The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-03
QUEER THINGS IN PAss4IC
What the Good People OF that City ars Ut
terIy Unable TO Account for.

The city of Passaic y. j., was recently
the scene OF unsoemly doings. Tho things
which were done hnvo become matters Of we'll
authenticated history. but the motives behind
them-therc's where discussion Of the leading
topic in passaic at present hinges. For in
stance. nobody denies that on Tuesday morn
ing last the steps Of the principal church In the
city were illuminated 10y the lurid presence Of a
barber pole. Nobody questions the fact that
wooden Indian girl. with no baggage save n
bunch Of cigars. WAS found standing on the
stops Of Mr. Whitshcad's hotel II IL unyer-
sally admitted that a basswood Turk left his
position in front OF the Cuban store and went
over to a rival cigar store, regardless of the
treaty Of san stelgno. Nobody has had the
hardihood to say that a job printers sign was
not found on the front Of hairlrcssers '~tab-
llshment or that n largo wooden watch had not
10 get back at daylight. All these things are
settled beyond dispute. But why We're they
pGrrG,traaied That + ihe question, ,..u
formed citizen Of Passaic that these strange
doings of Monday night were followed W by
other strange doings under cover Of tho dark
ness Of Tuesday evening. MIR. Cayan' tie
tailor. is we'll known as a man Of veracity, and
he has assorted that he began the day on We'd
to the Woman's Temperance Union. A nsh
stand belonging TO Mr. Dauenhauer left ils
pIg;eee ana posshlply isi' IN WIN NJ Ingram
barber pole. or Mr.. During's hitching post all
Of which are known to have left their places
and failed to return until sent for
The motive Of these strange doings has been
variousy interpreted. There are three thco-
saic-whch consists OF one Captain and two
priyates-displcased In consequence Of n vote
OF the City Council 70 reduce their pay, gave tho
wink TO certain lively young friends of theirs
and suggested that they demonstrate to the ciu-
zens Of the place that the force had been too far
reduced in numbers and in incentiyeto be vigil
limit This theory is the least probable Of the
three. because the smaller the force the larger
the individual pny. Il rigid economy must rule.
The vote to reduce the policemen : pay would
amount to nothing without the Mayors np-
proyal, and the Chief Of Police vas informed 10y
u high official in tho government of the city
that the Mayor would veto the measure: and
gcstion that tho police would resort to any such
tactics.
Another theory is that tho mischief wns done
BY certain ex-members Of the City Council-who
have not been long out Of the City Government
and are not quite past tho days Of their frski-
ness-in order to expose tho folly Of their mex
perienced successors in endeavornR TO still
further reduce police expenditures
A third. and the moro probable, theory Is that
the doings OF tho first nlaht were simply the
manifestations ofthe energy generated within
party Of some half dtZen young men. by deep
pQtations at a wel-known fountain of book beer.
This pnrty Of young men was known TO linger
long by this bewilderng spring. and TO make
frequent use Of the significant term. Setemup-
meandered forth, and il was between then and
morning that the confusion In tradcsmcns
signs was accomplished. That these doings
so closely followed the vote Of the Council
to reduce the pay OF the police is generally re-
garded in Passaic MS mere coincidence.