The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-30
THE POLICE BOARD ROW.

INJURY INFLICTED ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE BY
THE sQUABBLEs or THE COMMISSIONERS
MAYOR COOPER ADVISED TO REMOVE THE
ENTIRE BOARD.
1t was no difficult task yesterday from inquiry
among all classes of people, to ind that the charges
formulated by Police Commissioner Efhardt against
his honorable colleagues OF the Police Board have
aroused strong public sentiment in favor of
the removal OF the entire Police Board by Mayor
Cooper. 1t was generally remarked that the
bitter personal luminosity existing between the
members. which had crippled their action for weeks
and reduced the Board virtually to nonenity, was
of itself Of sufficient reason. in the strongly colo
qual language Of awel-known politician "for sweep
ing away the whole caboodle." Under the present
police regulations the Superintendent exercises
hardly any power. and he issue any order OF
Importance without the action of the Com missioners
who being assiduousy engaged in killing each other
off. will not act The impression seemed to prevail
yesterday that unless the Mayor took some speedy
measures to end this deadlock and to appoint har-
monious Board of Police Commissioners the morale
discipline of the force and all the interests of the
department would suffer grievous injury.
ERHARDr's VAGUE CHARGES
At the time politicians who well
qusinted with the workings of the city government
readily see the difficulties under which Mayor Cooper
labors in not being provided with any specific
charges by Mr. Erhardt. but only with vague and in
definite innuendoes and insinuations. "K Mr..
these people say. "why does he not openly address
them to the Mayor instead of to the Police Commits
sionerss And. then, why does he not make them
explicit and specific instead of vague and
general? As the charges now formulated
they are. in the first place. not before
the Mayor. and in the second, they are so general
and indeiuie that even if the Mayor could officially
take them up he would be unable to get ut the facts
Much censure was also expressed in reference to
q
charges against the Board while still remaining
member of it. and while evidently seeking reappoint
ment through popular ectat Of pretended Reform.
"f MIR. Erhardt wants to prefer such charges OF in
ebrety and ineihciency against his colleagues" it
said, she should have first stepped out and then
he should have preferred them to the Mayor. His
present attitude is really very undsnitcd one and
certainly does not become the member OF one OF the
most important official bodies in the municipal gov
ernment."
TWO IDLE POLICE CAPTAINS.
As excellent illustration OF the complete break
down of police administration, caused by the per-
sonal chickering's and hostilites of the rival Com
missioners may be cited the cases of the two police
captains who were appointed last autumn and have
not yet been assigned to any command. These two
lucky sinecurists although. Of course. fault at
taches to them) Captain William q. T.. Berghold
formerly Of the Seventeenth precinct, and Cap
tain Thomas NJ. Ryan, formerly of the Nineteenth
precinct They were appointed by the Board on Sep
tember 10, 1918, and have never performed any
of the duties OF their Office except the pleasant Of
drawing their stipends. This would seem to be bad
enough but in the estimation of many citizens it is
rendered much worse by the fact that two precincts
are actually without heads, and ruled by sergeants
These the Tenth, over which Sergeant Webb pre-
sides, and the Thirty fifth where Sergeant Wright
has to do captains duty on sergeant's pay. The
question has been asked every week since the ap-
pOntment of these two captains, four months ago.
''Why are these captains not assigned?" and the
only answer has been, because OF irreconcilable
differences between the Police commissioners as to
the precincts to which they to be transferred"
THE STREET CLEANING DEPARTMENT..
lock in the Police Board the inefficient performance
of its important duties by the Street Cleaning Depart
ment, often ventilated in the columns of the
HERALD, is also much discussed among citizens gen.
orally. IT the Board could not agree upon transfer
ring the two idle captains to the two vacant posts
it has been asked "why have Captain Gunner and
Captain Hedden not been transferred the Street
Cleaning Department to these headess precincts?''
Both these officers regarded efficient aud merito
rous police captains, but it very generally remarked
that they not fitted for their present duties,
which are entirely outside of their range of police
Cleaning Bureau, which expends $75O,000 per
num-. said prominent official yesterday, ''should
be man Of vast business experience and first class
business capacity, such cannot possibly be found
among our police captains. 1t would be true econ
ony, If necessary. to pay to such man 5000 or
$4,000 year. At present from 100000 to 10000
are spent per annum. and the streets are not
cleaned.
THE POLICE COMMISSIONERS YESTERDAY
General Smith not ut the Police Headquarters
yesterday. At first it thought that he ut
home preparing All answer to Mr.. Erhardts charges;
when telegram received during tho
day stating that he was in attendance upon
MS Wue, VINO Qau sustained u serious &C.
cdent and broken her leg. Mr.. Wheeler
rived ut the after his protraced absence
and held long conference with Mr.. Erhardt. after
which the latter left for the day. Whether Mr..
Wheeler succeeded in throwing oil upon the troubled
waters not could not be ascertaned, that gen.
teman respectfully declined to undergo the Ito him)
painful process Of interviewing. Commissioner
Erhardt. alter having charged his colleagues (ir.
Wheeler. his republican coy'are. not excluded with
incorporate habits and neficency, sat yesterday
the exalted bench OF the court room and tried
number of policemen, who all, no doubt. regarded
him q perfect pattern of official decorum and dig
nifty, in view OF recent events. To-day meeting OF
the fighting Commissioners is to be held and the
communication OF Mr.. Erhardt which was furnished
by him to the press yesterday WILL for the first time
come officially before his fellow Commissioners