The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-08-01
Early Police Organization in New
York.

The police force of New York city is
something over 200 years old, and has iu-
creased three hundred fold during that
time.
In 1868, rattle watch consisting of
eight men was organized Then, when
Nieuw Amsterdam became an English
colony and was named New York, in
1876, the citizens were required to keep
watch in turn, reporting to the captain"
at shutdown, and were fined for abseice
or neglect of duty. They were instructed
to provide themselves with good muskets
or other fire. arms, and with six charges
of ammunition. The "Stadt Hugs" or
City Hall, was then at Coenties' Sip,
and in its basement were cells for prison
ers, who were mainly unruly sailors from
ships in the harbor and obstreperous negro
slaves.
In November, 1897, it was enacted that
there should be appointed -four good and
honest inhabitants of the city, VIII Sc duty
it shall be to watch in the nighttime,
from the hour of niue in the evening till
the break of day, until the 25'h Of March
next, and to go round the city each hour
Of the night with bell, and there TO
proclaim the season of the weather and
the hour of the night" This small but
noisy patrol, it seems, sufliced for all the
needs of the embryo city for many ye Irs,
as it was not until 1875 that it was in
creased to ten men and two con,tabIes.
Possibly The "early to bed, early to rise
Hollanders preferred mourning some risk
to multiplying the changing bells and
hoarse bowls with which the watch kept
up its courage, aud hour by hour told of
the loss of time to seepless citizens.
After that, very little is heard of the
police arrangements of the growing town,
although no doubt the number of watch
men was gradually augmented with the
increasing population. Then came the
troubles of the Revolution, Years of mar
tial lew and soldier occupancy, democrat
izing all municipal institutions. This
passed, and some regularity in atf,irs re
stored, the city was guarded 10y II night
watch which patrolled the clamp district
gradually taking in all Of the city south
of Fourteenth street, beyond which very
few lived. The men composing this pa
troll, amounting at last, to alb ut 800, w,re
cartmen, stevedores, porters, l.borers, AMI
the like, who worked at their trades dur
ing the day, and watched alternate nights.
When on duty, they wore a tireman's old
fashioned leathern hat, bereft Of its up
right front plate. This hat was vanished
twice year, and soon became as hard AS
iron. 1t gave them the name of feather
heads" They were also dubbed 30 id
Charles" They had no other badge of
office than this hat and their 80 inch club.
For many years these watchmen cried
the hours, like their Datch predeces, ors,
but finally this practice ceased, being kept
up only in theory, as it were, by nau
calling the name of each hour,-'and
-a-a-ll's w-e-l-lv from the toi
of the City Hall, as in Oriental towns the
muezzin summons the faithful to prayer.
from the mosques minaret.
TheCharles were very well intentioned
men, but their labors during the day
made them sleepy ut night. They ha.
little sense of responsibility, a poor or
ganiz ,tion, and were held in NO fear VIII 1t
ever by rogues, while Infamous establish
ments kept them ST well paid end caj peo
as to suffer no troublesome surveillance
There WAS no day guard, butJacnb uaye,
the high constable, Il man much respected
in his day, was moving about constantl,
with two or three deputies, quictiu.
fights, looking after ,ruaars and entorciu.
town ordinsuces. The two city courr,
had few marshals attached t. serv,
warrants, etc, and this formed the oni,
real police force of the city up to 1910
In that year was appointed, AS one OF III,
four police magistrates, ayoung man wh'
was destined 10 become the founder %
the present splendid force. This young
justice WIS George W. Matsell, who lived
until the summer of 1877 to enjoy tn,
fruits of his honored eft 'rts, and the c.'n
/ tidence of all the old citizens Scribaer