Satan's Invisible World Displayed; or, Despairing Democracy: A Study of Greater New YorkStead, W. T. (William Thomas)
History
Satan's Invisible World Displayed; or, Despairing Democracy: A Study of Greater New York
Stead, W. T. (William Thomas)
New York (N.Y.) -- Politics and government; Police -- New York (State) -- New York
The story he had to tell was very simple. Three times he had gone up for
examination for a captaincy before the Civil Service Board. He had passed
creditably every time, but notwithstanding this, he seemed no nearer to
securing an appointment. His friends kept on telling him that he was
simply wasting his time going up for examination after examination. He had
much better stay at home unless he made up his mind to do one thing. He
steadily turned a deaf ear to their representations, until at last four
years after his first application, seeing that no one was promoted without
bribing their superiors, he consented to fall in with the general
practice. As soon as he did this, the way was made plain before him. Mr.
Reppenhagen, the representative of the New York Democracy in his district,
was indicated as the man to approach Police Commissioner Voorhis. Mr.
Reppenhagen saw the Commissioner, and reported to the Captain that the
place could be had for 12,000 dollars. Creedon had not at that time 12,000
dollars to invest in the purchase of a captaincy, but on talking it over
with his friends, they agreed to make up a purse, so as to enable him to
acquire the position which he coveted. While they were raising the money,
Reppenhagen reappeared, and announced that a certain sergeant named
Weigand had offered 12,000 dollars for the captaincy, and that if Creedon
wished to secure it, it would cost him 15,000 dollars. Creedon’s friends
were men of mettle, and they agreed to raise the full sum. Creedon gave
the subscribers notes acknowledging their subscriptions as a loan, which
he afterwards repaid. The money was raised, and deposited in a bank. A Mr.
Martin then appears on the scene as the confidential man of the Police
Commissioner, smelling round after the 15,000 dollars as a rat noses round
a cheese. For some reason or other there was a hitch in the appointment,
and Creedon’s friends and Reppenhagen passed some days in horrible
suspense as to whether or not, in spite of the money being “put up,” the
appointment might go to Sergeant Weigand, while Martin was equally alarmed
lest the 15,000 dollars should slip through his fingers.
The Record contains the following entries:--
John W. Reppenhagen examined by Mr. Goff: Do you remember saying to
Martin further, that as long as Creedon’s friends had put up more
money than Weigand was reported to have put up, that it would play the
devil in the organisation in that district if Creedon was not
appointed?
A. I might have said that.--Vol. v., p. 5,010.
Q. Don’t you remember when you said that to Martin, that Martin said
in word and in substance as follows: “I will go right down and I will
see Voorhis, who is too damned hoggish about this thing.” Do you
remember those words?
A. I don’t remember the words.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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