Year: 1875

EXCITEMENT AMONG THE MEMBERS ON THE


FoRCE-THn DETECTIVES AND TIE PAWN


BROKERS'


The sole topic or conversation in police circles
OF Brooklyn yesterday was the action OF the
Board OF Commissioners demanding information
upon knottY questions OF alleged delinquency on
the part OF The directors Of efficiency among the
rank and nie. The entire police force does not
exceed 500 men, and this force has TO patrol an
area OF territory as large as New York and pro-
tect the lives ana property OF half a mIlicn Of
people, or about one-half the population OF
Gotham. To do this there is not more than one
NTH OF the number OF police as compared with
New York. These facts are put forth by the vet.
eran officers as an extenuation for any shortcom.
ings on their part In failure 10 defect The GRIN.
nails who are now at large.


The police captains made their reports OF the
number o robberies, as called for by the order OF
the Board, TO the Supertn tendent yesterday
morning, and Mr.. Folk will make his general re-
port 10 morrow AS soon as the Commissioners
shall have digested the force and meaning or the
forthcoming answer to their queries there are
premonitOry symptoms OF lively uDes and II
oniclal heads do not succumD to the democratic
guiotine, then there Is nothing to be learned by
prophecy. As the captains met at headquarters
yesterday they compared notes and whispered
the result OF the overhauling OF their respective
records OF crime, alleging this or that reason as
an excuse 1or any seeming increase OF inquiry IN
pretty wel IN my ,prscinet, so far as robbery 10
concerned. Since June have lost but SIS 6O
That Is n0t much Tor big preclnct." Another
commandant chimed In witn-'There have been
the credit OF the recovery OF tnat
200 worth OF stolen property that
recovered In May. Tor the reason that can only
report what has been recovered since June l.
Just my luck" third captain passing at the
moment, tapping the reporter on the shoulder,
remarked:-"Take what that man says with
grain OF salt,n and laIghlngy, went on his way,
evidently realizing that his own record was cor
rect There are sergeants looking for captalncies
and roundsmen with sharp eye on prospective
vacancies in sergeantcies. AS for the supertn-
tendency ana inspeetorship, they are understood
Folk, when questioned as to whether ne had any
thing to say to the press with reference to the
questions put 20 him by the Commissioners. he
replied that he would send his report so the Com
nlsslopsEs and Il th9 Raara g gave It TO the press
ttwoud be doing what they told nun poE % 81
Central once squad, said he felt very much
aggrieved because OF the publication OF ibellous
statement In o New York paper against his men,
TO the eject that they were In the habit OF receiv-
ing money from the pawnDrokers SO as not to
seize stolen property that had been pawned- This
on the squad, and he thought he would ask that
the pawnbrokers be summoned to testify before
the Board so as 10 clear the characters OF the OIL
GERS rom the false and damaging assertion. AS
to the assertion that one OF the oficers recently
recovered $500 OF stolen property ana returned
but 500 OF 1t to the owner, that was false. The
of1cer returned more property to the citizen than
the latter was aware OF having lost at tue time.
All the detectives shared the views OF their chief
on the subject, ana said Il would De but fair to
name the particular pawnbroKers and the officers
VINO thus shared In the spoils OF stolen goods, II
Individually and collectively, lRboring under that
stigma.