The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-14
Z X 8 7
|: DITION.
NO BLOOD WILL FLOW.
The Charter Fight Is
Checked by a Confer
enCe at a Critical
Moment.
IT WAS LIVELY LAST NIGHT.
Police Boards Clashed and Chief
Murphy Went with the New.
IT WAS LIVELY LAST NIGHT.
Police Boards Clashed and Chief
Murphy Went with the New.

VI PHJ HOAp WAeh eAo A'N"'
Everything was in statu quo at the
opening of business at the city offices to-
day.
The business of the departments is going
on with orderly quiet.
But there were mutterings of war and
coming excitements on all hands till noon.
Then a practical armistice was an
nounced.
Mayor Cleveland, Ex-Governor Albeit,
Clerk of the Court of Chancery Allan
McDermott and new Corporation Coun-
sci Edwards held lengthy conference
this morning in the Chancery Chambers
At noon Mayor Cleveland returned to
his office and said that the conference,
after discussing the entire question, had
resolved that the Mayors appointees
should not prejudice their cause in the
courts by attempting to gain possession
by force of the offices to which they had
been appointed.
1t was also determined that as the new
men were already in possession OF the
Fire and Police Departments, that these
should be held to the exclusion of the old
Boards altogether.
Senator Edwards was visited this after
noon with view to securing the details of
this conference
'Is there any truth in the report that
the appointees under the new charter will
relinquish their intention of taking
forcible possession of the departments
they have not already securedp' asked.
The Senator smiled, and said:-"There
was no conference held last night"
I knew that the conference had not
been held last night, and, having told the
Senator so, pressed my question. But the
Senator adroitly evaded it and refused to
give direct answer.
sAs lawyer said he, finally, "you
could not expect me to give you the in
formation. 1t is your business to try and
obtain the information from me, and
mine to withhold it from you. Good
afternoon"
The new Board of Police Commission
ers is in apparent control of the depart
ment. Chief of Police Murphy seems
none the less happy now that he has been
forced to define his position. The cap
tains of the several precincts reported to
him, as has been their wont, at nine
o'clock in the morning, and are yielding
apparent obedience'to to his authority. The
old Board tried to lure some of them to
their support, with offers of the Chiefs
position. They would not take it.
'sWhy did you decline ?'' asked of
Police Captain McKaig.
IT was not good enough, he said to me
in reply, ''to command precinct during
the election. Am / now fit to command
the whole force today?'
If he gave this answer to President
Davis last night it must have been
knocker out. It was President Davis who
took the command of the precinct out Of
his hands during election. 1t was Presi-
dent Davis who tried to induce him to be
Chief last night.
''Do you recognize the new Board by
reporting to the Chief this mornings"
was the question put to Captain Farrier.
''My orders" he replied, "have come
from Police Headquarters. | came to
Police Headquarters to make my usual
morning report. Chief Murphy was in
possession and my report went to him."
~ have reported to the Chief in the
usual course of business" said Captain
Lang. "We have had no notice OF any
change in the Department"
Even Clerk Gilbert S. Robinson, who
refused to call the roll for the new Board
lest evening, is said to have changed his
mind and determined to go with the
crowd. He was busy at the desk in the
Inspectors room this morning, with In
spector Smith, who has discarded the old
Board, standing aEectionately by him.
Conversations with the policemen on
posts revealed general acceptance
among them of the new order OF things
The Chief had cast the die, and they are
satisfied to stand by him, as rule.
THE OLD BOARD TACTICS.
Just what the old Board will do to meet
the crisis no one is able to foretell. One
said that If all the men who served them
desert them, they will create a new de-
partment, filling all the vacancies, and
then attempt to take possession of the
station houses and headquarters
That would mean dangerous civil
strife and John p. Feeney, the head of
the new Board, broadly intimated last
evening that emergencies may arise In
which the Governor of the State will be
called on for military aid.
Reporters who passed the City Hall at
midnight noticed Policeman Al. Shell
worth and another blue coat playing
cards in the rear room of the City Col
lectors office # was assumed at at once
there to hold possession of the office for
Me coming of Alderman O'Neill, the
MSyor's appointee as City Comptroller,
shis fpprning. Today, however, It was
auested President Davis to place the men
IN the Office to guard it, and that the two
were there in pursuance of that request
City Collector Love-under the old char
ter-sat in the Office reading newspaper
xyhan called this morning. His assist
ant. Andy" sat bolt upright in an ad-
inininq chair. a broad smile spread all
over his face. Both seemed happy that
they had got to their morning'swork with
so little trouble.
A policeman sat on guard at the door,
with his limbs crossed, as though he were
not in expectation of any sudden call to
active duty.
forPn oueried Mr.. Love, as thrust my
nose into the little hole In the front OF
his desk, through which millions on mil