The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-05-05
THE COLONHL'S BROTHER
How Mr. Abernethy Of Brook
lyn PTospered in Jer-
sey City's Police
Department.
STARTLING CHANGE OF RULES
The President Says the Change Of
Residence Was Made Four
Years Ago.


Chief of Police Murphy is investigating
what may turn out to be the Irregular
appointment of policeman In this par
ticular instance the appointee has not
distinguished himself particularly by any
brave conduct or clever arrests. He il
getting asong with a rush just the same.
and is said to be slated for sergeantcy.
which after considerable trouble has been
made vacant for him.
The man with 1.-THE pull, is Henry M.
Apernethy. He is brother of Hugh H.
Aoernethy, who is president of the PoIica
board. Until few weeks ago some of
the requirements to make a man eligible
TO membership on the police force were
that he should be able to read and write
the English language, that ne should
have been a citizen of the United States.
at least three years, and finally that he
must have been a resident of Jersey City
at least three years next preceding his
appointment. This last rule was in full
force and effect until a few days ago.
when it was rescinded. No explanation
was made why such change was neces-
sary, but an investigation reveals the
case that Chief Murphy is now investigate
ing.
When the rule which provided that a
man to become a member of the police
force must have been resident of the
city at least three years was in effect.
Henry NJ. Abernethy was appointed. In
his application for appointment he,- un-
der the rules, was compelled to answer
certain questions, and finally make an
affidavit that his answers were true. One
Of his answers was that ne has been a
resident of this city nearly all his life.
Ihis, it is charged, is an evasion of the
three year clause. This is the
point In his appointment which may
require his enterprising brother, the coll
onel, to bounce him, reappoint him and
land him in the snug berth made vacant
by the strange reduction of Sergeant
Thomas Kelly to the ranks.
In 1894 Henry NJ. Abernethy, Accord
ing to stories which are going the
rounds, was a resident of Brook
lyn, living at No. 80 Clifton place.
He was at that time clerk in
the employe of the Communipaw Coal
position of some influence. The election
records of the Twenty-third ward of the
Sseeond ne a district Of Brooklyn show that
Sllfton place at the election preceding
It is alleged that this Henry M. Aber-
netfy 3lSsrti1e saI11e7 VINO is now a Jersey
City policeman.
II me 1nonln OF May, Abernethy moved
| At q meeting Of the Police Board held
August Is, he was appointed a chanceman
Promotion was not long in coming. 1t
was at meeting held November l5
| 1885, that he was made a patrolman.
| 1t was some time after Henry Aber-
net-.y was made patr0iman that Sergeant
| Thomas Kelly got into little difficulty
| in Greenyille, and the only charge proved
against him was that he went into a res
taurant. He was a Democrat He was
a sergeant and had no right to set a bad
example by breaking rules. He was re-
duced TO the ranks and the way was
| opened for Henry .Abernethy's acsent 1t
viii be remembered that certain members
of the Police. Board stuck to the Kelly
| in their efforts to find witnesses who
would appear against him.
To compel witnesses to appear against
accused policemen. high officer in the
| department went to Trenton with bill
| which gave the Police Commissioners
power to rSaf enforce rec the presence pres eng Of wit
passage sought that certain people
might be- compelled to appear against
were in the scheme to break him and IL
| not that reduce him to the ranks. The
| bill passed. but was vetoed by the Gov
ernor. Sergeant Kelly was only reduced.
| it is said, because a s'tip'' had been given
| that if he were dismissed from the force
| he would have an excellent case with
(which to go into court and seek rein
The Abernethy game was working
| splendidly up to few weeks ago. Then
attention was called to the rules rela-
policeman. Someone became frightened
and to fix the scheme up an amendment
| to the rules of the department was intro
duced, which set aside the three years
| residency in the United States or in this
city. About the only qualification a man
requires now is that he shall be feet
| I inches in height. These amendments
were passed at the meeting held April
II. They We're passed to meet Aber-
| fact that he was appointed to the force
| in violation of the "'iron clad rules, =
| which Sergeant Kelly was reduced to the
| ranks for breaking.
! Commissioner Abernethy was question:
| ed about his brothers appointment yes
| terday afternoon There is no truth
| in the reporI that am irving 70 nsl<es
! my brother Thomas Kelly's successor
1 If there is anything wrong about his ap-
| bounce him and adjust matters. Some
| four years ago Henry Abernethy ap-
piled for appointment on the force.
prevented his appointment because Of
| the provision governing three years resi-
| dence. I am sure that Jersey City has
| been his place of residence for three
| dence here by reason of little family
| trouble which need not enter into this
| question.
What dislike about this whole thing.
| is the threatening attitude certain in
| dividualS are assuming. I am willing to
have all my acts investigated and no
| ltttS0t VI 4AiNACtAA1G4AI WILL make ma
| change my course.
80 far as Thomas Kelly is concerned
he IS a disturber, and he was guilty OF
a violation of the rules which should
have caused his dismissal. His reter-
fion Is certainly not because he is indis-
pensa'ble. Captains under whom he has
done duty will say that
1T is my belief that Henry Aber-
1ethy's appointment was in strict COM
phance with all the rules of the depart.
ment. People may think otherwise, if
they wish, that Is ther privilege. I know
what | am doing and as long as I am
d member of the Police Board my vote
will be cast to make men do their duty.
Pull Will not SaVA them >,