Year: 1879

HE REPLIES TO MAYOR COOPER, BUT REFUSES


TO GIVE INFORMATION WHICH, HE SAYS Is


ALREADY IN HIS HoNoR's POSSESSION.


Police Commissioners Erhardt yesterday sent the
following communication to Mayor Cooper regarding
the charges which he made against some Of his col
leagues in the Police Board-


NEw YORK. Feb. g. 1879
Hon. EDWARD COOPER. Mayor Of the city OF New


York;


sm-I have received your letter of the 4th inst. in
which you repeat your demand for u detailed state
ment of fats. Your first letter upon this subject
was considered and treated by me as in effect re-
quest for formal complaint against my associates.
lou now suggest that your request is for informa-
ton. Permit to recall to your attention
the history Of my efforts inform you of the doings
OF the Police Department. There were three inter
views between upon this subject in the early part
OF January, 1873; one at your ofhce January l; a
second at your Office few days later, and the third
ct this office January IL.


At the first interview, which very brief,
quested you and look into the Police Depart


ent, telling you that the department needed it and
had not been looked into by the Mayor since 1876 At
the second interview. which was also brief,
ried to Office copy OF the proposed street clean
ing contract. which I told you regarded
wicked and iniquitous scheme" and at the same
time explained my reasons for my opinion and
Qucsted your influence to prevent 1t from being
given out On the third occasion you passed most
interview quite extended. At this interview in
formed you of all the principal facts, which you
ask me to state, leaving only matters of detail and
evidence resting chiefly in the records OF the depart
ment.


all the earnestness and force III my power, l
counted to you these facts, with specifications and
particulars; that my statements were confirmed by
another Commissioner OF Police who was present,
and that was proceeding to point to you the evil
dence of the facts stated in detail upon the records
of the department, when you requested that it be
deferred until some future occasion, owing to lack
OF time on your part then to pursue the investiga-
ton.


waited for more than week after these occur
rences before taking my action in the Police Board.
and these the attempts to accomplish reforms
quietly to which referred In my communication
to the Board Alter that action had been taken by
me and had come to your knowledge again called
upon you, and. finding You on that oc-
the Police Department, said to you that would
come TO you whenever you chose to send for me.
and left you with that unders landing 1t appeared
to me that had faithfully performed my duty and
had placed the means in the hands OF the Mayor OF
this CITY, who alone can exercise the power to rem
cdy what seemed to me grave abuses.


If the facts which stated to you are not. in your
Judgment, such that any duty is imposed upon you
by law to take any action to examine the record
evidence which 1 have offered to you'll can see no
advantage III detailing them again upon paper in the
form OF charge and specification. can see no effect
whatever OF such course except to take me outside
the scope of my official powers into the role of pr
vate personal prosecutor before you. who your
self officially charged by law with that duty IL you
deem that the warrants it. That position am
not willing to assume have no private or personal
contest with members of the Board Of Police. In
short. am officially your Witness cannot be OH
cially and will not be personally prosecutor.
There Is one matter not referred to in your last
letter to me- but covered by the terms of your rst
request for statement of facts concerning which
think did not inform you. aud to which. therefore,
part OF the foregoing remarks would not apply l
refer to the inebriey Of of the members or the
Board and its damaging effect upon the force am
ready to furnish you with the particulars and the
names of witnesses to these facts. This should, Of
course, not be done a communication likely to be
made public before You have determined to take any
action thereon Very respectfully,


JOEL b. ERHARDT, Police Commissioner.
Mayor Cooper declined to say anything regarding
the letter Of Mr. Erhardt further than that he would
reply to 1t At the proper time and in the proper
manner.