Otto Raphael was a genuine East Sider.

He and I were both "straight New York," to use the vernacular of our native city.

To show our community of feeling and our grasp of the facts of life, I may mention that we were almost the only men in the Police Department who picked Fitzsimmons as a winner against Corbett.

Otto's parents had come over from Russia, and not only in social standing but in pay a policeman's position meant everything to him.

It enabled Otto to educate his little brothers and sisters who had been born in this country, and to bring over from Russia two or three kinsfolk who had perforce been left behind.
Rather curiously, it was by no means as easy to keep politics and corruption out of the promotions as out of the entrance examinations.
This was because I could take complete charge of the entrance examinations myself; and, moreover, they were largely automatic.