The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-10-27

The police contributions to the fund for
political purposes, (which is a new name
for the Free Library Fund.- are being
collected with so much difficulty that the
extortion promises to be short lived.
If every member of the police depart
ment who has declared his intention to
refuse to contribute to the fund with a
new name, keeps his word. less than one
half the amount expected will be real
ized If this result is obtained, the sys-
tenn will at once develop such character
of blackmail that it win kill itself.
There are 221 policemen in the depart
ment, and the Chief, Inspector, Captains,
Sergeants and roundsmen bring the total
up to about 260. If each man were to
hand up $5 to be used for political pur-
poses. the result would be $1,250. This
total would be increased by larger con-
tributions from the men who rank above
patrolmen. 1t is estimated that about
one-half the patrolmen, or about 100,
will refuse to contribute.
This number does not include the fifty
odd men who serve under Captain Far
rier in the First precinct, whose money
is secure in his hands for the use of the
politicians, as Captain Farrier refused to
obey orders and give each man back his
s. after the scandalous Free Library
Fund fraud was exposed by the Jour
nal
In order to ascertain what steps have
been taken by those who have charge
of the Police Department to collect money
from the rank and file, Journal report
ers have interviewed numbers of patrol
men and it is disclosed that for the past
few days, as the men were lined up in
the several station houses, excepting the
First, of course they were informed that
they were expected to contribute ,for
campaign purposes
The order was supplemented by the in
formation that the men should hand
over their contributions to the Sergeant
at the desk.
The police officials have declared that
in no case has any member of the depart
ment who declined TO contribute to the
Free Library Fund been transferred,
bounded or nolested in any way, but the
stories told by numerous policemen do
not agree with the statements of the men
who govern the department.
One case the Journal investigated
leaves no doubt that a man was ha-
rassed because he refused to yield to the
extortion.
He was a driver of a patrol wagon at
the time he was asked to contribute. He
refused. and soon after he was not only
taken from the wagon, but was trans
ferred to another precinct.
The next year he contributed and was
sent back to his old precinct
1t would not be to the interests of this
man for the Journal TO disclose his
name while there remained disposition
on the part of the Police Commissioners
to uphold Farrier. His case speaks for
itself II occurred within short time,
and IL proves that the men have good
reason to fear punishment If they object
ed to being made victims Of the system
which was in operation with the full
knowledge of the Police Board
One Of these officers said: II will not
give up. I know viii be made i mark
er, hut don't care where they send me.
j am tired of it and do not think the
Commissioners have any right to compel
me to contribute money for politics which
have better use for.
Another officer said :-s.It win be a cold
day when + hand UP Tor politics this