Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-21
TWO AGAINST ONE.
LOP.SiDED SPLIT IN THE POLICE
COMMISSION.
The Policemen and Their Salaries
A Tilt Between Mayor Greg
DRY and Judge Buckley.

4
sioners was held at o'clock yesterday af-
ternoon, at which Mayor Gregory, Chief of
Police Lee and Police Judge Buckley were
present.
7 Judge Buckley explained the object of
the meeting to be to instruct the police of
| fcers of the city as to the proper course to
pursue in order to determine the question
as to the method of securing the payment
of their back salaries. He thought the
| Commission should instruct the officers to
| appeal to the Courts to determine the mat
ter. He referred to the fact that there had
been some talk of the fifteen old policemen
holding out and leaving the new officers to
test the question. He did not think it
| right for the ten new men to have to
| shoulder all the expense of such a suit and
he moved that the Board instruct the men,
| as body, to bring suit to settle the matter.
/, The motion was seconded by Chief Lee
Mayor Gregory repeated his objection to
| the election of the extra men of the force,
on the ground that the city tax levy had
been made when the men were appointed,
and there was no money in the police
fund with which to pay their salaries.
He read an abstract from the records of the
| Board of Trustees to show this fact, and
also that he had consistently voted in &C.
cordance with his expressed convictions at
the time the officers were elected. He said
that the Trustees did not care to decide as
to which members of the force-the origi.
nal fifteen or the new ones-should be en-
titled to pay.
| He therefore moved to amend the motion
hwy tl,ot 81.
| services of ten of the men on the present
force be dispensed with.
| Commissioner Buckley said the amend
ment was not relevant to his motion, which
was simply that the Board instruct the men
| to bring suit for the salaries due The
matter of reducing the force had nothing
| to do with it. He wanted the Board to
stand behind the men it had elected to do
the work of policemen. He then took &C.
casion TO remark that some of the men who
had also belonged to last years force had
stated that they had been advised by Mayor
Gregory to have nothing to do with the
proposed suit-that their salaries would be
| paid, and it would be to their interests not
to sue the city. He Buckley did not think
it right tor the Mayor, as ex officio Police
Commissioner, and one having to pass upon
their applications for positions in the
! future-to thus advise any Of the men.
The Mayor, he said, had lobbied in the
| Legislature for the passage of the bill au-
! thorizing the appointment of these extra
men, and he should stand by them. He
! Buckley did not want any policeman to
feel that if he should go to the Courts to
have his rights determined il would be
at the expense of losing his (Buckley's)
political or official friendship, with the
prospect of being defeated at the next cleo
| for ~ 10, IL,
| should take the responsibility of telling the
men whom it had elected to go TO the
Courts without fear that in so dong they
should incur the enmity of any member of
the Police Commission.
Commissioner Gregory deny having
endeavored to intimidate policemen in this
way.
Commissioner Buckley can prove it.
Commissioner Gregory-It is not true,
and l don't care what you think about it.
Commissioner Buckley Il don't care
what you think either.
Commissioners Gregory then stated at
some length his position in the matter. He
admitted having told officer Farrell that it
would be foolish in him to go to the ex-
pense of litigation in matter wherein his
rights were not threatened. Being one of
last years fifteen officers, his salary would
be forthcoming, as the fifteen for whom
salaries had been provided would be pro-
tected by the Trustees. AS to lobbying for
the bill authorizing the extra number OF
men, he knew at the time there would be
no money with which to pay their salaries
for this year, and did not indorse it with
that understanding.
Commissioner Buckley = You said to
Judge Armstrong that you would provide
for the payment of the salaries of the extra
force.
Commissioner Gregory deny that as
sertion.
Commissioner Buckley reassert it open
ly and publicly.
After some further differences of opinion
as to facts, Judge Buckley said that his mo.
ton meant that the Board of Police Com.
missioners should assume the responsible.
ity of having the policemen test the matter
of salaries in Court, without prejudice tc
any of them.
Mayor Gregory replied that Judge Buck.
ley had miscorstrued the import of his adj
vice to those members of the old force who
had consulted with him on the subject
Com missioner Buckley have the facts
and you did tell some of the old men MOI
to stand in with the new ones in the pro-
posed suit.
Commissioner Gregory = did advise
some Of them, it is true, as a friend, but
not in the manner nor for the purpose al
legged.
Commissioner Buckley claimed that the
powers and authority OF the Police Com
mission were as potent as those of the City
Trustees, and he proposed to stand up for
the rights of the former.
Chief Lee then became the spokesman
He Endorsed fully the views expressed By
Judge Buckley. Something must be done
The men had been working nearly two
months without pay and without thu
slightest assurance that they would evel
get any. They were consequently dissatis-
fed if not on the verge of Generalization
Some of the members of the old force hac
, come to him and said the Mayor had ad
vised them not to go into the proposed
suit, promising them that they would have
their salaries paid, anyhow. Many o.
them had timldity about Joining in the
suit. fearing that to do SO might injurt
their future prospects in some way. HI
had consulted with Judge Buckley abou
the matter, and they had concluded tina
the men were all in the same boat. The
confusion was demoralizing the force
and he wanted to see the thing settled
To that end he would support Judge Buck
ley's motion.
Commissioner Gregory declared that hi
had not the slightest prejudice against any
! hiah oi lOiCc WIZ illlRlt WISH 10 JOLT
in the proposed suit against the Trustees
He had not allowed his personal feelings
to sway his action in the slightest degree
He did not want the men to work for The
city for nothing, but there were more po
iieemen than there was money to pay
and the responsibility for this state O.
affairs should attach TO the Police Com.
missioners, and not fall upon the Board Of
Trustees.
Commissioner Buckley then said he
would withdraw his former motion and
substitute the following which could not
reasonably offend anyone:
WHEREAS. BY an Act of the late Legislature.
the Board of Police Commissioners of the CITY
OF sacramento were empowered to increase the
| police force 10 the number of thirty; and
whereas. in pursuance thereof, said Board
Old increase said force to the number of twenty.
| nve; and whereas, the Board of Trustees doubt
their power 10 pay the salaries of said officers
therefore be it
Resotred, That it is agreeable to the Board OF
Police Commissioners that the police officers
determine in the proper judicial tribunals the
question OF their right to receive their salaries
Commissioner Gregory now renew nv
amendment to the original motion, and
offer II as substitute for this one
There was no second thereto, and the
substitute was not formally before the
Board.
Commissioner Buckley's resolution was
han vtar.I Il I'll