As police commissioner, French was subject to controversy over his failure to send inspectors to a general election, and also faced accusations by the mayor of failing to maintain street cleanliness.<ref name=nytimesobit/> Conkling, David D. Field, and Col. George Bliss defended him, and a letter by the mayor to Governor Alonzo B. Cornell was disregarded. | As police commissioner, French was subject to controversy over his failure to send inspectors to a general election, and also faced accusations by the mayor of failing to maintain street cleanliness.<ref name=nytimesobit/> Conkling, David D. Field, and Col. George Bliss defended him, and a letter by the mayor to Governor Alonzo B. Cornell was disregarded. |