The San Francisco call., 1896-03-03
His Seven Years Service by
Election May Not Be In.
cluded.
LEGAL ADVICE 70 BE TAKEN.
Action on His Resignation Postponed
Till the First Meeting in
April.

Chief OF Police crowley VIII HoI IeliIe
at least for month and probably not for
three years yet.
The Police Commissioners held special
meeting last night when the Chiefs resig-
nation was read The Commissioners
pointed ort to the Chief that there was a
doubt as TO his eligibility to be placed on
the pension list.
Section of the pension act reads:
Whenever any person. at the taking effect OF
this act or thereafter shall have been duly ap-
pointed and sworn. and have served for the
period OF twenty years or more as u member IN
any capacity or any rank whatever OF the regu-
larly constituted police department of any
such county, city and county, city or town,
which may be hereafter subject TO the proVls-
ions of this act, said board shall be ordered
and empowered to order and direct that such
person Shall, after becoming 90 years of age
and his service in such police departm shall
have ceased be paid from such fund yearly
pension equal TO one-hah the amount OF sal
ary attached to the rank which he may have
held in said police department for one year
next preceding the expiration OF said term OF
twenty years.
The Chief served seven years from 1866 to
1873 by election and has served sixteen
wears by appointment. There was doubt in
the minds of the Commissioners as to
whether the seven years service by election
could be counted In as the act says, ''shall
have been duly appointed and sworn. ."
They therefore prevailed upon the Chief to
let the matter of his resignation rest until
the first meeting in April so that there
would be ample time 10 take legal advice
on the point.
If the seven wears cannot be counted in
the Commissioners will insist upon the
Chief Withdrawing his resignation SO that
he can serve the full twenty years by ap-
pointment.
In connection with the Chiefs resignS-
ton the following letters from Rev.
Thomas Filben of the First Methodist
Episcopal Church were read:
SAN Francisco, March 2, 1896.
Hon. p. CrolUley Chief OF P0lice-DEAR SIR: ::
Permit me TO assure you OF the sympathy OF 8
friend and a father in the loss of your boy.
May the God of all consolation comfort you in
your bereavement.
l was on the point OF sending you the above
words when the news of your proposed resig-
nation reached me. Will you permit as q
citizen profoundly interested in the veal of
the City to urge you TO reconsider your action
. ] voice the sentiment of the community and
speak the sense OF the reform element OF the
City when say this. need not repeat to you
my confidence in your administration gotten
from a careful canvass of it, and from
some considerable test of it in its
relation to the work of reform now in hand
and so heartily and effectively aided by your
department. So much is just in sight in this
. line and our confidence in yourself for the i'm
partial administration OF the law to this end
is so great that we cannot but feel that great
loss must come by your retiring before the
good work so well begun is completed. Never
in the history OF the City was this so true as
now.
l think know how weary and how disheart-
'ened you must be, but plead for the sake of
our City and for interests dear to you as TO US
that you do not press this right of yours that
you have so well earned at this time Sim
cerely, THOMAS FILBEN.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 2, 1896.
pOLice COm sinner TOhin-DFAP / have
sent by this same messenger letter to Chief
of Police Crowley earnestly urging him not to
press his resignation at this time.
l want to say TO you what have written to
him, that those who are at present working in
the interest of civic reform have come to prize
the efficiency of the Police Department and
the sterling worth of the Chief himself. Es-
pecially for myself want to say that having in
an official relation TO test the spirit and work
OF the department. in this matter we have
come to revise q judgment formed from cur
rent rumor, and are ready to bear testimony
to the efficiency OF the department in Chief
Crowley's hands, and his own readiness to be
atOur service in every way for the public good
and to enforce the law without fear or favor.
We are disturbed lest some of the good work
now in hand, and much already accomplished
without any flourish of trumpets by the police
under his direction may be jeopardized by the
change
1 trust he will think better of his purpose
and that as the passing of the days help heal
the sorrow of his heart in the loss of his boy
he will heed the call of his fellow-citizens and
give himself for all the days that he shall still
have strength to this work, than which none
is more important in the City, and for which
no one is more competent, both by reason oi
his ability and by virtue of the increasing con-
fdence OF the community, than he. Sincerely,
THOMAS FILBEN.
The Chief, after the meeting had ad-
journed, expressed himself as greatly graft
fed by the contents of Rev. Mr.. Filben s
letters which were entirely unexpected by
him. 1t was source of great qualification
to him to find such a kindly recognition oi
his services from such source.
Il never had doubt" said the Chief,
"but that my seven years service in the
department by election would be included
in my claim to be placed on the pension
list, and it was exceedingly kind of the
Commissioners to call my attention to the
fact that it was open to doubt
They do not want me to resign, but if ]
insisted | feel sure the Legislature would
pass an amendment to the pension act to
cover my case. The matter will be laid
before able attorneys and we will see wha,
decision they arrive at. l do not, OF
course, want to retire and lose my pen
sion, as it would be all | would have tc
live on"
Friends of the Chief have been urging