The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-10-28
HOBOKHN'S POLICE.
The Commissioners Listen
to All Sorts of Charges
and Complaints.


early hour last evening In order to allow
Major Grassman and the other members
of the Board an opportunity to attend the
Democratic mass meeting at Odd Eel
lows Hall. Mayor Grassman was to pre-
side at that meeting.
James Fl. Tfddy sent in communica-
tion informing the Board that Policeman
Aio1ph Siebert was indebted to him in
the sum of S35. He asked the Board to
deduct that amount from the policeman's S
salary. Michael Reilly was granted special
police powers. Reilly is employed as q
private watchnan in the upper part Of
the city. Chief Donovan Informed the
Board that he had sent out circulars Of
fering a reward for the recovery of the
missing Nathan child. The Chiefs re-
port relative to the excuses of patrolmen
was received, and the policeman who re-
ported sick without producing doctors
certificate, were ordered to do SO at the
next meeting of the Board. Captain
Hayes then reported that Policeman
Siebert had been off post for half an hour
on the night Of October q, and Rounds
man Stanton reported that the same pa
trolman could not be found ON post for one
hour and ten minutes on the same night.
Commissioner Utz moved that Siebert be
Immediately suspended by the Chief, and
CiteQ " appear HI Inc ueAt lu6etluR To
answer the charges. 1t was so ordered.
Commissioner Kaufman then arose. He
said:-.It has been rumOred about the
City Hall this morning that certain
patrOlman was brought into the janiCor's
room yesterday, in full uniform, intoxi-
Gated. Alderman Bewig was my inform
ant. would like to ask the chief If he
has heard anything of it.
The chief said he had. and that Captain
Hayes was investigating the matter.
Commissioner Kaufman then moved
that the captain be directed to make a
thorough investigation and report at the
next meeting.
Commissioner Utz amended that if the
chief found that the charges were true
the patrolman be at once suspended. The
resolution and amendment were adopted.
AT this juncture the Chief said that
Sergeant Rathjen had something to say
about the patroIman's case which might
.enlighten the Board. Sergeant Rathjen
said:-"At twenty-five minutes to six
O'Clock last night Policeman Whalen
came into the station house. He acted
queerly. He came back from supper and
went up to the Fourteenth street ferry.
1 sent Roundsman Jacobus up there. He
reported that Whalen was not drunk,
but seemed TO be very ill. He WAS
brought back to the station house and
appeared TO be dizzy. About half an
hour later he went out on duty as
usual. will say positively that Whalen
was not drunk. He appeared to be very
ILL.," The ORIGINAL motion to have the
charges investigated prevailed.
Valentine Hetzel, a very excited indi-
vidual OF No. TIA First avenue, came over
TO HoboRen on October 10 and tried TO
board Hamburg steamer Policeman
Granelli, who was stationed on the dock
with orders not to allow anybody on the
ship, prevented Hetzel from going aboard
-Hetzel became impudent and Granelli
showed him away. aGtz5i then acted Il Il l.SSc
a crazy man. He went to the police sta
tion and asked Sergeant Rathjen who
Policeman No. 20 was. He said he would
spend $500 to have him suspended by the
commissioners.
He then went to see Justice Strong.
Strong drew up complaint which
reached the Commissioner last night. 1t
accused Granelli of abusing Hetzel. 1t
also accused Sergeant Rathjen with hav-
ing refused to tell Hetzel who Policeman
No. 20 was.
Hetzel was called to the stand and put
under cross-examination by Commits
sioner Utz. He contradlcted himself
several times and when he left
the witness stand the general
opinion prevailed that he was a
crank. Policeman Granelli then took the
stand and told straightforward story.
He said ali that he had done was to shove
Hetzel away from the gang plank Ser
geant Rathjen was then called. He de-
MED the charges against him. He said
he did not know who policeman No. 90
was, bnt he tried to find out for Mr.. Het-
EEL The Sergeant called Court Officer Stan
ton as witness. Stanton said that Hetzel
was very excitable, and that the Sergeant
had done all he could for him. Hetzel
then stepped from the audience and said
that he desired to Withdraw the charges
against Rathjen, but he was promptly re-
buked by Commissioner Utz. On motion
of Commissioner Daab the charges
against both officers were dismissed.
Principal Elston Rebuked.
At the meeting of the Hoboken Board