New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-05
NO CAUSE TO LOVE TAM1[ANY
POLICE GRUN1BL1NG AT HILL AND GRANT.
A DEFICIENCY IN THEIR PENSION FUND NEAR
AT HAND-LARGER APPROPRIATIONS
PREVENTED.

There Is good deal Of ill-feeling among the men,
bcrs OF tic Police Department Just now toward Gov
ernor Hill and Tammany Hall, the members OF the
police force feeling aggreved because the Governor
acting on the advice OF Mayor Grant, Intentionally
neglected to sign the bill for the increase OF the police
pension fund. The matter has been brought keenly
to the attention Of the force within few days by the
payment of their pensions TO the 91O pensioners ana
by the fears expressed by the latter and by members OF
the force who will the pension roll that there
will not be sufficient money to pay them In fun on te
next quarterly day OF payment. october l. folce
Comts soner Voorhls said yesterday that be feared
there would be deficit in the police pension luna Dy
October amounting to 100000 or $4,000
For several years while the police pension fund has
been steadily decreasing In amount the demands UPON
it have been rapidly increasing This has been due
TO the law which grants pension to every policeman
who has been twenty years member OF tho iorre'
He may be a man In good health and thoroughly EN-
clent; but he can compel the Board OF Police 10 reuro
him on a pension of 5000 yearly. Tho Boand Oh
Police have no discretion In the matter The law saws
they shall retire such men on pensions ~den
they make the application for refinement The
effect of the law IS largely TO increase the pension roll
The records of the Police Department show yearly
increase in the total amount of the pensions paid
Thus in 1o5l there was paid SlOo,lo3 20 IN loo@,
Sll6.4ss 81; in 1888, S142,705 II: IN 1854, $751;
6s7 80 in 1885, S245 023 10 in 1885, $304925 81 III
276 3D. In the face of these demands the capital OF
the police pension fund has steadily shrunk. 1t was
500 ,s73 Is In 1851; it only Sl29Oo % at the
close Of 1885.
Percelving that there was likely to be deficiency
soon in the pension fund. the Board of Police had
Senator Murphy introduce a bill in the Legislature
authorizing the Board of Estimate and ApporuOnment
to increase the annual allowance TO be paid from the
excise moneys TO the police pension fund from it'
present maximum OF 5000 900 to 100000. The Police
Commits felt that this Increase Of the amount u
be paid from the fund was a lust one. They
pointed that when the Board OF Excise only col
pension fund received $4,000 OF this amount NOW
that the excise receipts amounted TO II 4OOOOO yearly,
they argued there should be somewhat propotlCnate
increase IN the amount Of excise moneys diverted 10
the support o-the police pension fund.
Much 10 the astOnshment Of the policemen, Mayor
Grant and the members Of the Board of Estimate passed.
resolution against Muphys bill, after It had
passed the Legislature and was before the Governor
In their resolution they say that In the Judgment OF
this Board the egslaoni proposed In this Dill Is OF
such an objectionable character that 1t ought not to
become law that the excise funds OF the city and
the poor and these funds ought not 70 be diverted from
this most laudable purpose" Finally the Boald Ne
quesed the Governor to Withhold his signature from
The Police Commissioners in reply to this resou-
ton pointed that the bill was only permissve and
not mandatory II the Board Of Estimate did not
think IL best to increase the police pension fund they
were not compelled 10 do so. Moreover they eX-
pressed the opinion that the widows and orphans Of
policemen were as much entitled to be considered
poor as any other class IN the community and
therefore entitled 10 the excise moneys But Gov
ernor Hin took the advice of Mayor Grant as the
representative OF Tammany Hall, and withheld his
signature from the bill. When policemen entitled by
law to pensions shall apply for them in the coming
six months and shall apply for them In vain, they
will at least have the satisfaction OF knowing that
Governor I'M and Mayor Grant arc the men re-
sponsible for their illfortune.