National Republican., 1883-04-28

Tho average ages of these fifteen mem
when appointed was 30 years n much better
average than the last appointments. 1t has
been urged that good material is not as plen-l
tiful as some years ago, and by many it isl
supposed that the reason of this is becausol
tho law requires an applicant to have served
honorably in the late rebellion on the uniOnI
side. This is not the case. The applicant isl
required to have an honorable discharge from
the United States army, navy, or marinel
corps. 1t is stated that enough good material
could be easily procured from those who are
natlves of the district, and who have served
in the last two named branches of the public
service, and whose applications are on file.
The average age Of the "honorably dis
charged" men is only 45 years, but three of
them being over so years Of age. .tU.r
Many of them were terribly wounded while
in the discharge of duty. Poor Phil. Thomp-
son, the colorcd man, is totally blind and hasI
to be led around like child, Luskey had al
ball put clear through his body, and has been
in several deadly encounters while in the dis
charge of duty. All of these men are com
paratively young, but nearly all have largeI
families to support, They were discharged
upon the report of board consisting of three|
mcn-Dr. S. A. III. McKim, Capt. Vernon, andl
Lieut.. Gessford-who have been attached to|
the force for twenty years, and whose ages
average upward of 80 years.
They reported the time lost by each dis
charged man, what it was for, and what
caused the sickness, or whatever it may have
been that caused his absence from duty.
This committee, it is said, urged the COM
missioners to apply the police fund or part ofI
IL toward pensoning these men. They urged
that Thompson be allowed 500 per month. Ill
was also urged that tho "hOnorably dis.
charged men be paid $500 or even $l,0O0l
apiece, but the commissioners did not think
the law would bear them out in doing this
laNp IN thn gtt aan hn -,
tion 36i for the government OF the metropoli- !
tan police. II says:
Whenever any member of the police force in thel
actual discharge Of his duty shall become actu.
time OF such disability on the certificate of a COM
petent surgeon stating the manner, cause andI
conditions OF the injury and approved by the
policemans fund. But the board may discon.l
tnue such allowance for any satisfactory reasons
The fund now amounts to $4,000 and
comes from fines, awards, and sale of stolen
unclaimed and abandoned property. IL is n
fund absolutely lying idle while the "honor1
ably discharged" men, all of whose ailments
were contracted whilo in the line of duty
have every prospect of starving after years oil
faithful service. Said one of them TO the rel
porter, "Ihey turn us out like old horses toI
die after having worked us for many long
years"
1t is understood that Phil. Thompson has
missioners and some others $50 apiece.
The examining surgeons Of the police force|
are Drs. johnson Eliot, McKim, and New-
man. All these are old men, and have beenl
serving for many years. Maj, Dye, the su-
perintendent of police, is an older man inI
years than any Of the discharged men, so that
many Of tho latter contend that old ageI
should not count against anybody on the
force unless all were served alike
member of ono of the delegations thatI
waited on the commissioners said to The RE.
PUBLICAN reporter: "The unfair action ofl
the authorities in dismissing these mon with
out trial, and in making no provision for
their future out Of the policemans fund, to.
gether with the tact that one or two of thel
recent appointments are clearly illegal, wild
lead to the introduction Of a bill in the next
congress for the entire reorganization of theI
police force Of the district, and we will do all
in our power TO secure its passage"
Maj. Dye said yesterday that himself andl
the commissioners had been governed in tho
matter of the discharges by the report of thd
board (McKim, Vernon, and Gessiord) andN
the habits record, and character of the menN
lie hoped that some arrangements would be