, 1873-02-06
HISTORY OF THE BOARD.

HISTORY OF THE BOARD.
Tho public attention being at present centerod
on tho Board Of Police, briof skotch Of itR his
tory will bo found interesting. It was ostab-
liahod by special act Of the Legislature in 1861.
It's god-fathers woro numerous. Tho act ALL
thorizing twas drawn up by Alexander Coventry,
relative Of Mr. YIN. D: Ogden, by whom it was
offered in the General Assembly, Mr. Ogden
boing thon 1nember Of tho higher Legislative
body. Mr.. Coventry is also supposed to hare
boon assisted By Mr. Dockwith, BIr Jacob nehn,
who had oven thou developed considerable talent
a. q lobbyist, and by Cyrus T. Bradley. The
bill provided that the first tl,rce Commissioners
should DO appointed by tho Governor. The
police force WAS at that time amall, not number
ing moro than forty or fifty mon. Tho first
trlnmvrate was composed Of a. @: Coventry,
William Wayman (now a member Of tie Lega-
1ature), aud Frederick Tuttlo. a clause pro-
vidod tllnt Mt the expiration of these geutle-
mems term OF Office their Successors should be
elected BY tue people Of Chicago, and that they
division Of the city. 1lr. Coventry was the first
President Of tho Board. John Wentworth was
Mayor at this time, aud he was inclined to
resent tho now pioco Of municipal machinery
prerogatiyes. Trouble arose about dlsbaudiug
tho old police and roorganizing the new force.
Tho Mayors police refused to recognize tho
ncwly appointed for Bomo time, but tho contond-
ing factions were small, and tho confusion that
could not DO paid, and temporary loan was ef-
fectcd with private c1tizcns in ordor to roim-
burse them until permauont arrangements could
be made. At first no provision WAS made for
the compenDatlon OF members OF tho Board.
They were to receive such pay as might 6eom
best to tho Common Council when the annual
appropriation should DO made. The Council ut
first fixed their salaries ut 80 cents day, but
their per diesu was at last adjusted, and ovory-
thing was working smoothly ut tho end Of tho
year.
Frederick Tuttlo, Of tho South Division, was
tho first who won't ont Of Office, and JOHN L.
NewhonRo, woll-knonn businoHD man, was ap-
pointed to tho vacant place. but did not remain
in tho Board long At this time, whom my
vacancy occurred 1t was In the power OF the
Mayor to ill it Uhe Common Council conhent-
Wentworth was appointed AIr. Nowhouso's suo-
cessor, serving out tho rest Of the time. About
this time the Legislature clnngel the day OF
election from spring to fall, and longthonod tho
term OF office to Bix yoars. Mr.. Wentworth
went directly from tho Board Of Police to Com
gresa In 1896. Mr. Wayman, West Side Com
missioner, went out OF oliioe III 1864, and Mr.
Thomas D. Brown was oleeted to succeed him.
Alr. Brown WAS elected NJ Republican by a
small ma jority, llis Domoctatio opponent boing
John I. senaelhach. Politics wore pretty evenly
not ge into tho ol!olal chair without eonaitlera-
blo trouble. for Mr. Wayn,an olaimod that llla
term had not yet exptrod according to tho torn,a
OF The original cot. Tile Inter therefore COLI
Nnuoa to exercise The functions OF his Office In
conjunction with 11r. NowhouBo, wlIo Ind not
then roaiBiictl, and Mayor Sherman who was er-
e0|cio member OF tho board. Mr. Coventry and
Mr. Brown wero wont to n,oot at police heatl-
quarters III lonely way, but, not having any
quorum. could LOT transact any buslneHH. 1t