New-York tribune., 1902-03-31
MAKE EIGHTEEN ARRESTS.
POLICEMEN DECIDED on REBELLION
AFTER LONG DISCUSSION.

mand Of Captain Michael f. FOody, last night
came out in open rebellion against the existing
rules regarding the nOn-enforcement of the
Sunday closing law applied to saloons In
Manhattan. As a result OF this mutiny there
were eighteen arrests for alleged violation Of
the excise law last night. each arrest being
made by in full uniform. who saw what
he declares to be a violation OF the excise law
while on his beat. Not one of the arrests was
made by a plain clothes man. precinct de-
tective. The wardmen of the precinct had moth
ing to do with the arrests either.
The rebellion was the outgrowth of the police
regulation compelling the patrolmen when they
come in off their posts to sign slips in which
they made 10 state that there have been no
violations Of the excise law on their beat. This
regulation is termed by some OF the patrolmen
as putting il up to the man on the beat" Re
Gently some policemen In one of the downtown
precincts took literally the instructions to close
everything up at midnight Saturday night
They then transferred.
HAD BEEN CHAFING A LONG TINE.
The men in the Twentieth Precinct have been
chafng for some time under the existing condi-
tions. and part Of them had determined to take
their share of the responsibility coming to them
but they have also gone on record as having a
desire to bear this responsibility in their own
the precincts appear to wish them to carry it.
Ever since Friday night this plan that was so
successfully carried out last night has been un-
der discussion. Several of the men who took
part in last nights saloon raids stated that the
arrests were not the result Of a sudden impulse
on their part, but Of preconcerted plan.
The men who made the arrests belong to what
is known the second section" They are
under command directly Of Roundsmen O'Nein
and Bislan On Friday night they were in the
section room in the station house on reserve
duty. There are thirty-eight OF them not in
Guiding the two roundsmen. They discussed at
length the feasibility Of the plan Of making an
organized stand against the existing conditions
There were some who favored this others who
did not There We're some who feared trouble.
others who did not and who declared that if the
thrty-eight men of the section all stood to-
gether and acted under plans discussed and ap-
proved by them. those higher up in the de-
partment would not dare take action
For six hours this discussion lasted. In the
early hours of yesterday morning many of the
men were again thrown together in the section
room. and again the question came up. Then It
was practically decided that the men would
stand together and that the instructions when
given out by their superior officer about the ex-
else violations would be literally obeyed 1t was
decided that last night would he the time to put
| their organization into effect and TO test the
practicability Of the scheme.
DECIDE AT THE LAST MOMENT.
The night was all the better for the reason
| that Captain Foody was away sick leave
and that Sergeant Charles Ryan. whose SYM
| pathy with the patrolmen is well known, was in
| charge 5 acting captain.
So last evening at o'clock the thirty-eight
| men Of the second section were lined up before
| their acting captain before they went out on
| patrol. The usual instructions concerning the
closing Of saloons and the arrest of violatOrs of
| the excise law were read to the men. Then they
| went out and obeyed the instructions.
Before they turned out they had further dis
cussed the subject. They had decided that
| under present conditions the observance of the
| Sunday closing law was up to them: that those
! higher up in the department were issuing in
| structions they did not intend should be obeyed
| but that in of trouble arising out Of their
| not being carried out the higher officials would
not stand the brunt of the blame but would
| shift it off to the shoulders of the patromen
under the guise of having issued instructions
| that the law should be enforced; and that they
! would use proof of this fact the slips that
/ the patrolmen have TO sign. declaring that there
! has been no violation Of the excise laws" on
/ their respective posts
men. who would not allow his name to be used
or would not even give it, and who kept his
number covered all the time while talking to a
/ reporter. and to the conclusion that If
/ we acted together could save ourselves
/ Some Of us are tired of always being on the
defensive; always being put in the position OF
/ the scapegoat We ready to stand by our
! superior officers any time they will do the
square thing by US; but we don't believe that If
the thing were to come to a pinch they would
| shoulder the responsibility
WOULD LAY BLAME ON PATROLMEN.
Three poor devils downtown took some in
structons about this saloon business too literally
the other night and were transferred the next
! day. So We believe the same thing might hap
pen to us IN case there should be trouble The
patroman would have to stand for il all This
police business is joke, but It's bread and
butter to lot of us and TO families. Were
| not half so bad painted and the most OF
US would like to be square. We think we can
| be if we stand together. Now. you see the
! way things are, and If there's a row the men
/ high up in the department cannot transfer a
| whole platoon. 1t would attract too much at
/ tention and publicity. Three men might be
| switched all right for obeying instructions. but
it would be too clear 10 transfer a whole platoon
OF men from one precinct. especially at this
! time"
Another policeman in uniform, who took equal
/ precautions to conceal his identity said that
/ when the second section were turned out last
/ night every man had agreed to take in every
body he could get for alleged violations of the
! excise law. He said the men were all of one
! mind. and that those who first feared the result
Of such step had been won over. had lost their
original timidity and on the defensive al