Max F. Schmittberger

Maximilian Frances Schmittberger (July 27, 1851 – October 31, 1917) was an American law enforcement officer and chief police inspector for the New York City Police Department from 1909 until his death in 1917. He and Captain John Price were both wardmen closely associated with Inspector Alexander "Clubber" Williams while a precinct captain in the Tenderloin district.

Biography Schmittberger was born in Würzburg in the Kingdom of Bavaria on July 27, 1851. Four years after his birth, his family emigrated to the United States and settled in New York City. He was educated in public schools and was employed in two or three other occupations prior to joining the Municipal Police Department on January 8, 1874. He reportedly had "a quiet demeanor and dislike of publicity", traits which he held from his days as a patrolman until his last days on the force. He gradually rose through the ranks becoming a roundsman (equivalent to the modern rank of Sergeant) on April 2, 1880, a sergeant (equivalent to the modern rank of Lieutenant) on March 6, 1883, and a captain on December 8, 1890.

He was assigned to the "Broadway squad" during the 1870s and 1880s where he and John Price became closely associated with the then head of the Tenderloin district Captain Alexander "Clubber" Williams. Schmittberger later testified before the Lexow Committee, agreeing to turn state's evidence, and implicated a number of high-level police officials involved in police corruption. Among these officials included Williams, now a police inspector, who Schmittberger claimed he had collected bribe money from gambling resorts and brothels, amounting to between $180–200 a month, then turning the money over to Williams. He also claimed to have carried out similar activity during his involvement with the "steamboat squad" and in other posts. Schmittberger was the only police official to emerge unscathed from the Lexow inquiry; his former colleagues were either allowed to retire or were dismissed from the force, and was called a "squealer" by members of the NYPD.

In mid-August 1917, he became ill and received a six-month leave of absence from the force. Although it was presumed his condition was improving, he caught a severe cold two months later after leaving his home. His cold quickly turned into pneumonia and he died at his East 61st Street home on the night of October 31, 1917. His seven children, six sons and one daughter, were at his bedside at the time of his death. Upon news of his death, the flags of all the police stations in New York were ordered to be lowered to half-mast and remained so until his funeral.