arranged to see Mavor
Hylan tomorrow" Judge Swami con.
tinued. "The rule is unwise and with
out reason"
Ex-Governor Whitman expected to
go ahead to-day with his Investigation.
He is upset that the District ATTORNEY
failed to secure some definite action
toward resembling Rule 1874, insofar.
at least, as his investigation is con-
cerned.
Not word came from Police Head
quarters as to the disclosure by The
Tribune Of the section which ap-
parently blocks the Whitman invcsti-
CATION, as far as police aid is con-
cerned. Neither did Mr.. Enright-nor
Mr.. Hylan-reply to The Tribune edi-
torlal in which it was stated:
80 the acceptance of Mayor 1Iylan's
offer Of six policemen to assist in the
grand jury investigation of the Police
Department by the District Attorneys
Office would mean the introduction of
the Mayors agents into the most in
nermost secrets of the investigation,
and lay on them the duty of reporting
the facts at once to Commissioner En-
right, should any member of the Police
Department be menaced with indlct-
ment."