Itisdifficultformenwhohavenotbeenbroughtintocontactwiththatsideofpoliticallifewhichdealswiththeunderworldtounderstandthebrazenopennesswithwhichthisblackmailingoflawbreakerswascarriedout。Afurtherverydarkfactwasthatmanyofthemenresponsibleforputtingthelawonthestatute-booksinordertopleaseoneelementoftheirconstituents，alsoconnivedatorevenprofitedbythecorruptandpartialnon-enforcementofthelawinordertopleaseanothersetoftheirconstituents，ortosecureprofitforthemselves。Theorganoftheliquor-sellersatthattimewastheWineandSpiritGazette。TheeditorofthispaperbelievedinsellingliquoronSunday，andfeltthatitwasanoutragetoforbidit。Buthealsofeltthatcorruptionandblackmailmadetoobigapricetopayforthepartialnon-enforcementofthelaw。Hemadeinhispaperastatement，thecorrectnessofwhichwasneverquestioned，whichoffersastartlingcommentaryonNewYorkpoliticsofthatperiod。Inthisstatementherecitedthefactthatthesystemofblackmailhadbeenbroughttosuchastateofperfection，andhadbecomesooppressivetotheliquordealersthemselves，thattheycommunicatedatlengthonthesubjectwithGovernorHilltheStateDemocraticbossandthenwithMr。CrokerthecityDemocraticboss。FinallythematterwasformallytakenupbyacommitteeoftheCentralAssociationofLiquorDealersinaninterviewtheyheldwithMr。Martin，myTammanypredecessorasPresidentofthepoliceforce。Inmatter-of-coursewaytheeditor’sstatementcontinues：“AnagreementwasmadebetweentheleadersofTammanyHallandtheliquordealersaccordingtowhichthemonthlyblackmailpaidtotheforceshouldbediscontinuedinreturnforpoliticalsupport。”Notonlydidthebigbosses，Stateandlocal，treatthisagreement，andthecorruptiontowhichitwasdue，asnormalandproper，buttheynevereventookthetroubletodenywhathadbeendonewhenitwasmadepublic。Tammanyandthepolice，however，didnotfullyliveuptotheagreement；andmuchdiscriminationofaverycorruptkind，andofaveryexasperatingkindtoliquor-sellerswhowishedtobehonest，continuedinconnectionwiththeenforcingofthelaw。
Inshort，theagreementwaskeptonlywiththosewhohad“pull。”Thesemenwith“pull“werebenefitedwhentheirrivalswerebulliedandblackmailedbythepolice。Thepolice，meanwhile，whohadboughtappointmentorpromotion，andthepoliticiansbackofthem，extendedtheblackmailingtoincludeabouteverythingfromthepushcartpeddlerandthebigorsmallmerchantwhowishedtousethesidewalkillegallyforhisgoods，uptothekeepersofthebrothel，thegambling-house，andthepolicy-shop。Thetotalblackmailranintomillionsofdollars。
NewYorkwasawide-opentown。Thebigbossesrolledinwealth，andthecorruptpolicemenwhorantheforcelostallsenseofdecencyandjustice。Nevertheless，Iwishtoinsistonthefactthatthehonestmenonthepatrolposts，“themenwiththenight-sticks。”remaineddesiroustoseehonestyobtain，althoughtheywerelosingcourageandhope。
ThiswasthesituationthatconfrontedmewhenIcametoMulberryStreet。Thesaloonwasthechiefsourceofmischief。ItwaswiththesaloonthatIhadtodeal，andtherewasonlyonewaytodealwithit。
Thatwastoenforcethelaw。Thehowlthatrosewasdeafening。Theprofessionalpoliticiansraved。Theyellowpresssurpassedthemselvesinclamorandmendacity。AfavoriteassertionwasthatIwasenforcinga“blue“law，anobsoletelawthathadneverbeforebeenenforced。Asamatteroffact，Iwasonlyenforcinghonestlyalawthathadhithertobeenenforceddishonestly。TherewasverylittleincreaseinthenumberofarrestsmadeforviolatingtheSundaylaw。Indeed，therewereweekswhenthenumberofarrestswentdown。Theonlydifferencewasthattherewasnoprotectedclass。Everybodywasarrestedalike，andItookespecialpainstoseethattherewasnodiscrimination，andthatthebigmenandthemenwithpoliticalinfluenceweretreatedlikeeveryoneelse。Theimmediateeffectwaswhollygood。IhadbeentoldthatitwasnotpossibletoclosethesaloonsonSundayandthatIcouldnotsucceed。However，Ididsucceed。ThewardenofBellevueHospitalreported，twoorthreeweeksafterwehadbegun，thatforthefirsttimeinitsexistencetherehadnotbeenacaseduetoadrunkenbrawlinthehospitalallMonday。Thepolicecourtsgavethesametestimony，whilesavingsbanksrecordedincreaseddepositsandpawnshopshardtimes。Themosttouchingofallthingswasthefactthatwereceivedletters，literallybythehundred，frommothersintenement-houseswhohadneverbeenallowedtotaketheirchildrentothecountryinthewide-opendays，andwhonowfoundtheirhusbandswillingtotakethemandtheirfamiliesforanoutingonSunday。JakeRiisandIspentoneSundayfrommorningtillnightinthetenementdistricts，seeingforourselveswhathadhappened。
Duringthetwoyearsthatwewereinofficethingsneverslippedbacktoanythinglikewhattheyhadbeenbefore。Butwedidnotsucceedinkeepingthemquiteashighlykeyedasduringthesefirstweeks。AsregardstheSunday-closinglaw，thiswaspartlybecausepublicsentimentwasnotreallywithus。Thepeoplewhohaddemandedhonesty，butwhodidnotliketopayforitbythelossofillegalpleasure，joinedtheopenlydishonestinattackingus。Moreover，allkindsofwaysofevadingthelawweretried，andsomeofthemweresuccessful。
Thestatute，forinstance，permittedanymantotakeliquorwithmeals。Aftertwoorthreemonthsamagistratewasfoundwhodecidedjudiciallythatseventeenbeersandonepretzelmadeameal——afterwhichdecisionjoyagainbecameunconfinedinatleastsomeofthesaloons，andtheyellowpressgleefullyannouncedthatmy“tyranny“
hadbeencurbed。Butmyprimeobject，thatofstoppingblackmail，waslargelyattained。
Allkindsofincidentsoccurredinconnectionwiththiscrusade。Oneofthemintroducedmetoafriendwhoremainsafriendyet。HisnamewasEdwardJ。Bourke。HewasoneofthemenwhoenteredthepoliceforcethroughourexaminationsshortlyafterItookoffice。Ihadsummonedtwentyorthirtyofthesuccessfulapplicantstoletmelookoverthem；andasIwalkedintothehall，oneofthem，awell-set-upman，calledoutsharplytotheothers，“Gangway。”makingthemmovetooneside。IfoundhehadservedintheUnitedStatesnavy。Theincidentwassufficienttomakemekeephiminmind。AmonthlaterI
wasnotifiedbyapolicereporter，averygoodfellow，thatBourkewasindifficulties，andthathethoughtIhadbetterlookintothemattermyself，asBourkewasbeingaccusedbycertainveryinfluentialmenofgravemisconductinanarresthehadmadethenightbefore。
Accordingly，Itookthematteruppersonally。Ifoundthatonthenewpatrolman’sbeattheprecedingnight——anewbeat——therewasabigsaloonrunbyamanofgreatinfluenceinpoliticalcirclesknownas“King“Calahan。Aftermidnightthesaloonwasstillrunninginfullblast，andBourke，steppinginside，toldCalahantocloseup。Itwasatthetimefilledwith“friendsofpersonalliberty。”asGovernorHillusedatthattime，inmomentsofpathos，totermeverybodywhoregardedastyrannyanyrestrictiononthesaleofliquor。Calahan’ssaloonhadneverbeforeinitshistorybeenclosed，andtohaveagreencoptellhimtocloseitseemedtohimsoincrediblethatheregardeditmerelyasabadjest。OnhisnextroundBourkesteppedinandrepeatedtheorder。Calahanfeltthatthejesthadgonetoofar，andbywayofprotestknockedBourkedown。Thiswasanerrorofjudgmentonhispart，forwhenBourkearoseheknockeddownCalahan。
Thetwothengrappledandfellonthefloor，whilethe“friendsofpersonalliberty“dancedaroundthefightandendeavoredtostamponeverythingtheythoughtwasn’tCalahan。However，Bourke，thoughprettyroughlyhandled，gothismanandshutthesaloon。Whenheappearedagainstthelawbreakerincourtnextday，hefoundthecourt-roomcrowdedwithinfluentialTammanyHallpoliticians，backedbyoneortwoRepublicanleadersofthesametype；forCalahanwasabaronoftheunderworld，andbothhisfeudalsuperiorsandhisfeudalinferiorsgatheredtotherescue。HisbackersincourtincludedaCongressmanandaStateSenator，andsodeep-rootedwasthepolicebeliefin“pull“thathisownsuperiorshadturnedagainstBourkeandwerepreparingtosacrificehim。JustatthistimeIactedontheinformationgivenmebymynewspaperfriendbystartinginpersonforthecourt。TheknowledgethatIknewwhatwasgoingon，thatImeantwhatIsaid，andthatIintendedtomaketheaffairpersonal，wasallthatwasnecessary。BeforeIreachedthecourtallefforttodefendCalahanhadpromptlyceased，andBourkehadcomeforthtriumphant。I
immediatelypromotedhimtoroundsman。Heisacaptainnow。Hehasbeenontheforceeversince，savethatwhentheSpanishWarcameheobtainedaholidaywithoutpayforsixmonthsandreenteredthenavy，servingasguncaptaininoneofthegunboats，anddoinghiswork，aswastobeexpected，infirst-ratefashion，especiallywhenunderfire。
LetmeagainsaythatwhenmentellmethatthepoliceareirredeemablybadIrememberscoresandhundredsofcaseslikethisofBourke，likethecaseIhavealreadymentionedofRaphael，liketheothercasesIhavegivenabove。
Itisuselesstotellmethatthesemenarebad。Theyarenaturallyfirst-ratemen。TherearenobettermenanywherethanthemenoftheNewYorkpoliceforce；andwhentheygobaditisbecausethesystemiswrong，andbecausetheyarenotgiventhechancetodothegoodworktheycandoandwouldratherdo。Inevercoddledthesemen。I
punishedthemseverelywheneverIthoughttheirconductrequiredit。
AllIdidwastotrytobejust；torewardthemwhentheydidwell；inshort，toactsquarelybythem。Ibelievethat，asawhole，theylikedme。When，in1912，IranforPresidentontheProgressiveticket，I
receivedanumberofunsignedlettersinclosingsumsofmoneyforthecampaign。Oneoftheseinclosedtwentydollars。Thewriter，whodidnotgivehisname，saidthathewasapoliceman，thatIhadoncehadhimbeforemeoncharges，andhadfinedhimtwentydollars；that，asamatteroffact，hehadnotcommittedtheoffenseforwhichIfinedhim，butthattheevidencewassuchthathedidnotwonderthatIhadbeenmisled，andneverblamedmeforit，becauseIhadactedsquarelyandhadgivenhonestanddecentmenachanceinthePoliceDepartment；
andthatnowheinclosedatwenty-dollarbill，theamountofthefineinflictedonhimsomanyyearsbefore。IhavealwayswishedIknewwhothemanwas。
Thedisciplinarycourtswereveryinteresting。Butitwasextraordinarilydifficulttogetatthefactsinthemorecomplicatedcases——asmustalwaysbetrueundersimilarcircumstances；forordinarilyitisnecessarytobackupthesuperiorofficerwhomakesthecharge，andyetitisalwayspossiblethatthissuperiorofficerisconsciouslyorunconsciouslybiasedagainsthissubordinate。
Inthecourtsthechargesweresometimesbroughtbypoliceofficersandsometimesbyprivatecitizens。InthelattercasewewouldgetqueerinsightsintotwilightphasesofNewYorklife。Itwasnecessarytobealwaysonourguard。Oftenanaccusationwouldbebroughtagainstthepolicemanbecausehehadbeenguiltyofmisconduct。Muchmoreoftentheaccusationmerelymeantthattheofficerhadincurredanimositybydoinghisduty。Irememberoneamusingcasewheretheofficerwaswhollytoblamebuthadactedinentiregoodfaith。
OneofthefavoriteandmostdemoralizingformsofgamblinginNewYorkwaspolicy-playing。Thepolicyslipsconsistedofpaperswiththreerowsoffigureswrittenonthem。Theofficerinquestionwasahugepithecoidloutofacreature，withawoodenfaceandarecedingforehead，andhisaccuserwhomhehadarrestedtheprecedingeveningwasalittlegrigofared-headedman，obviouslyrespectable，andalmostincoherentwithrage。Theangerofthelittlered-headedmanwasbutnatural，forhehadjustcomeoutfromanightinthestation-
house。Hehadbeenarrestedlateintheeveningonsuspicionthathewasapolicy-player，becauseoftherowsoffiguresonapieceofpaperwhichhehadheldinhishand，andbecauseatthetimeofhisarresthehadjuststeppedintotheentranceofthehallofatenement-houseinordertoreadbylamplight。Thepaperwasproducedinevidence。Therewerethethreerowsoffiguresallright，but，astheaccusedexplained，hoppingupanddownwithrageandexcitement，theywereallofthemthenumbersofhymns。HewasthesuperintendentofasmallSunday-school。Hehadwrittendownthehymnsforseveralfutureservices，oneundertheother，andonthewayhomewasstoppingtolookatthem，underconvenientlamp-posts，andfinallybythelightofthelampinatenement-househallway；anditwasthisconductwhichstruckthesagaciousmaninuniformas“suspicious。”
Oneofthesaddestfeaturesofpoliceworkisdealingwiththesocialevil，withprostitutesandhousesofillfame。Insofarasthelawgavemepower，Ialwaystreatedthementakeninanyraidonthesehousespreciselyasthewomenweretreated。Myexperiencebroughtmetotheverystrongconvictionthatthereoughtnottobeanytolerationbylawofthevice。Idonotknowofanymethodwhichwillputacompletestoptotheevil，butIdoknowcertainthingsthatoughttobedonetominimizeit。Oneoftheseistreatingmenandwomenonanexactequalityforthesameact。Anotheristheestablishmentofnightcourtsandofspecialcommissionstodealwiththisspecialclassofcases。AnotheristhatsuggestedbytheRev。