The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-12-01
DOUGLASS queer Case.
The Police Board Thinks
That 1t Has Him Down
At Last.
He SAID He WOULDN'T WEAR THE BUTTONS
So the Board Will Try Him for
Gross Disobedience.

The war which has been waging be
tween the Board OF Police Commissioners
and Detective George Douglass for some
time eliminated yesterday morning in
the suspension of Douglass by Inspector
LANCE for disobedience of orders
Douglass was originally appointed
detective on the force and was then
made a patroIman.
He was afterward made detective
again, and assigned to do duty as clerk
OF the Police Court. For some time he
was clerk of the Second District Police
Court when David W. Lawrence, now
president Of the Board of Tax Commits
sioners, was Justice. He was afterwards
transferred to the First District Court,
where he acted as clerk to Justice Still
sing until the advent of the present New
Charter Board.
REDUCING HIS RANK. .
The new Board chose new clerk and
assigned Mr.. Douglass to do patrol duty
in the Fourth precinct. Douglass claimed
that the transfer practically amounted
TO reduction in rssnk and pay and that
under the tenqy9 of Office act he as
exempt from <such degradation. The
commissioners, however, commended that
as his pay would remain the same his
transfer was no reduction.
But George thought otherwise, and APP
piled to Justice Dixon of the Supreme
Court for a writ of certiorari to remove the
action of the Board to the Supreme Court
for review. Corporation Counsel Edwards
opposed the motion, claiming, rs the
Board did, that the assignment to patrol
duty did not amount to reduction in
either rank or pay.
Justice Dixon had the rules of the
Police Department governing the duties
OF patrolmen and detectives read to him
and then decided to grant the writ. The
matter is still pending in the court.
The generalimpression which prevailed
at the time was that the Board was try
ing TO freeze George out of the depart
ment, their idea being that he would re-
sign rather than don the uniform and
take TO twirling night stock.
WOULDN'T WEAR THE BUTTONS.
But Douglass did not resign. He went
down to the Bergen Hall station and re-
ported for duty. But he drew the line as
the uniform and absolutely refused to
have anything to do with the blue coat
with brass buttons.
The Board was in quandary and did
not know what to do, SO it did the best
thing it could under the circumstances.
which was nothing.
In the meantime Douglass went calmly
on patrolling his post in citizens dress
and patiently awaiting the day when the
Supreme Court would restore him to his
former place.
This open defiance of their orders rolled
the Commissioners, and they determined
to bring the refractory Douglass to terms.
They remembered that they always
claimed that he was q detective, and
whatever they did. that fact must not be
lost sight of.
UNIFORMS FOR DETECTIVES.
Finally, one of the geniuses of the Board
hit upon plan, which at their meeting
on Friday the Commissioners put into
effect. Rifle 176 of the Manual, which di-
reefs that detectives shall do duty in
citizens dress. was rescinded as far as it
related to citizens dress, and Detective
Douglass was transferred to one of the
rural posts, amid the asparagus buds OF
the Greenville district.
Yesterday morning when Douglass
called at headquarters Inspector Lange
handed him a slip containing the name
and address of the department tailor, and
informed him that he, the Inspector, had
been directed by the Commissioners to
order him, Douglass, to procure a uni
form. Douglass refused point blank to
visit the department or any other tailor
and the Inspector suspended him.
1t looks now as though the Board has
at last secured what it considers a first
class plan for getting rid Of Douglass.
He will be tried upon the charges Of gross
disoDedience, and if found guilty viii
probably be dismissed from the force