Morning journal and courier., 1881-12-21
VOL. ,XLIX

fore the Board as marked "poor'' was read. Commissioner Harmon said at the last meet inp of the Board he voted with the majority in favor of summoning these men before the Board. Since then he had farther considered the matter and had concluded that it was use less, after hearing the report made against these men in writing by the roundsmen, to have them appear before the Board. Commissioner Catlin said he was surprised at the action of Commissioner Harmon. He had thought, and still thought, that these officers who had charges preferred against them should be allowed to appear before the Board and be heard before their heads were
 cut off,
 Commissioner KiIbride said he had under stood that mistakes had been made by the roundsmen in regard to some of these off, cers. He referred particularly to Officer Nc Bride, who, though marked blank, was ac- knowledged to be an efficient officer. Commissioner Harmon said he did not care to discuss this matter further, but he desired to come to a vote.
 Commissioner Bollman said he was satis- fled that in some of these men reported stpoor" mistake at least had been made, and in one case at least he thought 1t was a ''willful' mistake on the part of the officer reporting him. Since these charges had been made against delinquents he had been informed by the chief that all of them were now efficient, perhaps with one exception. ne WOuIQ not uK6 GO vote to OlScndrS6 LQeS0 men without giving them chance to be heard.
 Commissioner Catlin said he was satisfied that there was not one of these officers that would come before the Board and back up { their reports regarding these officers. His Honor the Mayor said the only ques- ! ton to be decided was whether the Board ! should discharge these men, or any of them, | without giving them a chance to be heard. 1 Commissioner Catlin moved that the whole l matter be indefinitely postponed l Commissioner KiIbride opposed the motion, | as he thought the officers complained of ! should be heard.
 .The motion to indefinitely postpone was 1 lost.
 ! The motion of Commissioner Harmon to | reconsider the motion of last meeting was l put and carried.
 l Commissioner Harmon then offered reso- lution that Commissioners Bollnan and Hart be appointed to consider the efficiency of the
 men reported, particularly in regard to tenn 1 perance. In speaking on his motion he thought this the most judicious way to get at l the facts
 1 Commissioner Bollman offered as an 1 amendment that the chief captain and lieu 1 tenant be summoned before the Board to tell 1 who were the efficient members of the force. The substitute motion was accepted by Com l missioner Harmon.
 Chief Webster said that two months before
 the old roundsmen were discharged they re- 1 ported that the men generally doing | well, and since the new roundsmen were ap- pointed they have also reported the men do- l ing well with one exception, which was the l case of Officer Boucher, who was at one time l twenty minutes late. He said that he knew
 of no men who were on the force that kept l s'plumb full"
 Lieutenant Sheridan concurred in the
 statement of Chief Webster and Captain
 Hyde. He thought the drummer element"
 had been pretty thoroughly weeded out, and
 l that the present force was competent in the
 l discharge of their duty.
 The clerk was instructed to correct the re-
 port in regard to Officer Mcbride, and place l him on the record as "A No. 1''
 On motion of Commissioner Catlin the l clerk Twas also instructed to record all the
 l members of the force who had been reported
 AS inefficient as at present efficient and doing
 their duty.
 The appointment of supernumeraries was
 continued until the next meeting, and the
 Board adjourned.