The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-29
Will ARM TIE POLICE.
General Abernethy Proposes to
Raise Money by Popular
Subscription for Rifles.

| The Jersey City Police Battalion of Vol
unteer Soldiers is an assured fact, despite
the fact that Governor Voorhees, and Ad-
jutant General Strylrer have attempted to
throw cold water on the scheme and have
advised Brevet Brigadier General Aber-
nethy, President of the Board of Police
Commissioners that the battalion need
expect no aid from the State in the mat
ter of arms and equipments
General Abernethy is an old soldier and
is no alarmist. yet he feels the necessity
of having an armed force in the city to
| meet any emergency whic may arise in
the troublous times which are bound to
come with the war with Spain. He ar
CUES that with the Fourth Regiment away
either in the ranks of the National army
or defending the coast, the city would be
practically at the mercy of any lawless
mob wich might assemble. Some armed
body of trained men should be on hand
to meet such condition should it arise,
and he believes that no body of men is
more capable of doing SO than the police
force of the city.
They would be practically useless, how
ever, in the event of riot or an armed
demonstration if they had only their re-
volvers and night sticks to depend on.
President Abernethy and the other Com
missioners have decided after consulta-
the men should be armed with Win
chester repeating rifles They had hoped
that the State authorities would furnish
arms for the 200 men who are to form
the battalion, from the State Arsenal or
that an appropriation might be made for
that purpose, but any hope they had in
that direction has vanished. General
Abernethy made requisition on Governor
Voorhees, for arms for the eco picked men
and in reply<received the following letter
from Adjutant General Stryker:-
General H. H. Abernethy, President,
Jersey City, New Jersey.
Dear Sir-Yours of yesterday re-
ceived There is no authority in law
to authorize the arming and equip
ment of men beside the National
Guard. do not know what authority
will be given by the War Department
to loan these arms, which you know
belong to them, when an exigency re-
quires it, but | will call the attention
of the Governor to the matter
WILLIAM S. STRIKER.
Adjutant General.
This communication was read at the
meeting of the Police Board yesterday af-
ternoon and was ordered placed on file.
AS predicted yesterday, the Police Com
missioners declared that no vacations will
be. given the men while state of war
exists. The matter was brought up by
President Abernethy, who said
.sUnder the present condition of affairs
in this country the E, pollce, are Re wanted Just
\ v
vacations for the present and await de-
velopments."
The other Commissioners assented to
his proposition, after Chief Murphy adj
vised that it would be unwise to permit
any of the police to leave town while the
present excitement lasts.
After the meeting a reporter for THE
News asked General Abernethy if he
had abandoned the idea of arining the po-
lice.
ssBy no means he replied. I'VE are
more than ever Convinced Of the necessity
Of arming the men. In the present unset
tied condition of the country MODS are
liable to corgregate and make unlawful
demonstrations at any moment. The e1-
perience Of the authorities CT New Haven
within the last few days proves the. neees-
sity OF arfnissg the noAce. Without arms
the police would be at the mercy OF the
mob. believe that The people Of Jersey
CITY will support US in the course we
have adopted. 1T appears that We can
not hope for the necessary arms from the
State authorities but We propose to arm
eur men fassp tsr theless. II We lad suth-
cient surplus in the treasury of the Po-
lice Department we might utilize It for
the purpose Of advertising for arms but
I fear that we have not the money What
we propose To do IS 10. raise what money
We can and them call for a popular sub
scription for the remainder. have no
doubt but that If we appeal to the people
for money for rifles they will give US all
we reed Inside of a week. We can get
the rifles we want at about Sl9 apiece.
That would make total cost Of arms Tor