Norwich bulletin., 1910-08-13

of common council, with the consent | and undoubtedly the advice, of his | honor the mayor, has ordered the cap
 tain of police to shift the beats of every policeman on the force with
 the exception of Officer Sheehan who | has been on duty in the Pequot col ony since appointed to the force many | years ago. Some of the officers have | been shifted from night to day duty
 and vice versa. and others who have
 been on duty in the centre or busi-
 ness section of the city have been | assigned to duty on the outskirts.
 Officers who have been on duty in
 the day time at and near the Union | station and are familiar with the de- | parture and arrival of all trains. l boats and trolley cars, with the busi- | ness industries and all information
 usually sought by the inquring strangers have been removed to other | questioned they had the information l required at their tongues end. and | did not have to ask for the infornaa- l ton from others before it coul1 be | handed out to the stranger.
 | With the exception of Mir. SAeeh7i. the changes were not made without
 regard to the place of residence of l the officers, so that when relieved from duty they would be convenient | to their homes, for they all have 70 I report at the police station before be- I ing relieved from duty just the same
 as they do when reporting for duty. i Mir. Sheehan resides in the Pequot 1 section where he is assigned to duty,
 and he has to report at the police l station at 2 o'clock each evening and | then proceed to his beat near his | home but he Is not required to re port at the station before going off | duty in the morning. He wonld oe required to walk three miles for that purpose, as no trolley cars are run | ming at o'clock in the morning when 1 his tour of duty ends.
 Were he shifted to another beat his successor would be compelled U walk | to the station house every morning or become a resident of .he Pequot | colony. So Mir. Sheehan's brother officers do not consider that any par | tiality has been shown Mir Shfehan | in this matter but that their con ! venience was taken into considera- | ton.
 ! responsible for the guardianship of his territory and will be called to the
 rack for any fragrant violation of la,v that he does not report to police head
 quarters without delay. It is said that neglect in this respect Is what l prompted the changes.
 A cruiser, three torpedo boat de- stroyers, six submarine boats and the tender ship and a large revenue cut l ter in the harbor tends to the local belief that the government is finally realizing the value of New London HdfDOT lO lHC Silips Ol lilt lietNss dliI
 the hope prevails that there will oe 1 more appreciation as time goes on. | It was picturesque scene ana showed activity that would come if lever the station on the Thames be- comes "the great navy yard of tHe future" as the late John R. BoIles so often prophesied. and which he
 worked so hard in honest endeavor to accomplish.
 Hundreds of jackies were given shore leave and a rule they were well be-
 haved and added materially to the ac- tivity upon the streets, and incidental ly spent a few dollars just to help the business interests. Of course there were a few that became half seas over and had evidently crused into some place where they took on a cargo of that which intoxicates and even tan gled their sea legs. This shows that
 the lid is not on tight in New London on Sundays, in spite of the work of the police. the committee of fifteen and the state police.
 A policeman asked where the sailors got their arog made the reply: T feel confident that they get the booze in one of the drinking club rooms, for they are the only places where liquor is sold to any extent in the city. On the level, he said, T don't know of but three sa looms in the whole city where liquor can now be obtained on Sunday. but do know where there is club room where anyone who mas the price cap get all the booze wanted. sI know this and have reported it to headquarters. and every policeman on the force knows of the conditions just as well as I do. Why these club rooms are not closed to the general public, including the sailors from the warships. is more than can understand, for their opera tion is known to the prosecuting au- thorities. So it is no wOndep that the state police can come to New London and capture game that should be cov cred by the regular police force"
 There has been not only change of the men on the beats, but some of the beats have been so changed that important sections of the city that were well guarded before are now neg lected during certain hours. This is quite marked in lower Bank street. where recent murder was committed and which needs police protection more than most other sections. Since the change that section is absolutely with out police protection from o'clock in the afternoon until o'clock in the evening. or whereabouts. although sec tions noted for peace and quiet are ad- equately patroled.
 The police committee, while having what they consider to be an improve eration. might double the force in the vicinity of the railroad station and State street especially while hundreds of jackies are on shore leave.
 
 That was a cute little play made at the special meeting of the court of common council Monday evering when George H. Grout was announced as candidate for the vacant office of as- sistant city clerk, which Robert A. Woodwork resigned week before to become sealer Of weights and meas ures. Mir. Grout formerly held that non paying position. but resigned when he was elected to the board of school visitors, an office which he still holds. He came back with expectation that being assistant would be a stepping stone to the city clerkship in the event of City Clerk Byron A. F'oneS being elected to the office of town clerk made vacant by the death of Frank l.. Ken yon. It is not the rule in New Lon don for one man to hold two city of- fees, but this was overlook d in the case of MT. Grout. although it was taken into consideration by Mir Wood worth when he retired from the assist ant clerkship to take the seaier's place.
 MT. Zones is thoroughly efficient and is acknowledged to be perhaps the