The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-05
PANIC AMONG THE POLICE.
Tho fierce Fear Reductions Here LII Those Il
Long Island City.

The Force Fear Reductianh Here Like These in
LONG Island City.
There was much concern in the Police Depart.
ment yesterday when the full bearings of the
action Of the board in reducing two Captains,
seven Sergeants, and eight roundsmen to patrol
duty in Long Island City became known. 1t
had.at first been supposed, because the reduced
men were of the number that were suspended
on Jan. l pending. inquiry into the legality of
their appointment and promotion. that this
question only was.considered. Even so, it
seemed a revolutionary proceeding. But yes
terday President York took occasion to an
nounce that the board considered 1t had the
right to reduce amy transferred officer" 1t
had been discussed in board meeting, and tho
conclusion arrived at was that tho charter gave
the board that power. 1t was specifically set
forth in section 2s1, he said, but he refused to
discuss the matter further.
There was hurried consultation OF the char
ter all over the building. Section 2s1 was
found to read:
''The Police Board created by this act shall
have the same power, control. and authority
over the members of the police force trans
ferred thereto by sections pit, 27s, 27s. and
$50 OF this act. and over their tenure of such
membership and removal therefrom. as tho said
board shall have over the members of said
force. appointed thereto by said board. and espe-
cially, except as otherwise provided by this
chapter, to fix and assign the rank. title. duties,
powers. and place of service of said transferred
members. Until. by said board otherwise pro-
vided, the rank. title, duties, powers, and place
of service OF said transferred members shall be
the same as.they were on the police force to
which they belonged before this act took effect"
Absolute panic took possession of the officers
who for any res son believed themselves to be
in III favor % with MT the sI new board fnaL tb no them then there here
that II might and could, II there was nothing
outside of the charter to hinder. reduce officers
their panic, made no difference between the
men OF Manhattan, and those of the other Dor
%ere all alike al 'transfe 1T nc" ''f in''
When asked If the board held to the sans
view Of its powers IN the case OF the old city
berry street. however. still thought that. II the
Inspector Uspe eoet and the Chief himself out on SY patrol.
In the matter OF the roundsmen the board
took ,b good care ITO 70 reserve esS Ts,i is n rights ~ w while asa, fix z
tached the express statement that fixing their
taken to mean that the board would exercise
it's right, TO make permanent roundsmen AZ
soon fm the Se II pa SSSia n the s s@e; put on every Brook.
and Apporuonment over there a week before
they will have to fight for 1t. The Brooklyn
telegraph operators. who had received Fl $50,
were cut down 10 Sl,OOO. the rate preNalllnR IN
the old city. The Commissioner explained that
this was the work OF the Board OF Estimate and
Apportionment. After all the travail with the
p~ay:rolls yesterday. IT was announced that the
force will not DO paid until Monday. Yester-
day had first been set and then to-day.
The board refused formally to recognize
nineteen patrolmen, three matrons, and six
force. They were OF the suspended lot and their
appointments are thus cashiered. Recognition
was further refused In the case OF a police sur
geon each In the boroughs Of Queens and Rich
mond. and one attached to the old bridge squad.
Other rejected claimants were seven acting
doormen and an ambulance driver in the parks
Manhattan and two men serving as engineers
on the bridge.