The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-03-16
M'KAIG CENSURED.
Police Board Reprimands
the Captain for Vio-
lating a Rule.
DID NOT FULFILL HIS DUTY
First Charge Against Ac-
cused in Thirty-flve
Years.

i Years.
j After 30 years of service in the Police
i Department without ever being placed on
trial on any charge, Captain Archibald
/ McKaig, in command of the Third Pre-
! cinct, was last night tried by the Board
q of Police Commissioners on a charge of
! neglecting to properly perform his duty.
The case was sensational to a degree
An unusually large crowd was drawn to
] the meeting because of the fact that
Frank McGurk, a well known and popu-
| lar officer, was on trial, and decision
| in the Sheffmeyer case was expected
| When the case of Captain McKaig was
! called a stir of excitement was heard
/ among the spectators. He was repri-
/ manded.
] The charge grew out of the trial of
/ Sergeant John Quinn, heard and disposed
of at the last meeting. Quinn reported
for duty an hour and twenty minutes late
on February q. Almost Immediately upon
his arrival at the station he retired to his
room and fell asleep on sofa. Sergeant
/ Rhinehart, who was in charge of the
! desk at the time, told Captain McKaig
that Quinn was asleep. The Captain went
to Quinns room and called him several
/ times, but could not awaken him. He
then went to Sergeant Rhinehart and
| asked him if he had heard him call
| Quinn. Rhinehart replied in the affirma-
| tive. Quinn was permitted to sleep un-
| til he awoke himself. Charges were pre-
| ferred against him and he was brought
before the Board He said he had suffer-
| ed with headache and had taken two
| of three powders given him by drug
| gist as headache cure. The effect was
| sound sleep which bordered on danger
| Gus Inconsistencies. DR.. McGill, at that
hearing, remarked that the wonder was
| that Quinn had ever awakened after TAX
| ing the powders as they each contained
a large amount of deadly poison.
! Chief Murphy considered that Captain
McKaig had not fulfilled his duty be-
cause he made no other efforts to arouse
| Quinn than to call Sergeant several
| evidently for the purpose of having the
! Board rule on the point. The charge was
based ON the following rule
Rule 14o-Captains shall have charge
| and control OF the police station
/ and shall be held responsible for the
! cleanliness and good order OF the same
/ and for the good conduct, dlsclpnne
i and efficiency of the sergeantS, patrol-
men chancemen and doormen under
their command, and may. establish
such minor rules taet inconsistent s#stn sla +
the general rules and regulations for
| the government of the force or the
| general orders of the Chief as they
deem fit.
Captain McKaig denied that he had
acted contrary to any rule and offered
as his guide the following
Rule Isle Ohe Captain) shall
promptly report to the Chief every case
of dereliction of duty, or OF r. impropeff 1
any part of the rules and regulations
by any officer of his precinct immedi,
asely upon his becoming acquainted
Herewith and shall make written
| charges and specifications against such
officers as the Chief may direct
/ This rule. he said, gave him no right to
place a hand on an inferior officer under
any conditions. He said he had done mis-
duty in merely calling Quinn by the name
of his rank.
.This rule" said Captain McKaig,
! '.makes only the Commissioners response
| BILE for the maintenance of discipline"
.sYou ought to have telephoned for a
| Commissioner" responded President Nc
Gill. The crowd laughed loudly at this
sarcastic rally. McKaig answered.
"If I thought could get one I would
| have done so.''
In corroboration of the charge the fol-
| lowing was added
| Rule No. 9-Each member (of the de-
/ partment) in his conduct and deport-
ment must be quiet, civil and orderly.
In the performance of his duties he
1 must maintain decorum. command or
temper, patience and discretion; he
/ must at all times refrain from harsn,
coarse, profane or insolent language;
/ yet be firm, resolute and energetic;
he must not neglect or fail to perform
/ any duty he may have to do
The last clause was made a particular
] ly strong feature against Captain Nc
Kaig. President McGill asked McKaig:-
"Did you shake QUINN"
/ ssNo. He was snoring.
eff all your men were in the station
house asleep would you just call out and
make no other effort to arouse them?"
| asked the President.
ssThat is a different case replied Nc
Kaig. "Under such circumstances would
probably make determined efforts to
! awake them
Sergeant Rhinehart was then tried on
1 d SiIludI CudIS6 " tlloI iIlduS dSetiIiSl
| his captain. He said he did not know
| Quinn's condition or what caused it be-
cause he was behind the desk and unable
| to see into Quinn's room. He heard Cap
tain McKaig call Quinn.
/ The Board rendered one decision as to
/ both men. Dr. McGill said:--
1.-THE Board thinks you did not use
every means in your power to learn the
condition of Sergeant Quinn. We are un-
certain whether he was under the in
fluence of liquor or not. If he was he
should have been severely dealt with. We
were forced to accept his statement. We
think you were derelict in the perform
| ance of your duty. With this reprimand
/ the case will close. The same applies to
you, Sergeant Rhinehart.
II want to say now that the Chiefs
rules on this point are proper and should
be obeyed. If ever a case of a similar
nature comes before this Board more
severe punishment than a reprmand will
follow
Captain McKaig has been in the police
department thirty-fve years and never
| before appeared before the Police Com