The sun., 1901-11-16
SERGEANT CAUGHT CRIBBING?
JAKE DROWN DISMISSED FROM
POLICE EXAMINATION ROOM.
Other sergeants Hiss Him surprised win
Paper on which Were Memoranda
Of Department Rules-First In Last
Connection and Demanded This

Competition and Demanded This,
Sergt. Jacob Brown considered one OF
the shining lights in the Police Depart
ment, was accused of "cribbing" yesterday
In the examination of sergeants which
the Municipal Civil Service Commission
Is holding preparatory to making up an
eligible list for promotions to captaincies.
The examiners say that Sergt. Brown
was caught In the act of taking from his
pocket paper containing memoranda
that would prove valuable in the examina-
ton. He was taken before Chief Examiner
Ireland who excluded him from the exami-
nation and ordered him out of tho room.
Some Of those at the examination say that
as he went out sergt. Brown was hssed
by the seventy o'her sergeants who were
taking the examination with him.
Sergt. Brown admitted last night that he
had a paper with memoranda in the exami-
nation room. but he asserted that nothing
that would be useful to him was written
on 1t. He seys he accidentally drew it from
his pocket with a handkerchief and had no
intention OF cheating
Police Commissioner Murphy called about
four months ago for an eligible list for
promotion to captaincies, the State Civil
Bervioe Commission having abolished the
list on which the old Police Board made
seventeen captains last December. Sergt.
Brown was at the top Of the old list 10 far
as examination results went but ne was not
promoted. He protested to the State Civil
Servioe' Commission that he did not get a
fair rating, and he was instrumental In hav-
ing the old list abolished, the promotions
thrown out and this new examination or
dered. In the last examination his rating
was PAS out Of a possible rs per cent He
received ssH per cent in the mental exami-
nation.
The new examination has been going on
since Monday in the rooms of the Civil
Service Commission In the New York Life
Building. Yesterday was the last day.
The sergeants are being examined on their
knowledge Of the rules of the department.
Seventy Of them were taking the exanina-
ton.
Nothing unusual happened until about
q o'clock Then one OF the assistant eX-
aminers, ex-senator Frank Gallagher of
Brooklyn ran over to where Sergt Brown
was sitting and grabbed him by the arm.
Mr.. Gallagher had been standing behind a
door, and $50 he says) had seen Sergt
Brown draw piece Of paper from his
pocket. Gallagher demanded the paper
and Sergt. Brown handed il TO him Mr.
Gallagher then took all Of Sergt. Browns
examination papers from him and sent
for Chief Examiner Ireland who was in
another room.
As Mr.. Ireland came into the room Serct.
Brown ran up to him. Mr.. Ireland looked
over the papers, listened TO what Mr..
Gallagher had to say and then dismissed
Sergt. Brown from the examination after
telling him that he had been warned with
the other competitors against carrying
any memorandum papers into the exam
ination room. The oommotion had at
tracted the attention of the other serEaants
and word was passed that Sergt Brown
had been caught cheating. One of them
said last night that all the rest stood up /
and hissed Sergt. Brown as he walked /,
out.
Chief Examiner Ireland said last night |
In reference TO Browns case that one Of T,
the examiners caught Sergt Brown with I
piece Of paper in his possession on which |
were written memoranda calcula ted 10 aid Z
him. The examiner Immediately took all /,
of Sergt Browns papers away and Mr.. |
Ireland was summoned.
Up 20 that time said the Chief Exam |
liner. Everything had been done so quietly |
that only two or three men In the room |
were aware that anything out Of the or |
dnary was going on. but when entered !
Sergt. Brown came up 10 me and began !
20 protest warmly against the taking away !
of his papers. ! told him that all Of the !
sergeants had been warned not To take any !
Iaper Of any sort INTO the room that he /
knew this as well ~ anybody else and that ,
didn't care To- discuss the matter with |
him al all then told him that he was |
dismissed from the examination. and he |
was ordered from the room.
A 10 what the paper which was taken 2
from him contained do not know exactly /
yet I merely glanced over IL. but on il /
were written thing bearing on the exam ,
nation. ! kept the paper mv-nlf
$50 far a. ] remember incidents Of this p
sort have happened only few times be 1
fore On one occasion some tireWcn and .
polcemen were dismissed for taking notes t
into examinations. Sergt. Brown wac one .
Of the men who worked hardest to yet this
examination, and he Wa az the very top
f,f the .4llglfIa lIsf