The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-14
new SYSTEM
INTO EFFECT {: I
Reorganization Of the Police
Force to Become Operative
To-day at Noon. 55
SECOND DISTRICT WIPED OUT.
T1a1f Of It's Territory Given to
the First and Other IIalf to-
NcwSecond or Old Third.
There will DO u general switching
lround OF the police department to-day

Nsa'l nGT0 Will UC t,cuctuA ''N'
around OF the police department to-day
at noon.
The old Second station house VIII be
nut out Of service as such, and the men
connected with that district will DO d.
vidcd into two Squads which win be
detailed, respectively, to the new First
and Second Districts. Many OF tho men
llavo never worked i in any other sec
ton Of tho city than that embraced III
tho Second District, from First TO Thir-
ttelth Streets, and Will go into new ter
ritory It will naturally take them some
!tts, whilo to grow accustomed to their
new beats. The men mel n the old t'r ISL
and Third Districts will remain as at
present except that they will have moro
territory to cover, the former coming up
to Seventh Street and the latter coming
down to the same street, an extension or
SIX blocks to each new district.
Some of tho men, whose duties take
item away from tho central district,
leave their homes h,hind them, whilo
Others go nearer home. 1t is not generally
known, but many of the officers who have
boon working In tho middle district live
on Church Hill and MANY. in tho West
End. These men arc well satisfied with
the change. F ss.E u
WHAT THE CHANGE MEANS.
This change is an important one. Tho
Folce Board calculate that more service
Will be given the city, They calculate
duty two sergeants, two house men,
two captains and the Inspector,
All these men are, under the direction
OF tho board required to do q larger
ame unit Of outside duty.
The personnel Of the force was changed
considerably within the past two years.
Eleven men were either retired or dis
charged. In tho places Of these men
young, strong, robust men have been
placed, and tho strength Of the force has
been augmented to that extent. 1t Is
likely that both Sergcants Orange and
Otey will be retired. They are both on the
sick list.
With eleven young men added to the
force in place Of those whose age pre-
vented Inc activity required OF a police
man, and with prospects of at least ten
more young men, the Board feels that
tho city will get the best possible ser
vice for the size of tho city and the size
OF the force.
NOT INCREASED RECENTLY.
The present mem bershlp of the force
is just what it was fifteen years ago.
For a number Of years up to tibet time
there were but cightyfive men. cover
ing the Same territory that Is now COW
cred.
Tho department at the close of the
Civil War was in II chaotic state. With
alien military rule. there was what
might be termed n ''mongrcr' force with
much that was evil to contend with, ana
with factions at war with each other
for recognition and supremacy.
Major John Fl. Claiborne was the first
chief. He went into office December 10.
1865 At that time there were six cap
tains-two at each statlon-and the sta
lions occupied the same sites as they
did up to the present change. except that
the Third was located over tho engine
house at Brook Avenue and Marshall
Street The captains were, First Dis
trict, George Freeman. John Poe; Second
District, L. II. Chalkley, w. T. Bibb
Third District, c. Fl. Epps. William
Kelly. Richard T. Seal was deputy chief,
a position similar to thar Just conferred
upon Captain Shinberger.
There were then 120 men. with a popu-
lation OF $4,000 people. and a territory TO
cover much smaller than at present
Tho city limits then were bound by
Eighteenth Street on the east, and Broad
Street on the North to Seventeenth
Street thence out to the present limits.
On the west the boundary was Madison
Street. north to Bacon's Quarter Branch,
and south to the river.
In 1863 the great Ellyson-C ahoon con-
troversy came up. Cahoon was APP
pointed Mayor by General Candy, mill
tary commandment OF this dictrict. Ely
son was elected Mayor by the City
Council chosen by Governor Gilbert G.
Walker These two men cndeavored to
establish police departments, and the
result was long conflict. Cahoon APP
pointed Chief Egbert and six captains,
and Ellyson appointed John Poe, with
six captains. There was n conflict as to
which was the legal department, and
it was not until q test case was sent
to the Supreme Court that the matter
was Strengthened out and the Ellyson
ncr were declared the ones entitled to
their places. This case was brought
about by the arrest OF two men, one by
a Cahoon policeman, the other by an
! IIllyson officer. The question arose as
To which was the legal arrest and the
decision Of the Supreme Court was ia
vorablo to the appointecs OF 1Clyson,
Major Poo was the chief and continued
in office until his death in June, 1895.
THE FORCE REDUCED.
In 1870 the force was reduced to cgh-
ty-five men, and the number of cap
| tains was also reduced to three. 1T was
| IN that year that Major Howard. the
! present chief. was appointed to the force
! by Mayor Elyson. In the meantime the
| territory OF the city was incrcased,to lis
| present size. About the same time the
| size of the force was decreased.
| This condition was maintained until
1855, when the population of the city
| demanding 1t, the force was Increased to
! It's present membership of no.
| Tho first police board consisted Of the
| Mayor tile Police Justice and the pres
| ident OF tho City Council. The members
were Mayor Anthony Kelley, Justice j.,
| j. White and Mr.. j T., Meredith.
Later on the City Council provided 70,
the creation Of a Police Board of cti-
/ zens The first board under this arrange
| mem embraced Messrs. t. j. Saunders
j. W. Shields, +, II. Mayo, Il, =. Myers
William II. Beyeridge. sr,, and John x