Year: 1875


tribunal And do further protest against any action
being taken by Your Honor the matter until each
and all Of the demands now make be complied with.
i demand that every charge made against me Oe
made specific and certain, in order that may know
definitely Of what am accused


IL demand that be furnished with either the
original verified copies OF any documentary evidence
IN support Of such charges


III. demand that may be confronted with and be
permitted 70 oss-examine each and every witness
who you assert VIII testify 10 such charges


~ demand that then may have opportunity
70 be heard IN my defence, and be allowed 70 produce
evidence against such charges and IA support OF my
lence thereto And that ! may be represented by
counsel GEORGE w. MArSELI,


Commissioner of Police and President OF the Board Of
Police


NEW YORK, Oct. Is, 1875


The Mayor took the papers and promised give them
his careful attention Mr. stranahan counsel for Com
missioner Dsbecker, aerward submitted tho follow
ing


COMMISSIONER pIsnEcKER


Police DEPARTMENT, CENTRAL OFFICE,


NEW YoRK Oct a. 1875.
Hon. WILLIAM H. WICKHAM, Mayor OF the cityof New


sIR--I hand TO you herewith my answer to the com
muncation marked sspersonai ~ hch you gave the
press for pubctlonl and also 70 the charges which you
transmitted 70 the Board OF Police, nave
not noticed the charges signed BY MT a.
not 10 DO If YOU require these charges answered
shall at respond on hearing from you. am ad
vised that your action in this matter Is OF quasi
judicial character The Governor Of the state has
taken the view TO his duties under the charef
therefore ask hearing before you on those Charges,
70 be confronted with the witnesses against me, anu
the opportunity 70 put IN my evidence make TINS de-
mand ia writing order thai your record may bear
ABRAHAM DIsBECKER


ANOTHER ANSWER.


Disbecker's answer Is very volumnous The follow
ing contains its most important points In regard
the arst allegation that the force 'demorallzed
&C. ne says


The police force Is not 'demoralized beyond hope or
recovery, and person but yourself has ever made
such assertion. you believe in this decentralization
you certainly prove yourseto have been very remss
your duty You now have been Mayor Of the city for
period o! over nine months, From you the Board OF
police has at time received information, suggestion
direction In reference 10 the reformation or improve
ment OF the force. What you may have said on this
subject TO other members Of the Board know not
To me commentator, not condemnation, was your in
variable greeting on numerous occasions you have
assured that my official action approved by you
Never until these charges were presented did you
inform me wherein had failed TO perform my duty.
do not say that the force Is all that can be desired
but do maintain, and know of what speak, that the
great OF the force is surpassed by any other in
fidelity their duty and the objects for
which. as a force they exist There are exceptions,
aud the wedding out OF such exceptions have done
than any Police Commissioner in Office for years
When became member OF the Police Board found
myself confronted with many difficulties. had,
and have power over the force, to remove or ap-
point. A further difficulty had to contend with was
the nsuficency OF the machinery at the command OF
the Board for the proper prosecution of delinquent
members OF the force The Board was placed sub

and sitting at the same time Judges on the trial.


REPLY IN DETAIL.


What YOU have furnished by way OF specification and
called upon to answer, shall do with pleasure
CHARGE-You charge that l. in violation If the rules
your Beard appGnsd g the Position Of & patrol
allies allies S- &SS- = S'''e '''''
This is strange accusation coming from you Surely
you not ignorant Of the fact that have no power
10 appoint patrolman. The power IS IN the Board Of
Police alone You further complain in this
that the aDpOintmeuts to which refer made
the recommendation Of political allies" Are you
serious IN this complantY


YOU A POLITICIAN
allied with other politicians" political aIliesn-by
whom you daily mportuned on their recommen-
not consider you are doing any wrong Then is your
complaint based on the doctrine that wrong done
only when one belonging to the republican party ap
points to Office, on the recommendation Of political
allies " You evidently driven to your wits end TO
frame charge or make specification OF complaint
founded upon my action as a member Of the Police
Board


CuARGK-Tt IS the duty OF the Police Commissioners
rules and regulations for the guidance and
existing II the state and ordinances y New York


The rules and regulations Of the department
with and conformity to the laws of the State
and provide a. 70 every matter and thing which
relates to the duties Of the force. All patrolmen,
when appointed upon the force, are required
to attend special school Of instruction for one MONTH
and then instructed as 70 heaws of the State which
apply to the department. and the ordinances Of the city
far known and understood and the rules and regua
tion OF the Board In force. Every precaution is thus
taken to have the members Of the force INSTRUCTED
their duties under the laws and ordinances Some time
since, and before charges preferred, sug
gesed the Board instructed revised edition Of the
rules and regulations 10 be prepared, including all the
rules and amendments to the date of completion
and when this work IS perfected new manual will bo
printed


cuAnsE-That, IN the knowledge that Commissioner
elected President " the Board


This Is frivolous voted FOR Mr. Matsell, as Presi
dent of The Board under circumstances which al the
wholly iugfilable II pFiyippe how
ever to determine for myself how should that
occasion, and did 50 IN the exercise q discretion


SEEK 70 pALIArE OR ExcrsE


That all charges made against members Of the police
must be tried a TACT admitted That trial has been
denied or neglected, when rightfuy demanded BY any
member Of the force: trials have been conducted
unfairly uniustiy Or improperly tsnce have been
member Of the B0ardl that minutes Of said trials
have been mutlla,ed and tampered with are asser-
tions which in each and every particular false.
Each case Is tried in view Of Its surroundings and
Judges would cupably negligent If they failed 10
recognize and consider such surroundings. discre-
tion s wisely placed ~ all judges and by special law
in the Board of Police secton 80 Of chapter 335 Laws
Of 1879 IN reference 10 such matters and II is only
the grossest ignorance that could attribute wrong to
the proper exercise Of such discretion


CLERK HAwLEY's


The Board Is arragned for having failed TO put Mr.
Ha~ley on trial Tor the charges alleged. Mr.. Hawley
is not member oi the police force and there Is no law
which requires that an employe Of the department
not member Of the iorco-should be tried formally
upon charges Instantly on the accusation being made
against hin, Mr. Hawiey demanded an immediate in
vestgatlon and upon this demand, and August 3
he directed present IN writing answer to the
accusations ''Sith such proofs might be pertinent
TO the matter.H on the Sd Of September Mr. Hawley
submitted the Board his answer and upon lis receipt
Commissioner smith moved that the charge and
answer be referred 10 the counsel Of the Board, who
was instructed report thereon After due nvestiga-
tion consideration the counsel submitted his opin-
ion which the effect that every allegation
against Mr. Hawley upon personal knowledge had been
specifically met and answered.


EIGHTH FIFTEENTH WARD NursAGcEs


No statement could be more devoid of truth than the
allegation that the complaints Of the citizens Of the
Eighth and Fifteenth wards have since my connection
with the department, been utterly disregarded
by the Police Boardn Upon two occasions citi.
these wards have called upon me IN reference
IL matters which they desired action taken
By the police Their first visit to me was 20 ascertain
whether The police would the propretors Of
tain alleged disorderly places who, Il was stated,
semng liquor without license. informed the parties
who called that ! would at once direct that such
action be taken their reporting the places referred
LII LL-t .nLn-. u--LL-