The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-14
CHEF MURPHY DECIDES TO GO
HEAD Of JERSEY CITY POLICE
rs RETIRED on HALF PAY.

saws II was Not Possible for Him TO Keep
His Place with Mayor Fag and Police
hoard Hostile 10 Him Thus Es-
capes Trial-Was ChIef for n Years.
BENJAMIN Murphy, chief of police Of
Jersey City for twenty-seven years, was
retired on half pay at his own request at a
meeting Of tho Police Board last night.
His retirement followed the action of the
commissioners in adopting a resolution
diminishing the charges which have been
preferred against the chief by Detective
sergeant Frank Monshan, Mayor Fagan's
private sleuth, at the direction Of the Mayor
and removing the order suspending Murphy
from duty pending trial Of the charges.
The preliminary arrangements for the
chiefs retirement were made early in the
evening, when the speeches delivered at
the meeting by Corporation Counsel George
l.. Record, representing the administra-
ton and James b. V~redenburgh, Murphy's
counsel, were carefully prepared. The
Iawvers had a conference with Mayor
Fagan in the latter's Office before going
into the meeting.
President j. Herbert Potts and Commits
e.oner John +. McNulty. Pagan men, and
Commissioner John Mitchell, Dickinson
Republicans, chatted together twenty min
utes after entering the meeting room,
while waiting for the lawyers to appear.
President Potts announced that the meet
ing was called to fix a day for the chiefs
trial and Corporation Counsel Record said:
This is a public matter. Personally I
have no feeling against Chief Murphy.
II the trial goes on my part in it will bethe
performance Of a painful duty If the
chief prevails the necessity Of discipline
must be apparent to him, with his long
experience. Can you state, MIR. Vreden-
burgh, what the chiefs position is in this
matter?'
Mr.. Vredenburgh replied: Il can see
no substantial reason why Chief Murphy
should insist on remaining chief of police
of Jersey City. he is the servant OF the
Mayor and this board; his duty is to obey
and work in harmony with them. When
these charges are dismissed, owing to
the present conditions and lack Of har-
monv, his usefulness will be gone. He
is entitled to retire on half nay. He has
passed his sixty-irst birthday. say
therefore, il these charges are dismissed
and his suspension revoked, his police
record will be then untarinshed, n he
can. and [ will advise him, to place his
request for retirement in the hands OF the
board at once"
Mr.. Record said: 81 rave submitted Mr..
Vredenburgh's proposition to Mayor Pagan.
looks at the case in this way: that IL we go
on and prevail, the result is only that the
chief retires from his office. IL we succeed
in our case and the judgment OF the board
goes against him IT would be n question
in my mind whether he would not lose his
right to n pension. l am therefore author
lied to say that the Mayor will approve,
IL this board does, of Mr.. Vredenburgh's
= suggestion"
after a short recess Chief Murphy's appli-
cation for retirement was received and
granted. In his application the chief said
he was an honorably discharged Union
soldier. 81 years OF age, and had served
over twenty years in the department. y
His half pay will be 81 800 a year. At the
close Of the meeting Mr.. Murphy made this
statement to the newspaper men:
Nov that the charges have been dis,
missed by the Police Board and my record
made clear. l have retired from the force
for at least two reasons. First, l don't
believe it TO he possible to remain as chief
Of police with the Mayor and Police Board
hostile TO me. Having an interest IN the
welfare Of the city and its police administra,
ton, I believe il better some one else should
get the position. Secondly, IL the chief
is to be held responsible for petty crime he
not been reported to him by any one, he
would nave to defend himself against
charges continually"
The charges against Chief Murphy were
based on the allegation that he had failed
to suppress policy dives and the operations
OF handbook and poolroom men.
On December / Mayor Pagan engineered
a rad participated in by trusted Pagan
cops, in which five policy dealers were
caught with the goods on and three
handbook men were captured. ON the
morning Of the raid the seven police cap.
tains in the city filed reports with the Chic
saying there was no gambling OF any kinC
in their precincts. Inspector Samuel A
Archibald, retired on half pay as the re,
suit Of the Mayors charges, and the Chief
Captains Charles Cox, John +. Kelly anc
Albert Cummings, and seven detectives
we're suspended pending trial on lorna
charges. The police board will meet OF
Monday night to fix a date for the trials o
the captains and detectives.
BENJAMIN Murphy was born in Ireland OF
January 20, Is45. He enlisted in the Eight
New Jersey Infantry before he was II an'
was in eighty-two battles and minor en-
gagements, he reaching the rank Of Cap
tain. He was appointed on the jersey
City police force on May 7, 1873, by a boar
which was a tie politically, and was mad
Chief on August 4, 1879.