The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-15
NOT ALARM CLOCKS.
Commissioners Decide it is
Not Duty Of Police to
Wake Citizens.

~ ~. AN
TheSBqard of POLICE Commissioners de-
cided At The Board injecting yesterday tina
the members Of the Jersey City police
force are not to act as alarm clocks fol
citizens VINO are obliged to arise early. 4
has been the custom for years for CERTAIN
bakers, milKmen and me who have mac
to go to market early to fasten a s.rmS t.
their big toes and throw the end OUT Of
the window. The obliging policeman On
that post has at a specified time CROPPED
about in the dark for the string and given
it a tug sufficient to arouse the sleepe-.
The method has been found to be far
more effective than the ordinary 60 cent
alarm clock.
But it is to be no more. The Police
Commissioners have SO decided. and last
night they fined a policeman three days
pay for acting as a human alarm clock
or perhaps it was for pulling strings. the
resolution did not state quite clearly. Be
that as it may, Chanceman Rubacky, who
has the distinction of being the only Pol
ish policeman on the Jersey City force,
was severely punished. 1t was his first
~offense. too. He was accused of being off
post for A minutes.
His excuse was that he went to call a
Ebaker, who had requested him to do so.
He pleaded that he thought he had a
right to do so. He was told by Commits
sfoner A~bernethy, President of the Board,
that it is the duty of a policeman to look
after the affairs of his post and not leave
it to call bakers or any other person.
"It is not a. policeman's duty" said
President Abernethy, ito call sleepy citi-
lzens unless it is to warn them of dam
ger"
After celebrating for some time the
Commissioners imposed the fine on Ru-
backy.
Patrolman David Kelt, of the First Pre-
cinct police, was the next officer accused
of being off his post. Captain Archibald
preferred the charges against the man,
whom he accused Of being in a grocery
store at the corner of Fremont and Mer-
Ger streets on the evening of February
20. Kelt was found guilty and sentenced
to pay a fine of three days pay.
Officer Walter Daily, of the Second Pre-
cinct, was charged by Chief Murphy with
not having properly patrolled his post
on the evening of March 2. He was seen
coming out of a hallway atSthe corner OF
Coles and Eighth streets.
DAILY pleaded guilty, but gave a reason
able excuse. He was fined three days
pay as he had not notified his precinct.
Patrolman William T. Broken, of the
Fourth Precinct, was accused by Gustav
S~midhausen, a citizen, with being off
post and in the kitchen of a house occu-
pied by Mrs. Murphy, No. 9S Monticello
venue. He was also accused of hav-
ing his uniform off and smoking a pipe.
Charles Walsh ~corroborated Smidhausen's
testimony.
Both men acknowledged that they nave
malice against the OFFICER, because they
had on one occasion been arrested by
him. They also said they thought the
fact that the officer was in the house
was a good chance to get square.
Edward McKaig, Miss Murphy and
Dennis Murphy all testified to the fact
that Officer Broker had been called into
the house to stop a fight which a brother
had started. The witnesses testified that
Broken did taken off his coat for some
reason, but did not sit down nor smoke.
Miss Murphy thought it politeness on the
part of the officer in removing his hat on
entering the house.
The Commissioners believed that the
charges against the officer were the re-
suit of malice and dismissed the com
plant.
Joseph Bolen, a telegraph lineman re-
Gently appointed. rendered his resignation.
The place was filled by the appointment
of Peter Dunkhead, to take effect, March
Is.
Police Surgeon Nevin and DR.. Rector
and Everett, were appointed a board to
examine Patrolman Hare, of the Second
Precinct and decide as to his physical
ability to perform active duty.
Warden Osborne of the City Hospital,
submitted the following report for the
month of February Number of patients
remaining February 1, 20; admitted dur
ing the month, 127; number treated dur
ing the month. 81; discharged cured, IA;
discharged improved, 80; sent to County
Institutions, IL; died, Z; remaining March
/, rs; surgical dispensary cases, $40; medi-
cal cases, 1870; eye and ear cases, 209;
ambulance calls, night 10, day, AZ; pre-
cprinfionS filled 1 o61