The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-12
AGONY NOT OVER.
RetirementS in Police
Circles.
The Old Men Will Not Be Placed on
the Pension List in Bulk, but
One Occasionally.

The Board of Police Commissioners met
last night. all being present. Nearly three
hours was consumed in listening to evil
deIce in three cases against officers and
after the meeting adjourned the decisions
were given out as follows: Policeman Lewis
Withers, charged with unofficerliBe con-
duet, charge dismissed; Policeman Charles
O'Neil. charged with unoffi cerIike con-
duct, fined $50; Policeman George Collins,
charged with battery on Ed Kehoe,
hackman. and using vulgar language. fined
SIS. Owing to the bad character Kehoe
got from Special Oficer Hussey. Detective
Gibson and Sergeant Martin the Commits
sioners decided not to grant a renewal of
his hack license.
1t was expected that some action would
have been taken on the recently much
tslked-of question of placing several Of
ficers who are over 80 years of age and
have served over twenty years on the PEN
sion list.
President Tobin was seen after he left
the meeung, and in answer to a question
he said: I'VE have had several applica-
tons before US from officers desiring to be
placed on the pension list, bur. of course,
no action will be taken on them till the
next regular meeting of the Pension Fund
july"
What about the compulsory retire.
ments ?"
There will be no compulsory retire
ments; at least we have not yet thought
of any. Although there are a number Of
officers who from their age and length Of
service are entitled to be placed on the
pension list, there are some among them
who by their experience and knowledge of
criminals are of far more service to the
departm ent than younger ana less expert
enced men,"
"But il was said that they were not ag-
gressive enough"
True, some of them lack that alertness
and aggressiveness which are desirable.
| but there are others who. although old
men, are as vigorous In intellect and body
as much younger men. Take Captain
| Short, for instance. Although So years of
age. he is match for three ordinary
men,"
| After talking generally for minute or
| two Mr.. Tobin said:
"WeIl, we will retire some of the old
men, but it will not be done in bulk. We
Will put them on the pension list one at a
| time, but nothing will be done until the
regular meeting of the Pension Commits
sioners in July. These men, it must be
| remembered, have spent the best years of
thsir life in the department, and havs
served US faithfully, and it is not right
that we should be too hard upon them"
From the way the president talked it
! was evident that there will be no whole
| sale retirement of Old-service men and
! infusion Of new blood. Before the presi-
dent left on his vacation he stated
that the question OF retirement of
old men would be at once taken up on his
return, and it was generally understood
| that at least fifteen out of the FORTY W no
| have served the allotted time would be
placed on the list. Several names were
| prominently mentioned, but now the scene
| is changed.
Another feature was discussed at the
meeting a list of officers who have been
recently and still are on the sIck-list, and
are supposed to be chronic sufferers, was
laid on the table. ana some action will be
taken shortly in regard TO them The
| list included the following: Police
man John Powers, 131 days from the
after-effects of grip; Policeman E. j.
| McGrayne, 46 days from chronic rheuma-
tism; Policeman Harlow, "a days from a
chronic ailmenU; Sergeant Harmon, II
days from chronic rheumatism; Police
man Henry Blair, SO days from lung trou-
bles, and Detective James Rogers, 3ls
days from rheumatism and general debiI.
ity.
! 1t is not generally known that the Police
| Commissioners are also the Pension Fund
Commissioners. Originally ii was not so,
but in 1891 the act was amended so thai
where there Is in any county. city and
county, city or town, Board of Police
Commissioners, then such body shall con.
stitute said Board of Trustees of the Police
Relief and Pension Fund Of the Polics De.
paTtment."