New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-12
A CHALLENGE FOR WILLIAMS.
COSTELLO DAREs THE "CLUBBER" TO
TAKE THE STAND.
HE DECLARES THAT THE INSPECTORS AssEn-
TIoSs ABOUT HIM ARE LIEs-EX.sERGEANr
roLHEMuss TESTIMONY seoO THE
PRICE FOR A cAPTAINcY-Evf-
pENCE FROM \ ROBUST LOT

DENCE FROM ROBUST LOT
or PENSIONERS
State Senators o'Connor Pound. Bradley asS
Robertson sat the bench I'm Part ] OF the 81.
perior Court when the testimony before the Lexow
Committee In the invest CATION OF the Police Do
partment was resumed half al hour before noon
yesterday. Senator Lexow had not appeared ae
that time. and Mr. Con also was absent Father
Ducey's seat In front OF the bench was vacant.
1t was understood that Frank Moss. Of the COM
mttee's counsel. to have his innings In an
attempt to show that many policemen who were
able to perform police duty had been permitted 10
retire on pensions. About 200 of the pensioners
were seated In the courtroom. and prominent
among them were Henry V. Steers. the former
Chief Inspector. who Is drawing annual PEN
sion of $3.50. and William H. Clnchy. for many
wears captain OF the Eighteenth Precinct. who re-
tired on pension OF sl.375 year. and went TO
live on his farm at White Plains soon after the
shake up of the captains occurred few years
ago.
John W. Con- entered the courtroom and took
a seat nj the counsels table while Mr.. Moss was
reading the law about the police pensions and
explaining how the pension fund was started
ENORMOUS INCREASE IN PENSIONS.
Mr.. Moss read from reports TO show that fhs
annual pny ments Of police pensions have Increased
steadily from about 900 In 1855 TO over sSSaooo
IN 1873. originally. sdlu, tHr pehp"" 'e''""N~
were drawn from the interest on the fund. from
gifts and fines and from the sales ~ unclaimed
property which had been lost or stolen. In 1854.
when II was necessary TO Increase the revenues OK
the fund there we're added the fees collected for
licenses to engineers In charge OF steam boilers. u
per cent OF the excise money. and money paid Tor
pistol permits. and tine money paid for permits Tor
masked balls. IT. 1885 the unexpended balances In
the appropriations for the department were added
10 the pension revenues. and the fees OF the en-.
glneers were raised The Legislature from time
TO time increased the pensions TO be paid to police
men who retired and In 1892 an act TO provide for
the payment Of the pensions by special appropria'
tons In the event OF the failure Of the pension
fund. was passed. Last year the pension revenues
we're further increased by fines for the sale OF
impure fooc. and the members OF the force were
taxed per cent OF their salaries.
MANY MORE WAITING FOR A CHANCE.
There are at present 1874 pensioners. of whom ~
are retired policemen. 3S are widows OF policemen
and 4, are orphan children OF policemen letter
which Mr. Moss had received from Chief Clerk Kipn
o, the Police Board declares that there now 20
policemen. including twenty-cight captains. who
have served twenty years in the force. and are
therefore eligible for retirement OF that number.
Mr. Moss said. about 200 are supposed to be waiting
until the Increase OF pay goes into effect. on Jan.
uary l. when they will ask to be retired on pensions
greater than they could get II retired before thea
II was believed Mr. Moss said. that the pension OF
n retired policeman vested right under the
law and even the conviction and imprisonment q
the policeman could not take away the pension
Ex-sergeant Charles L. Combs. who has been .
special policeman at the National Shoe and Leather
Bank for eigh. months was called TO the witness
chair He testified that he was retired on an an
nual pension Of 5000 In Noven Der. 1885, upon HE
own application. lie had been a policeman TO-
twenty-six years. and he was a sergeant In charge
OF the Jefferson Market Police Court squad whee