The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-15
PLAN TO BREAK SLEUTH HAHN
HE COULDN'T GET INSTRUCTION
WHEN SENT no DESK DUTY.
The Reinstated Detective Sergeant Is on
Trial for Using the Wrong Kind Of
Ink and for MisspelllnS-Capt. Becker
Told Not to Help Him, He Says.

When the Court of Appeals ordered the
restoration of 100 detective sergeants who
had been reduced to the rank OF patrolmen
by Commissioner Partridge Gen. Greene
assigned forty or fifty of them to desk
duty. Although the regular sergeants
had been complaining of overwork they
didn't welco m, the ex-sleuths. Most OF
the men had had no experience in handling
station house records, and as the regular
sergeants refused to help them several
got into trouble for irregularities.
The latest victim is Detective Sergeant
Henry Hahn, who has been doing desk
duty in the Union Market station since
June % He was on trial yesterday before
Deputy Commissioner Davis at Police
Headquarters. Hahn was for years the
wardman Of ex-Capt. Vredenburgh and
Is said to be rich. Hahn is accused by
Capt Becker of the Union Market station
of having kept his blotter irregularly.
The twenty specifications include wrongly
abbreviating and misspeling words, max
ing ncomplete entries and using red
ink when a greenish-blue should have
been used.
Capt. Becker, who read the twenty speoi-
fcations pointed out that Hahn had
abbreviated the words detective sergeant"
to read deceit Sargt" He also called
attention to this entry: The fifth and sixth
section relieved from reserve duty Capt,
Becker said this was very bad error az
the word section" should have been writ
ten sections"
Lawyer Gruber. for Hahn, asked Capt.
Becker what the singular Of section"
was. Becker seemed puzzled and finally
said:
We'll l can explain that in my own
way. | know that if he had only written
about the fifth section his spelling would
have been correct but when he entered
the two together no should have placed
an IS on section.
Inspector Max Schmittberger. who signed
the &C mplaint against Hahn, loft IN" room
at this point. After Capt. Be, ," had
read a few more specifications tto0a was
called to the stand
He said that he had never had an oppor-
tunity to learn how to keep blotter and
was very ignorant of details when he was
sent TO the Union Market station,
Did you ask the captain or any others
to assist you in learning?" asked Lawyer
! GTuber.
Il had a talk with the captain, and he
said he would assist me"
Did any Of the regular desk sergeants
furnish you with information as TO the
keeping of the blotter?"
| mo. The only help got was from one
! of the precinct detectives who Used to help
the other sergeants do their work"
Hahn then startled every one when he
said:
II went again to the captain and asked
for assistance, and he told me that he had
received orders not to instruct me-
where did he say he got these orders
FROM" asked Gruber.
ale said they came from Headquarters,
Commissioner Davis sent for a general
order book and then called on Capt. Becker
for an explanation. The latter finally
said:
II never received a circular or general
order on he subject. but Inspector Schm IT,
berger told mo wasn't supposed to instruct
acknowledgements in keeping the hlctter.
Commissioner Davis reserved decision
In the case.