The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-28
ERHARDT'S CHARGES.
Mayor Cooper's Attitude Toward tho
Police Commissioners.
PROSPECT OF A GRAND ROW.
What President Smith Says About the
Cause of the Trouble.

The battle between the rampant Police Commits
soners remained IN sa quo yesterday and little il
anything added to the explanation of its causes
and probable effects heretofore published Mr. Err
hardt's desire for an investigation into the condi-
ton of the police force by Mayor Cooper remained
Us yet ungratfed. for the Mayor gave no Indication
as to what action he intended to take reporter Of
the HERALD waited upon His Honor and the follow.
ing information was vouchsafed by the Mayor
THE MAYOR NoN-CoMMITTAL.
"Mr. Mayor. may ask you what. if any. action
you intend to take the resolution Of Commits.
soner Erhardt, calling for investigation of the
Police Department."
.'As that is matter for my official action it would
be hardly decorous for me to state in advance what
intend doing"
els the matter officially before your
"rhe resolution defeated. and is. therefore.
not officially before me action of the Police
Board. Nevertheless, understand it to be the duty
Of the Mayor to notice and investigate all matters ap
pertaining to the proper administration of any of the
departments of the city government.
Ills it probable, then. Mr. Mayor. that you will in
vestgate the Police Department, desired by Mr..
Erhardt %
II can only say that tho Mayors duty. in my opin-
ion, is to investigate all the departments and to
satisfy himself that they properly conducted Of
course there is q vast amount of routine business
which has to be attended to. requiring considerable
time and attention, but nevertheless hope to be
able to straghten out many matters which have
in view."
GENERAL SMITHS REPLY TO ERHARDr
There was much excitement and gossip at the
Police Headquarters yesterday to the probable up
shot Of the present difficulty. Commissioner Err
hardts charge Of inebriety made against the Presi
dent, General Smith, and the latter's published re.
tort that Mr.. Erhardt undoubtedly crazy"
provoked much discussion. and from the quiet
sniggering of some of the clerks and officers it
manifest that the quarrel had not heightened the
spect of their subordinates for the fighting Police
Commissioners. General Smith was besieged by
callers-politicians friends and rcporters-all day
and found it slight task to all their ques
tions and give all the desired explanations. In a
some details to his controversy with Mr..
Erhardt. In reference to Mr.. Erhardts charge
that while Commissioner Nichols i'll meeting
held for two weeks because General Smith would
not attend the meetings the President Of tho Police
Board said MIR. Erhardt had declined to vote on
any bills which came before the Board. Now. held
and still hold. that no resolution can be adopted
when only two members VOTE and hence it was
manfestly useless for NE to attend any meeting at
which Mr.. Nichols was unable to DO present. while
Mr. Wheeler was away. Mr.. Erhardt thinks that
this ruling is wrong but as the point is one purely
OF parliamentary law submitted the question to as
high an authority on the subject as Speaker Blaine
tanning my position At the same time the question
has been officially referred to the Corporation Coun-
sci. who. however, has not given his decision.
Mr.. BLAINE's LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., JAM Is, 1879.
DEAR GKsEa4L-You submit 70 me this "A board OF
Ssrs Il is provided BY law that three me%ber s Of this
as
a nays wsra called snd president Of
Ss s' ps
the president declared the resolution carried Was
decision Of the prssdsn. 1psuYsson
s ss s ~ s $
asves where on question to vote BY
being ordered quorum answered to their names and
Sis h
pr sSrs o. OF uo "r S
counted nothing long the not
present and voting y.ea i..O
SsoiHas is no, counted or registered at ALL
In the case submitted therefore, the third
proccedngs-did the formation Of legal
Ss than had been Bisi
THE TROUBLE ABOUT PENaoNING oFFIcERs.
General Smith also defended his refusal to vote for
the pensioning Of superannuased policemen at last
Tuesday meeting. The law, he explained provided
that officers who had served for twenty years or
upward might, in the discretion of tho Commits
sioners and by their unanimous vote. be retired
pension not less than one-fourth nor more than
one-half of their pay. Now. the resolution
grant the applications for pensions had failed to
recognize the twenty per cent reduction made in tho
pay Of the police. but proposed to fix the amount of
pension ut the old standard of pay. and hence the
action OF the Commissioners in adopting that reso-
erai smith could not conscentiousiy vote for it, II
would have been equally unjust to retire these old
officers one half of their present pay in case tho
twenty per cent reduction might be restored. The
only way out of the dilemma was to defer action
until this question Of pay had been settled by the
that he ever said he would never retire man.
THE STREET CLEANING DIFFICULTY.
II will be remembered that another bone Of conten
ton between Messrs. Erhardt and Smith was Mr.
Erhardts proposition that he, well every other
have the power to suspend any member of the
Bureau for ineficiency or dishonesty. which was
defeated by General smith. President smith SAID
thought that Mr.. Wheeler. who an
active member of the committee. absent
courtesy required that the Commissioners present
should wait for his return before taking any such
ton When the proposition was brought before the
Board Mr.. Nichols moved that the resolution lie
until Mr.. Wheeler should be present On this mo-
ton Messrs. Nichols and Smith voted in the afirma
tive while Mr.. Erhardt declined to VOTE so that it
was not carried Then the original motion came up
and Messrs Erhardt and Nichols voted yea ana
President smith nay so that it was defeated. where
upon Mr.. Erhardt declined to serve rs member OK
the Street Cleaning Committee.
THE PROPOSED INVESTIGATION.
President smith said, in conclusion that nc voted
to place Mr.. Erhardts resolution charging his col
leagues in the Board with inebricty and calling for
an investigation of the department. on hle because,
in the first place. he considered that such nvesti
CATION necessary, and In the second, because
was or such character that the otner meinpcrs VI
the Board out of respect for themselves. could not
vote for 1t.
Commissioner Erhardt was taciturn yesterday and
had nothing say. and Mr.. Nichols also preferred to
remain silent. Mr.. Erhardt left early III the AFTER
noon. after which Commissioners smith and Nichols
held two-hour conference with closed doors. To-
day. IL is thought the Board will hold meeting and
lively time may DO again expected. Commissioners
Wheeler is expected back tomorrow from Washing
ton. In political circles yesterday the general inn
preston seemed be that Mr. Erhardts chances for
denomination had not been improved by this quarrel
Mayor Cooper said late in the afternoon that nom
uations for Police Commissioners would be sent in
Co the Board Of Aldermen at their meeting this after
noon.