The San Francisco call., 1897-04-01
ONLY ANOTHER
EXAMINER STORY
Chief Crowley Did Not Re-
sign Nor Will He for
a While.
Police Commissioners Meet, but
Do Not Take Up the
Matter.
Captain Lees Anxious to Gain the
Present Chiefs Place-Bohsn's
Chances

The impending retirement of Chief of
Police Patrick Crowley has again come up
as topic of interest in police circles
The old Chief has been anxious to throw
off his uniform and retire into private life,
and he only refrained from doing so last
year because the law at that time required
continuous service of twenty years to
entitle him to pension.
The recent Legislature passed bill,
which was signed by the Governor. Great
ing Board OF Police Pension Commits
sioners, and the three existing Police
Commissioners were appointed to con-
slider pension matters. The bill also stip-
ulates that twenty years in the aggregate
instead of consecutive service enti,le an
officer to a pension of one-halt the salary
OF his particular rank.
This bill was introduced more particu-
lariy to meet the case of Chief Crowley,
who in two terms has served this City in
an official capacity for more than twenty
three years. He therefore proposes to re-
sign his office at the earliest possible op-
portunlty, just as he proposed 10 do
twelve months ago.
There is one contingency, however,
which cuts quite figure in the Chiefs re-
tirement. His long-life friend, Judge
Tobin, who is one OF the Police Commits
sloners. and likewise one of the pension
commission. hopes to make him q di-
rector of the Hibernia Bank. This has
been on the tapis for a long while, but the
meeting of the bank people to decide upon
this new move is to be held in the remote
future, and not until then will Chief
Crowley present his resignation.
One of the features in connection with
the former bill has been weighed with
care, and is stumbling block in the way
of Chief Crowiey's action in the ma tier OF
resigning. This feature is the act ion
taken against the legality OF the raise Of
salary. The matter will Ee heard before
Judge Seawell tomorrow, and If the bill
is ecided TO be constitutional there will be
nothing In the way OF the Chief present.
ing his resignation, exceptins that the
Hibernia Bank dictatorship will still be
too far in the prospective.
The probable successor 10 Chief Crowley
is Captain Lees, Captain Whitman being o
close second in the choice. The veteran
detective is very anxious for the place,
and he does not look with pleasure at the
close run Whitman, with scarcely decade
of service. is giving him,
Chief Crowley was considerably annoyed
at the publication of the story tbat he had
rendered his resignation. which he char.
acterized as absolutely false.
Every one knows" he said. 'that
have been desirous of retiring from active
service since / rendered my resignation
about q year ago, after the death of my
son.
"After the amendment to the pension
bill, which permitted me to retire at any
time, was signed by the Governor, l told
The CALL that 1 would not retire just al
prese nj as there was a certain contingency
il the way, but as soon as that contin.
gency was removed l would probably ask
to be placed on the pension list.
''The publication of my retirement to-
night is altogether premature, as / am
not yet in e position to do so. 1t is nc
true that my resignation is in the hands
of the Com missoners. but 1 may as well
state that it is not now necessary for any
one qualified to be placed on the pension
list 10 tender his resignation, as the
| amended act provides that the Commits
sioners may, if they gee fit, retire any
one without calling for his resignation.
"The regular quarterly meeting of the
Pension Commissioners takes place on
Monday next; but, of course. they can a,
any time meet and transact business.
They may do so tonight; but I know
they will not do anything looking to my
retirement unless with my full consen
and approval.
~ have business proposition under
COuSluSTdtlOn, anu il IL SHOULD Oe SettlcO
tonight there is nothing to prevent me
from retiring. If it should not be settled
tonight, as l have no expectation that i
will, then / will wait till the proper tim.
arrives. That may not be for some week.
yet.
my daughters have been pressing M
to retire for a long time, and if l had &C
ceded to their wishes would have done
so as soon as the amendment to the pen.
sion bill was passed. / want rest, as 1 an
66 years old now. and after my long year,
| Of service 1 think l am entitled to it. Blu
| 1 am not going to do anything defnit,
! until can see my way clear.
"You may rest assured that the Com.
| missioners will do nothing to force me te
| retire. but, on the contrary, think they
| would rather that / should remain.
my successor has been talked of, ane
| Captain Lees will be tho man. He is ep
| titled to the position from his long year
of faithful and efficient service. 1t wa
not intended to make that public until i
been a leak somewhere. 1t was only
| known to myself the three commissioner.
| and Captain Lees. although ex.Judg,
Louderback hat an inkling of it,"
Ben Bohen, with q score of years servic
as detective, most popular man, ha
been mentioned as Lees successor. II
speaking of the affair yesterday Boher
said:
"All this talk of Chief Crowley's resig
nation, Lees promotion and my gool
fortune comes on me suddenly. I dom
know ANYTHING about il. OF course, i
Captain Lees goes out l hope to take hi
place. l am proud to think that ny
name comes up in this connection"