The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-12-01
A THREE MINUTE SESSION
HELD By THE BOARD or PONCE
COMMISSIONERS LAST NIGHT.

ney Were Present-Mr. Kinney Attended
Only After an Urgent Request from Presi-
dent Ullman-Commission Hubbard
Refused to Attend.
The board of police commissioners
met last night, after a quorum had
been secured by strenuous efforts.
Commissioners Ullman, Smith and
O'Brien showed up at the office OF the
board shortly before o'clock, and af-
ter waiting until $50 for quorum, a
messenger was sent to the selectmen's
room where Thomas I. Kinney was
meeting with the board, to ask him to
appear at the police commissioners
rooms SO that quorum would be pres
ent, and the meeting could be called to
order. Mr.. Kinney was at first 10th to
go, but after it had been represented to
him that unless he attended it would
be impossible to get quorum and sign
bills, he left the selectmen's meeting
and went over to the police boards
room.
Previous to sending for Mr.. Kinney
an attempt was made to get Commis-
sioner Hubbard to attend. Detective
Owen DAILY was sent to his residence on
Wooster street to request him to at
tend the commissioners meeting. Mr..
Hubbard was not at home, however.
After Mr.. Kinney appeared a few
monthly bills were approved, in all
amounting to 15,245S6, including the
payroll, which was signed by President
Ullman. Then a vote was taken rails
ing Officers James R. Kane and Philip
7. Smith from grade D to grade c, af-
ter which the board adjourned, the en-
tire meeting lasting only about three
minutes after the signing of the bills,
1t had been expected that Mayor
Farnsworth would be present at the
meeting and perhaps endeavor to
smooth over the differences existing
between himself and the police COM
missioners, but he failed to put in an
appearance, remaining at the board Of
finance meeting.
Commissioner Hubbard was seen dur
ing the evening and when his absence
and he was asked why he was not pres
ent, he said: well, I have resigned,
and I don't know as l am any longer
member of the police commission. 1t
is true that Il have received from the
mayor no official notice of the accept
ance of my resignation, and l did not
know but that perhaps some one had
been appointed in my place At first 1
thought that 1 would go to the meet
ing, but later decided not to. About
o'clock yesterday afternoon l received
a. telephone message from certain gen.
tleman, asking if l would attend the
meeting. l told him as have told you,
that l sent in my resignation and did
not know that | was any longer men,
Der of the board. Since I have been a
member of the police commission / have
endeavored so far as in my power to
act for the best interests of the police
department, and of the city. and when
l received a letter from the mayor
stating that I had been relax in my
duties as commissioner I was very
much surprised. I do not know of a
single act during my term as commits
sioner in which have failed to do for
the best interests of the taxpaying pub
lie, neither do know Of any shortcom-
ings in the service of the police board.
I have been Informed of no specific
cases in which the board has been re-
lax in it's duties and have received no
communication from the mayor since I
rendered my resignation. So far as l
ccil
mains now just as it stood a eek ago,
the designations not having been with
drawn and the mayor neither having
accepted them nor retracted his let
ter"
The action of Mr.. Hubbard in refus-
ing to attend the meeting Of the board
of police commissioners was quite gen
orally commended last night by men
conversant with city hall politics. One
said: Glow did he know but that his
place as police commissioner had been
already filed. / admire his courage in
remaining away after once having ten
dered his resignation. The other men
who have rendered their designations
should all have done the same thing.
The mayor has caused the muddle;
now he should be left to extricate him
self from it."
Commissioner Hubinger is out of
town, having gone west where he will
remain during the coming winter. and
consequently could not be present last
night. In the meantime the public
awaits with considerable interest fur
ther developments, whether the mayor
or the commissioners will weaken in
their position and the present board
continue to serve, or a new board is ap-
pointed. 1t was currently reported last
evening that Commissioners Smith and
OBrien would continue to serve on the
board and that they would withdraw
their designations. It is generally
thought, however, that Commissioners
Hubbard, Kinney and Hubinger will
insist upon their designations being ac-
cepted, and will absolutely refuse to re-
main longer on the commission.