The San Francisco call., 1896-07-06
THEY ARE ALL
SO VERY OLD,
Members of the Police
Force Slated to Be
Pensioned.
I. W. LEES AMONG THEM.
The Board of Police Commis.
sioners Will Meet This
Morning.
IT'S THEIR ANNUAL REUNION.
Detective Bohen, Captain Dun1eavy,
Sergeants Shi Ids and Lindheimer
in Doubt.
IT'S THEIR ANNUAL REUNION.

This is the morning when the Board of
Police Commissioners must in compliance
with the law, meet as a Board of Pension
Commissioners.
The duties of the two boards are vastly
different. The same triumvirate reigns
supreme in both cases; but, in one, it
whips the police department into line
and penalties the club wielders for their
shortcomings, or in aggravated cases, dis
misses them from the force. In the other,
the czars of the department hold sort of
anti-mortem meeting in which they de-
eide upon the mem bers of the force who
have outlived their usefulness.
They do not tell them so when they
reach a decision, but those wbose posi-
tions are wanted generally find it out and
resign. 1t looks much better that way
than to be dropped from the roll, and
those members of the force who have
served for twenty years consecutively are
entitled to half pay of the grade they were
in at the time of the resignation until
well, until death.
The meeting of the czars this morning
has more significance than the usual quar-
terly reunions.
Last year at this time-the first Monday
cided that new blood must be infused
into the force. Captain Whitman. the ris-
ing Napoleon of them all, had shown ex-
ecutive ability emitting him, according to
Commissioner Alvord, to a better rank
than sergeant. In the six years it took
HIM to master the grades from pstrolman
up, he had shown the public and his su-
periors he was the intellectual and execu-
tive master of the set around him.
nf
man who had done noble service for over
thirJy-tive years. He was old nearly
three score and ten, about time he should
retire and indirectly he was given until
July 90, 1895, to do so. 1t was not COM
pulsory. however, and the captain, who
had been quite i'll for some time but who
felt strong and vigorous once more, did
not accent the invitation. On the follow
ing meeting day of the Commissioners he
was dropped from the roll on $75 monthly
salary so long as he lives.
AT the same time Captain Douglass
made way for Captain Whitman, Captains
Stone, Short and Cullen were given a tip
to resign. All did it but Captain Cullen
who, for some thirty years, had been Of
ficiating as property clerk. His position
was a hard one to fill, hence the czars
contented themselves with the resigna-
tions of Stone and Short, Sergeant Corhn
and Patrolmen Gallagher and Asher. In
the meantime Sergeant James Moran was
instructed TO make himself familiar with
the duties of the property clerks Office in
case his services were needed as its chief
This was no difficult task for Moran, but
the cZars did not find 1T necessary to dis
place Captain Cullen Just then, giving him
another year in which to retire. The poor
old man died week ago and Moran was
on Friday night last appointed his
successor.
When all the designations and dropping
from the roll alluded to here occurred
Commissioners 1obin and Alvord as well
as Mr.. Gunst, who was then quite young
in office, but who had done much to infuse
the new blood in the department, stated
that in another year more changes would
be made.
There are some dozen or more eligibles
for the pension list. They do not like to ac-
knowledge it, but the stern fact remains
that they have passed the age of so years
and they have been faithful and hard
workers for the public benefit for twenty
wears and more. They DO not want to be
retired, however. AS rule. they have
saved up little or nothing of their earnings
and their families have increased. The
idea of having to be idle henceforth, and.
worse still, to be idle on half pay, does not
sit well upon them.
These elig ibles know they are listed to
make way for ''new blood" and thev do
not like it little bit. Their names were
mentioned last wear, when another years
grace was accorded them. Now, as strong
IN their claim as they have ever been that
no younger man can do any better than
thev, they look with dread upon this morn
ing's meeting of the czars.
''Wil it or will it not2'' is the thought
as to the coming of the tip to resign in the
minds of the old-timers.
Captain Lees is among them, too. That
old veteran, whose personal fortune makes
him care as little for his half pension as he
does for the whereabouts of Dunham and
Blanther, is as strong and bright mentally
as he was forty years ago when be first
joined the force. His whole life, you
might say, has been devoted to the chas-
ing of criminals, and he does not propose
to move down and out to make room for
.'new blood"
Something more than a tip will be
necessary. In his case, however, as in
that of Detective Arnop Bainbrilge, it
would be hard to find a successor of equal
merit. Hence. it is not likely the tip will
be given. But if it isn't to-day, it will be
to- morrow or the next day that Sergeants
Lindheimer, Shields. Con Martin, Brown
and Hotaling, Detective Bohen and Cap
tain Dunleavy will hear the wires tap.