The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-04-02
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Commissioners Take Ex-
ception to the Grand
Jury PreSentment.
COLONEL ABERNETHY OUTsPOKEN.
Says the Condition Equals That
Of Any City in the United
States.

As soon as Judge Lippincott has trans
mitted to the Police Board copy of the pre-
sentiment of the last Grand Jury. which re-
fleets upon the efficiency of the Police De-
partment and charges that certain class Of
crime is protected, that board will meet and
take such steps as may be deemed necessary
to refute the accusation.
Il have heard of no evidence which was
submitted to the Grand Jury which gave
that body the right to condemn our board or
our department." said President Feeney
yesterday. SIT was contempdbly mean
thing to do 1t is worse than an Indictment
Had we been indicted we would have had an
opportunity to defend ourselves, but under
the existing circumstances we are denied
that right We look to the officers of the
department. for the suppression of crime.
Just as soon as copy of that presentment IS
served upon us will endeavor to have
special meeting of the board called to act
upon it, at which time I will give a further
expression of my views will insist upon
every captain and other oommandant ap-
pearing before the board and aiding US in
wiping out the stigma cast upon the depart
ment. If there is a laxity in the enforce
ment of the law want to know who is re-
sponsible. Every captain will be compelled
to answer to the board for the condition Of
affairs in his precinct"
COLONEL ABERNETHY'S OPINION.
Colonel Abernethy said that the reference
in the presentment of the Grand Jury looked
to him as if intended as q Joke, being so at
variance with the facts. He has not been
connected with the department a sufficient
length of time to become familiar with all its
l. IL
he is satisfied that it is in better condition in
discipline and all other particulars than it
has been at any time in the last eight or ten
years Taken as whole, the officers are
doing better duty in the prevention and sup
preston of crime than ever before, which
fact has undoubtedly lessened crime and de-
TERED people in great measure from COM
mitting it. As shown by the statistics,
there is much less violation of law than for
merly The police department Is the only
department of the city government that is
free from debt, and has promptly met all
its obligations. On the 10Th of March, every
obligation was paid in full, excepting a bal
ance owed on the police building in Green
VILE Every Indebtedness is paid each
month. In Colonel Abernethys opinion the
department in all respects, discipline, efici-
ency and good results, will vie with any
other police department in the United States.
CONTEMPT OF SUPERINTENDENT SMITH.
sMy contempt for the last Grand Jury Is
SO great that cannot express it, )" said Super
intendent Smith this morning. "As to the
efficiency of the tepar rtment say it was
never equal to what it is at present The
discipline is better than it ever was The
men were never better or did better duty.
As to the protection OF any class of crime
denounce the Grand Jury's statement as an
unmitigated lie. The Police Department
was made point of attack because was at
its head. The jurymen. as whole, were
lot of narrow-minded bigoted ours They
were there for the purpose of getting salts
faction nothing else. Mr.. Record, / under
stand frequently said, Indict, let them
prove their innocence in court He held q
rod over the Freeholder's heads to get
crushed stone contract at Snake Hill. He
didn't get it. When men get on Grand
Jury to persecute others they should be
driven out of the city,