The New York herald., 1872-10-21
MUNICIPAL MCRATITUDE.
A Tale Of Unrequited Services and vnfulAlied
Aspiratiods-An Old Policeman Of the Beau
Broadway squad-The Severe hterpreta-
don Of the Law Of 1870 by the Boasd
Of Commissioners Of Police,

o9uuO-xuo 60v6lo xUv6EQF6L0@ I
tion Of the Law Of 1870 by the Board
Of Commissioners Of Police
muddy. murky night In the present month,
gentleman was standing on the ferryboat Middle
ton as she was pl0ughing through the troubled
waters OF the bay on her way from New York to
Staten Island. There was . ludlcr0us scene tran
spiring-an incomprehenslble tumult OF q few mo-
| ments occurred IN the crowd OF passengers, and
| then an immense rotund German who resembled
the full moon Of harvest at lurch OF the vessel,
rolled out of o rtcketty wagon which was aboard
to the hard deck, where he SAT rubbing his inebrl
ated eyes with the ruefui cOuntenance OF that
ancient Roman mentioned In history as moping
1 among the ruins OF Carthage.
! tall, sturdy-loOking watclman who attempted
to lift the prostrate and ponderous form and ignO
mini0usy failed, exclaimed Indignantly aside -
.Ohl the beastl" Then slghingiy-'No romance
1 No chance for heroisml Ughl" and he turned his
back.
The speaker wore blue clothes, with bright
| silver shield on hts left breast. His eye had the
cold, gray light OF courage; his beard and mustache
were streaked with white and were cut short. The
| stranger hereupon accosted -tlmidy-he
| seemed of such heroic mould
"Y0u seem Sir, to regret the days OF chivalry
Your melancholy air impresses me with awe and
Interest,"
"YOu are right, young man; the air is very chilly
tonight, very" remarked by-stander.
"What is your position on this vessel" ?" said the
stranger TO the man with the shield.
"I2 I'm watchman employed by the company
who own this boat; but am sworn in as special
policeman OF Richmond county. That is-now.
consider myself however," said he, with proud
air, "a member OF the Metropolitan Police force OF
the city of New York;
Here was mystery, but at the same time case
/ OF manly and heroic assertion Of some unacknow-
lodged and, perhaps, unobtalnable right. He CON
kind questions, the latter was told by him story
| OF great interest 1t Is aftting and Trustworthy
mssoners Of the Police In New York have fulfilled
their engagements to the old members of the force,
and have shown justice In considering In certain
THEIR wELL-FOUNDED CLAIMS
Of righteous administration OF municpa; affairs Of
which New York can so proudly boast.
In 1860 the police system Of the metropolis was
under the command or Captain Copeland, since
an an honest and serviceable oaicer named Dodge.
who had returned very recently from fighting with
the rioters OF '63 as a special policeman, and was
now holding his position with the highest
He was sent with twentyseyen other men
to form the original Staten Island Municipal
police, Captain Holbrook being placed in con command
afterwards the Board Of Police Commissioners
passed resolution requiring the members Of this
detachment to reside on Staten Island with their
! families. This regulation being complied with, the
officers felt their positions and contented
Lord 1870 the wise and good legislators OF the State
amended the law regarding the police Of New York
di diction III nom brooklyn and - staten Island
The Board Of Commissioners had full cog
| niZance OF this intended measure long before
a
| passed; 1t knew that many old and tried members
OF the force had been stationed In BROOKLYN staten
Brooklyn they continued ut their old rates Of
pay but In Richmond county they were tacitly
| dropped from the rolls with no explanation or any
demand for the return OF the insignia OF their con-
stabulary Offices one OF the Oldest and most re.
was one OF those whose services it was least rea-
sonable to so summarily dispense with, and 1t
o s oIersd 81 Back o IN e
tropolis instead Of being left In the general neg.
on the Brooklyn police, where he still is The rest
of them were afterwards employed on the Rich
mond county force but were not satisfied u isa & to re-
poltan force and they still claim that they possess
their Old rank, and bring forward arguments so
sensSe wortny the % attention Of OF the public Their
first appointment in the city. was to
They have never been discharged by the Commits
sloners who appointed them. They still retain
demanded Of them, and their old uniforms and wea-
pons. The whole or their salaries since 1870 is In
but tnsy have s4na maas
have made to Commissioner Barr and others,
but the answer has always been that the
Board did not wish to be troubled at all
with the matter and interpreted the law as being
the virtual discharge Of these men, Yet 1t may then
be asked OF what Ill conduct were they guityY 1t
is not to be claimed that the old Staten Island p0-
licemen models OF oflcial perfection, perhaps,
late. dagrant instance occurred very recently,
where huge, burly officer with his club broke the
the the provocation being simply an impudent answer
to a civil question. The victim IN this case was
manly o To mad nsS sT ana
covered damages for the brutal blow. II the rem
nant OF the old force who were taken into the new
may be judged by this story 1t Is questionable how
far they are deserving Of being reinstated on duty
in New York.
But certainly II would be but a graceful act o
policy by the commission to consider the Claims
which they present, and especially In the case Q
way squad mentioned above is now obliged to con
tent himself with only half the salary which nc en-
lsc and holds Ids the POSITION Of Waterman
the Staten Island Ferry boats sphere In which MS
bloom @ III has faded nom his cheek the briiliancy ol
youth from his eye and in which his once nowing
with the anxiety OF suspense and disappointment.
The tall figure OF this relic OF the pamy days OF the
Municipal Police that IKE M VIKING I OF Old stalks stalk
Of the Staten Island ferryboats, never escape the
sympathetic eyes OF the school misses and the SEN
tlmenta young ladies' among the daily passengers
resting with melancholy interest upon that rem
nant OF departed honor-cnvalry and glory. And
dowagers, with curly and sllvery tresses, seem
each to recognize in him the same oficial person.
age whose firm presence used to stay the roaring
vehicles ct the corner OF Ann street and Broadway,
opposite the old Museum, to allow them to cross
the muddy pavement In the days when tney were
the young bellies OF the hdute monde, and were
gazed after with eager glances by the gay bucks of
the period.
That is his history. A member OF the Broadway
squad-the favorite New York policemen, who are
adored by the ladies during the minute which s re-
qured on the worst and wettesr day for them TO be
pilOted across the great central thOr0ughfare.
This Is by no means the least public service for