New-York tribune., 1905-02-05
GOSSIP OF THE BOROUGH.
Cruelty to Horses Not Tolerated by
Commissioner Woodbury..

Street Cleaning has been in Brooklyn great deal
this winter, and his breezy and vigorous. not to
say picturesque and at times lurid way Of deal
ing with affairs has the admiration of the
office stan there. He frequently presides at the
f-dals on Friday afternoon. and the men have come
20 regard him with The other day ten drivers
we're arraigned before him charge Of aban-
Houing their horses in the recent blizzard After
hearing all the evidence Commissioner Woodbury.
stood the men up IN line. and with one sweep of
the axe, cut the ten heads of IN a fashion that
the men viii not soon forget.
You are q disgrace TO the department, to the
city and to yourselves" he thundered You are
e blot upon civilization. and not worthy to asso-
ciate with man or beast. You are all discharged,
eud an not at all sure that ought not 20 have
you ell arrested.
The evidence showed that the mon had left their
horses TO freeze while some Of them warming
themselves in nearby saloons. One complaint was
received from woman, who reported that one OF
the teams OF the department had been standing
alone in front Of her house tor more than half an
Cruelty to horses will not be tolerated by the CON-
missioner and any man convicted oT uegiecting or
him. You are Of about as much use In a stable
ne said 70 one negligent hostler as a man without
arms in a boxing match
Drunkenness IS another charge which always
a-ouses the ire Of the strenuous Commissioner His
judicial poise shattered and his severity tenn
pered. however, by the reply Of an old sweeper
who is a character in the department This old
follow. who IS a good faithful when sober
had been frequently called to task for overindul-
gence in liquor. On account Of his good record IN
other particulars however. the Commissioner was
Inclined to admonish rather than roast him.
Why. my good man" said the Commissioner
10 him after recent dereliction, in tones calcu-
lated TO strike terror to his soul, IF you don't
stop drinking the first thing you know you'll be
seeing pink monkeys on the end Of your broom"
We'll" demanded the Irishman apparently
terrified by the horrible picture suggested by the
n md
Of handle would not be such bad company
after all. when I'm pushing broom all day alone"
the act of sweeping. smile almost broke through
he dismissed the with reprirnand.
One Of the cases reported the other day OF
sweeper who frequently sent word that he was
sick An inspector sent 10 hunt him up. He
went 20 the mans home and banged on the door
violently. but could get TO response Then he went
to the saloon on the ground floor and asked after
Jones" The saloonkeeper looked at his depart
uniform and then declared solemnly that
be well to disturb him. The Inspector. not alto
when suddenly the man who was supposed to be
dying opened the door staggering out into the hail
who's been making all this racket?"
The inspector did not wait for any further eX-
missed.
Major F. II. 2. Ebstein tells OF some queer ex-
euses given for derelicuon by policemen when he
used 70 preside at the police trials Deputy Com
missioner. One nam who three hours late in
reporting at the station house gave the that
q building was being moved across the tracks Of
the car line he used TO get from his home and
he waited IN the until the blockade raised.
One man who repeatedly gave lame and absurd
cuses for drunkenness was finally dismissed by
Deputy Commissioner Ebstein. That was two years
ego. The other day this man. well dressed and
locking prosperous. stopped Major Ebstein the
street and said to him.
Your disrnissing me from the department was the
hest thing that ever happened 70 me. I want TO
thank YOU for II. I have gone back TO my old
trGde-that Of mechanic-am making good money,
although l have 10 work for i, ana am happy;
Now have 20 pay for all the whiskey / get, and l
There are many similar cases The temptations
in e po.ieemasn 1fe 9 nave spoiled many a good
sobriety
Speaking of the Police and Street Cleaning de-
partmeEts. here is a story regarding Captain = s
Piper. who formerly one Of Commissioner
Wcoobury's assistants 81 the latter department
afterward was deputy police commissioner and
is now superintendent Of the American Railway
Traffic Company. Tho latter is the constituent
company Of the brooklyn Rapid Transit Company
which carries the boroughs ashes on trolley fat
cs-E to the marsh lands back Of Coney Island
Captain Piper Is the sort OF man who does not
stick to his Office. bat IS continually on the iuraD
snd always seems 10 be around when any trouble
occurs II the recent blizzard gang Ct the men
at the dumps strike. CAPTAIN Piper sud
denly appeared ca the scene as II he had dropped
from the sky. ana in a few choice and vigorous
sentences discharged the Most of them took
their dismissal sUlleniy. but without a word. One
man. however. bolder than the rest stepped up 10
Captain Piper ana addressed him thus:
You can discharge me; you can stop my pay.
because you the boss, but / want 10 tell YOU
that IL is long way from deputy police commits
Gioner TO the ash dumps at Coney Island
Captain Piper taken aback for q moment
then his wrath arose. but he restrained himself
and simply told the man TO make himself scarce
rapidly possible.
one OF the indignant citizens who made his pro-
test against the service given by the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company at the hearing Of the state
Railroad Commission last week from Ridge
wood
times have 10 wait half hour Sor n car. Then
again, number VIII come along together. We
bQnches."