The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-13
COYLE RA9TLES PAGAN
The Mayor Determined to Get
Rid Of Roundsman
McAleer.

The Hoboken Police Board met at four
o'clock yesterday afternoon to inside
charges against disorderly policemen. Com
missioner Utz was absent. Roundsrnan
Thomas McAleer had a string of charges
yesterday. The most serious one was an
alleged fight in Klee Brothers saloon, River
and Newark streets, with three other police
men. On the afternoon of January 10, Nc
Aleer, with Policemen John Meyers and
Patrick Hayes, Jr., and State Detective
Harrison, entered the saloon in jovial spirits
and commenced frolicking. They had
a scuffie in the toilet room and
Harrison's nose was banged somehow. He
declares no one nit hun. The nose bled pro-
fusely. Policeman Hayes was tripped up,
landing against a projecting rod, striking
his left eye and causing it to become dis
colored. The men all maintained that there
was no fight, but that all had been showing
| each other for the fun of it.
THE MEN o DRUNK.
Sergeant Marnell, who had been sent on
that day to make an investigation of the
fight after the intelligence reached Police
Headquarters, on being called to the stand,
| said Proprietor John D. Klee informed him
when the men reached the saloon, in COM
pany with Charles Taylor. The were not
| Intoxicated as supposed, but all behaved in a
boisterous fashion. After they went into
the toilet room Klee heard McAleer shout
IF you are a shooter, I'm not afraid of
YOU"
The remarks, he thought, were directed to
Harrison. McAleer, Klee noticed, was not
drunk. President Pagan, after Marnell had
finished, ejaculated:-
sssThe sooner this department is rid of such
disgraceful men the better it will be. 1t is
well known by the member of this board IN
what odium the department has been placed
by the conduct of these policemen
Commissioner Coyle asked:-"Mr. Presl-
dent, l should like to know under what
charge these officers are to be tried!"
'sThere is no specific charge" answered
Mr.. Pagan, s.but | think it comes under con-
duct unbecoming on officer
well, we can't consider the cases until
we know what the charges are" said Com
missioner Coyle. "IVhy doesn't some one
make a motion that they be tried under the
head you mentioned if we must proceed with
them?' asked Coyle.
'syVell, why don't you do it yourself ex-
claimed the Mayor excitedly.
Because 1 don't care to" replied Coyle
holly, land don't care to have you direct
me in what l shall do, either"
'sThey were drunk in the saloon" replied
the Mayor" and under that charge we will
try them"
THE POLlCEMEN TESTIFY
Policeman Hayes was called. He said he
entered the saloon after noon time and met
the men there. A few drinks were had, and
all participated ina performance of horse
play. There was no hard feeling prevailing,
and no one fought.
Policeman Meyers corroborated Hayes
statement, and said he was not in the
~scuf1le.
Detective Harrison was called to explain
why he caused all the trouble, as the Mayor
expressed it. He denied hat he did, and
told essentially the same story as the preced-
ing officers. He said McAleer tried to grab
his pin, but he prevented it. He stated that
his nose must have been punched by acct
dent.
Herman Shetland, whose saloon is opposite
Klee Brothers, testified that the men were
orderly and not drunk when they came into
his saloon from Klee Brothers.
Cap Aldoretta, doorman, said that when
he entered Klee's saloon at four o'clock In
the afternoon the men behaved themselves.
He extended a salutation and left.
Detective Gallagher had come up from the
docks and stopped in the saloon, he said, to
see who the policemen were, having heard
somebody was in there. He saw no fight.
MAILER MUST APPEAR.
It was moved that the matter be referred
to the Executive Committee. Mayor Pagan
| said that there were more charges against
McAleer that the clerk had mislaid.
.sMcAleer has been'notified to come before
| this board and does not appear" declared
the Mayor. s'This matter should rest with
| the Executive Committee"
aThat is entirely out of order, Mr.. Presi-
dent,n interpolated Commissions Coyle
"We cannot proceed without allowing the
accused officer an opportunity for defence.
Let the accused be brought before the board.
l hope the gentleman presiding over this
board will be manly enough to have the OIL
Ger brought before u.s."
After much discussion it was decided to
notify McAleer to appear before the board at
the next meeting.
CONNELL'S LAME EXCUSE.
Policeman Thomas Cornell was charged
| with drunkenness on his beat. He entered a
saloon off post at Garden and Fifth streets,
and was found there by Sergeant Marnell.
Council. in explanation, said ne had stopped
there on business, and had sat in a chair to
tie his hoe string. He said he was not drunk,
but he had been COMPOUNDED with another
policeman who was.