New-York tribune., 1879-09-02
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
POLICE RoARD COMPLICATIONS.

COMMITS sIoNER wHEELrR's SALARY sIoffp
ERAL SMITHS NOTICE TO COMMISSIONERS "o"
RIsoN tt vACATE HIS "FFIck.
The Police Commissioners met yesterday 10 pass
the nay-rolls of the department. All were PreSe"''
and the quarrel over the presidency be'ng "s se'
rnsetflei. Commissioner Ma,Lean conthueu o9
common consent rs chIirman pro fem.
The pay-rols were presented, but before .o'n"i,S
,,oner Wheeler. as treasurer, could oacr them Tor
.,o octior of tse BOARD the following letter from
Mavor Cooper was read:
Nxw-yoRK. Sept. l, 1870
To- tae bcarn ~ ,@de to me in reply ettcr re-
qucs,nr tion IN re- alton 70 certain accounts n a
thc Po ice Department shows 'hn. rcivpd
n tween Nav !. 1876. and july l. 1873, lhe SUI" "t
sS2 1 ro and I'VE we're sold fer account Of The cy
Ts sum. among other amounts he ha MOI pn,n M eo y,
No CHAMBERLAIN. Bv section 90 of chap'er No 800 VI
he Laws OF 1878 Nj Wheeler Is not entitled TO receive
onv salary un shall have paid over such money VI
otlerwise complied with the nrov slo' OF rn
Respcctullg. EDWARD 'oorh"'
Commissioner Wheeler then submitted the "ay-
rolls for the month Of August amounting TO SZ'''-
756 80. and Commissioner MacLean. after looking
them over offered a resolution to the effect that
Tins sun he reduced nv the amount of Commits
sioner Wheelcr's salary for August
The Republican Commissioners were evidently
+sten ny surprise hv this movement. Commissioner
M,cIean called for the vote, and himself voted
voting and Mr. French voted no" without hesita-
,ion. Mr. Morrison voted with Mr.. MacIcsn. The
eect was To pass the resolution the deadlock
,,, tho Board three voting and majority being IN
its favor Mr. Wheeler fumhled abont the leaves of
stasnte-bool and when pressed by Mr.. MacLran
for his reasons for refusing 60 VOTE replied n'hei-
emily. .'It docs not matter; suppose might as
wei vote yo..'
The pav-rolls Of the Street-Cleaning department
=
Board then adjourned
pl,1, or,ozon,cnt sat upon the faces of the wait
,nr nrnolncians when the ssue of tho meeting. rs re-
sards Mr.. Wheeler. was made known. The general
oninion was that Commissioner French in his haste
e. vote against the motion had made great ms
take. rs his refusal TO vote would have prevented
is passage.
Tn exclamation Of his letter to the Police Board,
the Mayor said that he was obliged. under the
charter. TO sign each month the warrant for one
twelfth the annual apprcTri2tion for the tocf
Department. The pav-rolls for hat department
do not come under his np'rvision or PERSONA IN
spection. but are passed by tne roiCT Gee
fine Police Department he said, Included an
item for buttons shields. ETC.. when are
bought by the city ana eaon 6'ITeiie" o Ieav,Sc tHe
fcrcc IS required 20 return them, or pay f0r thcm IS
taken out of his salary. If he loses the buttons OF
rcanireS extra ones he has 20 paw for them. Ins
money the Mayor saws. Is the property II INC city
aud tbe excuse that il is commissions" cannot be
made a. they are not sold on commission. Inere-
fore ie sent that letter to the Police Board asking
that Mr. Wheeler's paw he withheld.
General ". F. Smith. ex-PreSident & o. the Police
Roard continued 70 occupy Room No. 800 on the top
floor of the Astor House Yesterday; tarlv IN me
morning he was visited bv J. B. Ecclesne and later
nonse neo" Sbortly after noon the following letter
was sent nv General Smith to Mr. MORRISON at 10
lice HEADQUARTERS;
eTs: whcress am Informed that during tempo-
rarv absence have intruded Yourself INFO my room
at police Hea Quarters and now assume 70 hold posses
sion ~ the same. please take notice that regard vou Hs
In said room mt under the decisions OF
tne Courts ~ ths state m ntaitinvSsi 81, 10 . ps
Pnlice Commissioner. and that demand o Won lot,n-
with TO said room and relnqush ts possession
Nerr Tork, Sept I. 1879.
Mr. w O. Bartlett in speaking last evening fthe
"It is simply qnet legal effort on the part Of
General Smith TO be allowed TO enter his room and
resume the duties Of his ofii"e. might say that u
L. inst as though mans house had been entered
during his absence. and coming home and finding Y
occupied he calls upon The intruder to come ,;t Gat
l. lcrellv entitled 10 the office. and propose 70 90
oil that can to make that fact appear Mr. Nor
rsor stands in the position OF a usurper, ana OF
ronrse il s for usurpers TO look ont for themselves
IT. the event of Mr. Morrison declining TO heed this
tsfing In keeping General Smith ont of his office,
We propose to bring action IN the courts TO test
h tile to it, That Is S neJs Us oi II r. the Court Of
knneqls through and through. and Won VIII find
nothing whatever that Will suSialn the course tnni
has been pursued for the eiertment NJ General
smith Jrn)eSs the Court Of Appeals reverses us de-
eisions. General Smith is legally Police Commits
sioner, rnaintqin that he has clear legal rlghl
10 the office unless these decisions are reversed ana
l. is this rght that prop0se 10 estahlish But oi
this much the public NAV rest assured, there VIII
bc no forcble attempt made on the part OF Generai
Smith 10 get back"
With respect to the letter addressed nv General
Smith 10 Commissioners French and Wheeler, IT Is
nderstood that the only respo received thus far
10 the communication was IN the form OF the visit
nald on SATURDAY To the late president Of the Police
board bv the gentlemen addressed, II was said
last night that both Mr.. Wheeler and Mr. French
had gone TO Saratoga to attend the Republican Con-
yention and that further action in the premises
Will be deferred until their return at the close OF
the week. o.,,,
Alta meeting Of the IXth Assembly District Repub-
lican Association last evening after the formal an
pouncement Of the death of the president OF the as
sociation Gilbert J. Hunter, the chairman ap-
rointed a committee of six to wait upon Mavor
tooper to urge him to nominate the Hon. William
IL Corsa for Police COmmlssi oner.