The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-04-17
WANTED His s. BACK
President Abernethy Prom
ises to Refund a Dis
missed Police
mans Cash.
WAS A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION
Ex-Patrolman Murray Gives the
Reform Police Board a Chill
Trials and Transactions

No less than ten of Chief Murphy's
Finest were tried before the Board of
Police Commissioners yesterday after
noon on a. charge of neglect of duty.
In two cases, the charge of wilful dis
obedience of orders was added, and both
the accused were found guilty and dis
missed from the Department. One Of
the others was made to suffer the loss
of fifteen days pay, while the remainder
escaped with light punishment
The sensation of the day turned up in
the case of Patrolman Thomas r.
Murray of the Seventh Precinct. Murray
had two charges against him. disobedience
of orders in not reporting at the station
on February 27 for inspection, and sub
sequently neglecting to report from signal
box. To the first he pleaded that he
over slept himself and to the latter
that he did not know whether he pulled
the box or not. President Abernethy
read Murray's answer to the charge,
previously made that he was positive he
pulled the box. These charges taken into
consideration with the fact that he had
been several times before the board and
received caution determined his dismissal
from the Department.
When the President made this an
nouncement Murray asked for the return
of s. he had contributed last week for
campaign purposes.
President Abernethy replied that It
would be returned.
At this revelation of Republican re-
form procedure, the silence that fell upon
the room was eloquent.
These were the other important cases
heard
Chanceman Frank Caprio, the Polander.
who after his appointment about a year
ago was found not to be citizen, but
was allowed to resume duty after becom-
ing naturalized, was up on four charges:
First, absent without leave, not reporting
! at roll call on March 20; second. neglect
of duty not reporting from signal box
on March 81. until twelve minutes after
the proper time; third being off post; and
fourth, wilful disobedience of orders in
leaving his post of duty on the night of
Tuesday, April 13, and refusing to return
when ordered to do so by Sergeant Hop
kins He had been out of the station
only ten minutes when he returned and
asked to be excused, saying he had been
on duty continuously for twenty -eight
hours and wanted a rest. The Sergeant
told him that all the men were required
to do the same duty and that he could
not excuse him. The Sergeant ordered
him back to his post, when he refused to
go and went home. To the first charge
Caprio pleaded that he was sick and had
no means of sending word to the station
and to the other charges pleaded guilty
with frivolous excuses. During Caprio' 8
brief term as a policeman he has been
before the board on trial a number oE
times. The Board did not therefore.
wait to decide upon his case at the usual
recess, but on motion of Commissioners
West he was summarily dismissed.
Patrolman George Beatty, Fourth pre-
years, was for the first time before the
Board on trial. The charge was merely
Ct being seven EN- minutes late in reporting
ed guilty saying that when about to
Pull the box his attention was called else-
where, causing the delay. He was fined
Patrolman William Stevens, Fourth
precinct, absented himself from duty
without leave on March for twenty
four hours. He pleaded guilty and said
he had no statement to make, which de-
ciSion he adhered to when the President
demonstrated. He declined to say any-
thing, and was fined fifteen days pay.
The Board then proceeded to the trans-
action of regular business.
Patrolman James w. johnson of the
granted leave of absence for thirty days
to visit Europe.
A petition from Van Houten Post No. &
G. A; r.. that leave of absence be given
to all policemen members of the a 4 r..
on Grant Day, April q, was ordered
John Courtney and Charles P. Press
watchman in place of Charles Clements
and Daniel OConnell, whose powers
were revoked.
BY resolution of Commissioner West.
Henry EIdot, Andrew ]. Booth, l.. W.
Cleary. Frank Cotton, Daniel Nobel, Hem
ed chanceman subject to the usual ex-
animation
Patrolman Abernethy was ordered
transferred from the Communipaw Ferry
20 20 the FIRST precinct. and Patrolman
Steel, from the First precinct to the fer-
ry. Patro1man George Beatty was or
dered transferred from the Fourth to the
sixth. ana Thomas Kelly. from the Sixth
to the Fourth.
resolution by President Abernetlv
was adopted directing that Patrolman
Mcintyre be notified to show cause al the
next meeting of the Board why he Should
not be dismissed for unfitness for duty
FOR THE TENNESSEE EXHIBITION