The New York herald., 1878-09-16
At IHE PUBLIC EXPENSE.
The Police Boat Seneca and Her
Line of Duty.
FINE LINEN AND COSTLY SILVER.
How Politicians Get "Send Off" at
Public Expense.

when Commissioner Erhardr LETT tho Police Board
meeting that had witnessed the appointments OF the
new captains in high dudgeon tho wiseacrcs OF the
Central once shrswdly hinted that there was hitch
somewhere, and the public, ever ready to jump at
conclusions. accepted his next official act as
the result. OF dissatisfaction. This was tho
framing OF a charge against the newly created
Captain Schultz OF tho police boat Seneca. which was
served ON him last Saturday IL IS formal document,
carefully drawn up and mailed against any technical
shaft that might bs lsveed at It. There are TWO sps-
cincaiions OF like purport wh ich 60 to show that
Schultz in April last made requ'sitons on the depart
ment for articles not necessary for the police ot
his commana. which werc paid for out Of the
sty treasury. This AYERS is calculated TO serve rs
precedent for other acts OF wastofulncss and ex-
.rsvagancs, besides INJECTING further burden upon
,he overtsxed people The complaint is officially
irswn up by Chief Clerk Hawlcy and mpaint Clerk
Haenbeck and is directly preferred BY the chairman
,f the Committee OF Rules and Discipline himself
The bills presented to the Board Tor
payment are attached. One s from A.
r. Stewart 4 Co., the other from Davenport
& Walsh. Certain costly articles Of saloon furni-
ture appear hsm, with table cloths at SAT so, SAC
and $45 apiece: napkins AZ SIS so. $l3 so and $l3
GER dozen crocksry and chtaa ware, including $40
timer set to the OF $125, and cutlery plated
rpoons and table service. for which $72 rs s charged
When IL was bruised about that this complaint
roud be pressed many people awakened to the rscol
isetion that the Commissioners were wont to resae
themselves with steamboat trips by times, that poll
ticians OF magnitude had occasions been escorted
down the bay and that there we're tradi-
ditions OF merrvmaktuss on the Seneca still
all this II was inferred that beneath all this
giant outlay for porcelain and plated ware lay natu
raj weaxness OF The Police Board themselves for neat
nd
argued oven In tho bosom Of his family, did not
asc. iorty dollar dinner sets, and divers members
Of the force had been known TO Pass through.
81 30 apiece. Then when had the aesthetic tastes
purchase Of SAT SO tablecothsi The Commissioners
themselves behind all the Seneca 8 blls, it was
saloon to entertain ,heir frionds al the public
pense. So Csmmissioner Erhardt was. lanced
70. have Schultz ,aKsn eSars: hs colleagues.
as we'll % the now mado captain.
An investigation made yesterday BY q HERALD re-
porter, however goes 70 show that the chairman OF
the discipline Committee is only using again the
measures no employed before TO enforce sIrict cb
scrvance Of The departments rules; though 1t also
affords ground for a suspicion that the public were
not altogether wrong as 70 whom the linen and china
q. To the Commissioner himself the HERALD reporter
arst wsodsd his way. MI Erh.Id, was found at his
hvious, 1t seemed, TO police charges and changes
.'Commissoner," said the reporter, 'will you let
,nsrees;'' ns esp ' '''''A''N ~ Wv '''''N
"rhsy are preferred IN ,h. usual way" sa,d he
"wnst more does tho public want?"
.'Their purpose-thsir result"
"Oue moment" said The Commissioner, 'I decline
nr 10 say about them iII they come up Tor ,nvss.i.
yatiop." Then throwing himself back YEARLY IN
bis chair he added ." am heartily sick OF this police
businsss.' After pause he went tho Bame
Itra,n 81 do not understand why che Mayor dses
sot an my position. 4 have begged him 10 do
ssrassng cares and dissppontments TO De me, with.
Eo sooner does one put his ioot down abuse
ienasr 10 To-. ssrs,os and before you dspass Of bin
there's another bebbing up behisd him. Then II you
x.. M You have TO Us. ,ss bs again n.s 70
talk Of charges am heartily SEX Of pretsrring
thom, but must
The HERALD reporter ners submitted synopsis of
the specifications against Schultz and Inquired IL they
were authentic. The Commissioners glanced over
!. them. 4
YES" he said, 'that is tho substance OF them.
whnt need OF any thing more9 They speak for them
and huenl Think OF that There no occasion ior
It. Every man has his own kit and is used to carry
what be wants. a hundred and twenty tive dollars
Wapt with napktps, tabIecioths, cups and dishsa
Think Of Jack tar sppine his coffee out Of china
bowl and rubbing his dainty hpgsrs on tho best OF
Stewards linen. IL would bs an outrage TO let such
sbipg pass"
,scHixK IN THE PUBLIC pAxo
"I's effect The force ysu believe would be evil,
according 10 the wording OF your Charges :" said the
"Most sssaredy," replied the Com missioner, with
emphasis. ''What argument can man 10 po-
iicemau arraisued on a petty offence If he sanctions
anything ike thisY II IL were tolerated a heap OF
mischief would be donc, aod l don't want TO be =
plrty TO H. What did We break Irving and Van
bsniv,us with tbs worry Seneca ao used 20 60 home
and TO Jersey while be was supposed 10 to
board OF ner.. The offence complain OF more
glarlng by far Il consisted buyisg what
lsss and extravagant IL is we'll 10 cry economy in
this city where each man and woman is taxed s3s.
When every one ~ trying TO solder up the chnks IN
the pubic pan and one borss little hole 10 IT,
that will se leaking again; IL is wrong Tor public
cfcer to pass without trouncing the follow for doing
lyon will personally press this charge, then ?" the
hynALb reporter remarked
las chairman OF tho COMMITTEES OF Rules and Dis
cipline," said tho Commissioner slowly and with
measured words, .'il is my duty may interpre,
some things too strictly but my idea about az official
oath 10 that 1t means every word II says am gong
10 hammer away at charges SO long tnsre cause
The reporter then Ten Mr.. Erhardt and conaucisd
bis inquiries In another quarter. Among some peo-
the Seneca was reckoned OF very lttis account any
way.
sAloos FOR zHE COMPASSIONATE Il
"Shes only an old tub, F" said an ofncer who had
served on her A. no very remote date "There's
hardly SOUND timber IN her she Was COED
IN ber OF nights, aud spee ,hcy'vs enlarged her
they've given that up. for she's worse stiIL They
rugged up her stern ht,o while ago. sod now ,noy
have to keep about aftssn tons OF iron shifting up
and down In the hold 10 keep her straight IN rhs
water"
''Did the Commissioners uso her for pleasure
purposesf" insinuatcd the reporter.
"of course" tho knight Of the club replied, hts
eyes vide with wonder at such "a question. tsOf
coorse. They uscd 20 10 rcSattas nor and when.
ever some pig bug was bousd Tor Europe they'd take
her down tne Bay 10 give him send-ofi."
ALAS, ERHARpr WAS AROUND. roo
General smith used to take an odd trip by him
sell, but that was very seldom. He showed up
though wien the rest when there was going TO pc a
blow out Erbardt was around now and then, but
he never went out Of the precinct to her.n
THE precinctf" exclaimed the reporter, unaware
that The river was Distracted.
'Yes," ssfd the other 'fhs precinct. II stretches
from the Bronx River TO Bcdloe's Island and up the
North River TO Mount ~. Vincent IL was generally
down he bay We vent when there any iun going
on. We mad qrlie a tmo there when We seen IA M.
Fish on. Thefs was another little jsmbores when
sam 1iden came home Tho old fellow diou't want
to meet The mob on the Cunard dock, sm gglsd
him into the Senecs and brought m around 10 Sev.
onteentb street He kept 10 the saloon with the poll
lIoisns m0st of the time ana We didn't much OF