, 1878-08-15
Early Police Organization in New
York.

The police force of New York city is
something over 200 years old, and has in.
creased three hundred fold during that
time.
In 1868, rattle watch consisting of
eight men was organized. Then, when
Nleuw 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 ahSel c.
or neglect of duty. They were instructed
h. provide themselves with good muskets
or other firearms, and with six charges
Of ammunition. The "St,dt lIuys," or
City Hall, was then at Cuepties' Sip,
and in ts basement were cells for prison.
ers, who were msioly uurnly sailors from
ships in the harbOr and ObstIeperOus negro
slaves.
In November, 1897, it was enacted that
there should beappointed -four good and
honest inhabitants of the city, Nh s. duty
it shall be to watch in the nighttime,
from the hour of niue in the evening till
the break of day, until the % of March
next, aud to 60 round the city each hour
of the night with a bell, and there TO
proclaim the season of the weather and
the hour of the night" This small but
noisy patrol, it seems, sulficed for all the
needs of the embryo city for many ye ,rs,
as it was not until 1885 that it was in
creased to ten men and two consttbes.
Possibly the "esrly to bed, early to rise y
Hollanders preferred incurIing some risk
to multiplying the Changing bells and
hoarse howls with which the watch kept
up its courage, and hour by hour told of
the loss of time to sIeeple>s citizens.
After that, very little is heard Uf 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 law and soldier occupancy, demornl-
izing all municipal Institutions. Tnis
passed, and some regularity in atf.rs re
stored, the city WAS guarded by night
watch which patroIled the clamp district"
gradually taking in all of the city south
If Fourteenth street, beyond which very
few lived. The men composing this pa
troll, amounting at last, to alb Ut 800, were
cartmen, s,eyedores, pOrters, ltborers, ani
the like, who worked at their trades dur
ing the day, aud watched alternate nights.
When on duty, they wore tireman's old
fashioned leathern hat, bereft Of its up
right front plate. This hat was vanished
twice a year, aud soon became as hard as
irnn ii IA than tho nd mn az NI..u hur
heads" They were also dubbed "Oid
Charles" They had no other badge of
office than this hat and their 33 iuch club.
For many years these watchmen cried
the hours, like their DItch predeces, Ors,
but finally this practice ceased, being kept
up only in theory, as it were, 10y u man
calling the name of each hour,-''and
-a-a--ll's w--e-l-Ir flom the top
Of the City Hall, as in Oriental towns the
muezzin summons the faithful to prayers
from the mo qde's minaret.
TneCharlies were very well intentioned
men, but their Abors during the day
! made them sleepy at night. They had
little sense of responsibility, puor Or
ganiZ ,tiOn, and were held in NO fear VIII IT.
ever by rogues, while Infamous establish
ments kept them SO well paid and caj lied
as TO suffer M troublesome surveillance
There WAS no day guard, but Jacob Hayes,
the high constable, man much respected
IN his day, was moving about constantly
with two or three deputies, quieting
fights, looking after truan,s and enforcing
town ordinances. The two city courts
had fey marshuls attached to serve
warrants, etc, aud this formed the only
real police force Of the city up to 1910
In that year was appointed, as one OF the
four police magistrates, ayoung mtn who
was destined 10 become the founder ol
the present splendid force. This young
justice WAS George W. Mat1elI, who lived
until the summer of 1877 t. enjoy the
fruits of his honored eff 'rts, and the con
tidtnce OF all the old cit zens. .--Scri6aer