The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-08
POLICE ANGRY AT PARTRIDGE.
TAMMANY'LL BE HACK TWO YEARS
HENCE, SURE, THEY SAY.
Rank and Pile Vow They Control 30,
Votes. and They'n Use Them in Revenge
for the Abolition ~ the 3-Piatoon
~system-Talk Of Appeal 10 Albany

for the Abolition NJ the 3-Platoon
system-Taik Of Appeal 10 Albany
A more discontented lot Of men h the
rank and file Of the Police Department
would have been hard TO find yesterday.
The policemen heard Of Col. Partridge's
order a~bolishing the three-platoon system
from the newspapers first. The order was
not issued till late yesterday. II was good
news to the commanding officers, all oil
whom, except one inspector, have been
steadfastly opposed to the present system
But the men grumbled loudly. To them,
they said, this would be known as the Black
Friday Of the Police Department. .
Senior Inspector Cortright and Fire Chief
Croker are the men most blamed by the
patrolmen for influencing Col. Partridge's
decision. Inspector C%ortright, they de-
clare, has never let up in his fight against
the rhree-platoon system, and Chief Croker
has been opposed TO il because the fremen
want It, and he was afraid they might get II.
When Col. Partridge was told that the
men seemed TO think that Chief Croker
had had something to do with his action
he said;
Il wouldn't know Chief Croker II l saw
him, but. Of course, l have seen his com
plants in the newspapers. He was only
one of the straws.
did you have a comparative list OF
robberies made, and did il show that they
have increased"
mo. I did not. but I know that they have
been increasing" replied Col. Partridge.
All sorts of threats of vengeance are
made by the ~disgruntled among the police
men. II is expected that within a few
lo,- n a.aa,tau 80 tho DutraInnnnfa Ranayn-
lent Association will toe held and that some
action will then he taken. The men are
talking OF appealing to the Legislature for
redress. This has been done before and
il has been a costly proceeding. IL il
common report that the last assessment
raised 500, 600. which somebody got.
Some policemen said yesterday that they
controlled 5000 votes at an election and
prophesied Tammany's return to power
two years hence. A policeman high in the
councils OF the Patrolmen's Benevolent
Association said;
"Why didn't Commissioned Partridge
give us a fair showp He only listened to
the bosses and didn't hear n word from us.
There is one thing that has not been con-
sidered. The interpolation system made
the men independent. The captains did
not rave so much power over them. IL "A
captain wanted them TO do dirty work and
stand for things they could refuse and
there was no way in which he could cause
them trouble. They had their regular
hours of duty and regular hou of.
Under the two-platoon plan IL Is different.
The patrolman il practically in the power
Of his captain. II the captain cares 10 he
disagreeable he can actually keep him from
his meals by saying he needs him for some
thing. Besides, there are always a few
men who are willing TO do anything to get
the captains favor. These men get the
easy Jobs. while the men who actually do
the work are not rewarded
II was recalled yesterday by another
patrolman that at a meeting when the men
were fighting for the t~hree-platoon system
this proposal was made by a speaker:
Suppose We go out and enforce every
law-play no favorites-and TAX in every
body who violates the law. Then We
will make Il No troublesome for them that
they will soon come to their senses
The man who recalled this remarked
that il was only an incident and must not
be taken too seriously.