The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-19
WORK OF
THE POLICE.
Annual Report of Chief
DOlan To The Police
Commission.

last Friday night in investigating the al
legged inactivity of the police in the Vim
cent harness case.
No decision was reached and the mat
ter was laid over until next Monday
night.
| Chief Dolan presented his annual re-
port, which is most interesting docu-
ment.
81 have the honor to herewith submit
my sixth annual report for the fiscal
year beginning July /, 1898. and ending
June so. 1899, of the work done by this
department, and with such suggestions
and recommendations which are i'm
peratively necessary to maintain the
efficiency and strength of the depart
ment.
During the past year a good many
changes and transfers of officers and
patiolmen were made for the benefit of
the service, and as rule the results have
given entire satisfaction.
"a few members of the department
were brought before your honorable
tody charged with violating the rules
and orders, which resulted in four mem.
bers being dismissed from the service
and few others. whose cases were not
OF a serious nature, were either fined or
reprimanded. ego =
During the time. covered by this re-
portthe city has been remarkably free
from crime. Our records show active
and persistent work on the part of the
entire department. A perusal OF the
tables herewith submitted will show
that during the year 3,504 arrests were
made, as against 1920 for the previous
year.
81 am pleased that my suggestion in
regard to our citizens giving this de-
partment notice of their intention to be
absent from their homes during the sum-
mer has met with the approval OF our
best citizens and was followed by large
number during the past season with
| good results. If our citizens will notify
this department of their intended alb.
sence, and give us the dates OF their 60
ing and their return, special attention
will be given their residences during
their absence. and | am satisfied that
the result will not only be a great bene-
fit to them, but credit to this depart
ment.
"During the year there was S10,279.55
| worth Of property reported stolen and
| of this amount about SO per cent. was
recovered by this department. There
were number OF buildings entered dur
| ing the past winter, but in most cases
! nothing was taken; the parties who
were suspected of this work were
arrested, but owing to lack OF evi.
dence they escaped their just punish
ment."
The chief refers to the blowing open
| of the safe of the Bavarian Brewing Com
pany ON the night of May s aud the at
tempts made OH May Is and II to blow
open the safes of the Diamond State Car
Springs Works and the McCabe d Dar-
ragh Company. In all of these cases
suspected parties are in New Castle Jail
awaiting trial.
The chief refers to the killing on May
| II of Alfred Montague, native of Kent
county, on East Second street, being
struck on the head with a base ball bat
in the hands Of Montylaoo A. Cole.
"During the year seventeen fugitives
from justice, who had committed crimes
in other states, were apprehended by the
| police department and returned to the
scene of their crimes, while four per-
sons, who committed crimes in our city
were captured and returned to us for
punishment. The most notable arrest
made by our officers was that of Patrol
n' II MaIoney and Shields on March 2S,
ls"), in arresting Harrison Baltimore,
cri":rd, wanted in Baltimore, Md, for
n.u.Srlr.
"During the past year thirty-two crimi-
mails were measured by the Bertillion
System and photographed and duplicates
sent to the National Bureau at Chicago.
Several prisoners were identified
through the National Bureau.
"The law authorizing the house SER
geant to issue warrants and to accept
bail has proven to be valuable addition
to the department, and has added great
ly to its efficiency. During the past year
the department has served 6SS warrants,
and OF this amount 292 were issued by
the house sergeant in the absence from
his office OF the clerk Of the court. He
has also accepted bail in l,l03 cases for
their appearance at the next session Of
the City Court"
Attention is called to the death of two
members of the department, Turnkey
Louis Hammerer, on December 90, 1898,
and Patrolman Daniel B. Mcguire on
December 2G, 1898.
81 would suggest that the system of
taking complaints be changed, as at
present any officer who may be on duty
in the station house performs this duty
and no one is responsible therefor and
as the House Sergeants are on duty at all
times, and are present at all roll calls, |
would recommend that they be given
this work to perform. Also that they
be relieved OF the responsibility of the
police reporting machine and that part
OF his duty be given in charge OF the
captain.
II would suggest that the territory of
the second, fifth and eighth police dis
tricts be lessened, and that the third,
fourth, ninth and tenth districts be in.
creased. Also the placing of an add-
tonal officer on the last named districts
in the daytime and early in the evenings.
This arrangement would give us ten
double districts in the fall and winter
seasons.
81 would also suggest that the Board
have the proper State officers prepare
and endeavor to have enacted law to
make an attempt to break and enter a
dwelling or other building in the night
time a felony, as several well.known
criminals have gotten their liberty DUR
ing the past few years, owing to the fact
that we have no law for an oftense Of
this character.
81 would recommend that the board
endeavor to have Nhe liquor laws so
amended as to close the saloons.not only
from midnight OF Saturday to that OF
Sunday, but extending it to o'clock a.
m. of Mondays. This would in my
opinion be great benefit to the peace
and good order of the city.
81 would recommend that an officer
he taken from the force and assigned to
duty in the office of the Chief OF Police
as a special officer and detective (not
having a regular detective bureau. He
could greatly assist the chief in securing
evidence in certain cases that could not
be successfully done by uniformed
officers, and to perform such other secret
service that may be required of him.
81 would again call your attention to
the fact that the quarters now occupied |
as police station are in adequate for the
wants OF an up-to-date police depart
ment.
"All that can possibly be said Of the
Drpsent station house has hpen reneated