New-York tribune., 1901-12-25
TO TEST SERGEANTS LAW.
dURPHYs PROMOTIONS LIKELY TO BE
INVESTIGATED.

e-N,s nrobab;v yviIl BE- taken by the Civil Service
Reform Association soon after the beginning u &c
year test the constitutionality OF an sct pass
by tho legislature last winter, conferrfng ufO! az
detective serpeants in the New-fork police Iorce
the full rank Of sergeant. with eliZiollity 20 pIo
motion 10 the rank Of captain. after 'aI'ua-S l.
II is declared that the act was in Vlosfioii u -
Civil Service Law. inasmuch IS II permits tHe <"
H. Commissioner - promote patrolmen directly
10 the rank Of sergeant. without EXAMINATIONS OF
eligible lists. and promote as many as ne I Iiea7e
without let hindrsnce. Police IonllIlsSIo'iei
Murphy has taker advantage Of the act 10 ad-
ysnce many OF the friends Of Deputy Commissioner
r,every and his promotions have been attended
with scandal. II mas been declared that many
of the men thus promoted have paid sums of
money. as much S3,o'o in some cases 10 secure
their promotion.
Since last summer Commissioner s'urphy has ap-
nonted over seventy detective sergeants. and
tEfenty-one have been appointed this month tlsh'
were appointed yesterday. Among the patroneh
promoted 10 he detective sergeants on SATURDAY
were Darcy and Schoenich, who were witnesses IN
The C;Iennon trial and were indicted by the Grand
Jury cn Monday Among the men appointed de-
zective sergesnts yesterday were John J. Turley
and J. u Coughiin. Turley got in trouble with
Justice Jerome when Investigation OF Glennoh
and other police officials in progress He was
called TO give evidence in the investigation and re
fused 20 be sworn witness. Justice Jerome
ordered Turkeys arrest for contempt OF court ana
opened court to deal with his case. whereupon
TUrley weakened, and gave his testimony lurieS
was seen in a raid made by agents of the Society
for the Prevention OF Crime upon a poolroom lehN-
sng the house next DOOR and he arrested one OF the
eociety's agents. Coughlin was Captain Coohey
7rardmen at the West Thirtyseventh-st station Al
fha time tho raids on ''A1' Adams policy mead
quarters were made in the preclnrr.
So many men untitled for detective work htN"
been made detective seTgeants recently that the De
fectfve Bureau has been subjected 10 ridicule tN
Of the new sergeants could be trusted 10 perform
duty in the bureau and the plan OF sending theIll
OUT in pairs do patrol duty IL the streets AZ
night was adopted This plan simply gives 70 SIle
new men the right spend their time as theE lke,
when tney are supposed tc be on duty, ana ara"
whereas some OF them were not e' eli
roIiceraen of the first grade when they were pro-
noted and were covering regular posts ana Wear
ing uniforms and receiving only $500 year. -
Commissioner Murphy expressed ulpTlse yesteI-
sav when he told of the records OF Iurley ana
f,oughliu. Apparently he had made the promouons
on Deyery's recommendation without inquiry he
would not tell who had recommended the promo
sions. ,. HI. -
The Detective Sergeants Association, which Sc
cured the passage of the act to make the pace
of detective sergeant permanent, mas refused 20
admit the new membership In the aSsoci-
alton. declaring that because OF the many bao al
rotntrnents by Commissioner Murphy there prop
ably would be tight IN the courts, and the tunds
OF The association ought not 10 be used TO ald the
new men IN the fight. The Civil Service Reform
Association probably will seek TO get a test case
snto court by order 10 have the pay OF the new
ssergeants'' withheld