New-York tribune., 1907-10-17
POLICE BLOTTER TAKEN
LIEUTENANT SLEEPS ON.
Inspector Bmfeind Raids Station
House an Early Morning.

The excitement which followed the early
morning visits of Commissioner Bingham and
his deputies to the station houses all over the
greater city on Tuesday is still running high.
and there are a number of men in the depart
ment who would be willing to hand in their
designations and get out with their pensions still
intact if they could. The Commissioners state
ment that he would accept no designations until
he was sure the applicant was not one of those
who had been caught with the goods" has shut
off escape in that direction. and the delinquents
are now gathering their backing" to make
what fight they can when they are placed on
trial
There is no little trepidaton among the men
who were caught violating the rules OF the de-
partment by the early morning visitors, and it
was said yesterday that one lieutenant had al
ready sought legal advice to prepare to bring
suit for reinstatement, he was positive that
the trial Police Commissioner would break
him on the charge which he will be tried.
one incident was told throughout the various
police stations yesterday of the lax methods
which prevail in some of the precincts in the
heart Of the city. The incident in question hap
pened at the station in the 9th Precinct when
Inspector Burfeind surprised the desk lieutenant
on the morning of the visits. Much to his
surprise the inspector found the man at the
desk in a deep slumber. The formor walked be-
hind the desk but the officer still slept. So
picking up the blotter. which lay open on the
desk, Inspector Burfeind walked out into the
street without even waking the station house
cat. 1t is not known what happened then, If
anything, but evidently no woke up, for
the inspector. after shivering n corner for
nearly half an hour, waiting for the uproar which
he knew would follow the loss of the blotter
walked back to the station house Slamming
the door with bang the inspector walked back
of the desk. the lieutenant seeplly saluted.
How are things to-night?" asked the in
spector.
Very quiet" replied the lieutenant.
"By the way. where is the blotter, so that
can sign" asked Burfeind.
And then things began to 'sit up and take
notice in the station house.
The doorman and the reserves were sum-
moned. but they couldn't find the missing book.
and the sleepy lieutenant beginning TO be-
lieve that he never had one. when the inspector
pulled the blotter out from under his coat and
laid 1t down on the desk.
As Burfeind looked the book over he that
there We're several entries that would call for
an investigation. and he called Deputy Com
missioner BuGher who had been assigned at
Police Headquarters to watch out that no tips
We're sent out that tne OtHeT commissioners
were riding. Bugher evidently thought the
same for he ordered that the blotter be closed
up and brought to Police Headquarters and
new one started at the station house.
There was no more sleep for any at the
station house the rest of the night. the whole
force remained up all night talking over what
would probably happen.
Il keep my citizen clothes at the station
house when I am patrol" said one patrol
man. but hereafter l leave them at safe
deposit vault. for II the inspector could walk
in and get away with the blotter all of the
dips will give up the streetcars and start
working the station houses"
Tho Macdougal street station. which is COM
manded by Captain William Hodgins. was one
of those which was found 20. X" by the visI
tors. and it Is related that one OF the commits
sioners was held up in that precinct four times
by patrolmen and made TO explain his presence
in that section of the city before he was per-
mitted 10 go on
Another incident of the raid. which is being
told with much laughter. is about patrolman
I'm one of the lower West Side precincts who
ran into one of the deputy commissioners on
Tuesday morning. The patrolman has a post
on n warehouse street and he was somewhat
surprised to see a man walking slowly along
with no evident destination. Crossing the street
the patrolman accosted in no ''parlor language
the stranger. who at first demurred about tell
ing his business. After being threatened with
arrest the stranger brought out his shield and
complImented the patrolman on his good police
duty. but advised him to be more choice in his
language in the future.
When asked last night concerning the condi-
tions which had been found during the early
morning visit. OF the commissioners said
that there were other police stations in the heart
of the city where the desk lieutenants and men
supposed to be on patrol had been found asleep.
and that charges would be preferred against
them.