Evening journal., 1913-05-07
WICKERSHAM ON
POLICE BOARD
Asks for Information Regard
ing Department Before
Taking Up Work
DEFER ELECTION OF
SURGEON UNTIL LATER

Contrary to the custom OF years,
when the Board of Police Commission
ers organized yesterday afternoon,
they failed to elect a police surgeon.
The term of DR. Joseph L. Wales, as
surgeon. expired on April 30. He Will,
however. hold his Office until he Is re-
elected or his successor is chosen.
Mr. StaytOn informed the board that
according to the custom the police
surgeon had always been elected at
the first meeting in May with the cleo
tion OF the president of the board.
President Bowers requested that the
matter he delayed and Mr. Stayton
said he could see no reason why the
matter should be Tut over. President
/ Bowers said the law required that a
surgeon be elected annually, but that
the law did not specify any particular
date He said he was not ready az
/ this time TO vote for a surgeon. and
that he could not name a date when
] he would be ready TO vote for ones-
General I. Pusey Wickersham, the
new commissioner. agreed with Mr..
Mr.. Bowers, and said he did not think
the Department would suffer In the
least from the commissions failure TO
elect a surgeon at this time
Mr. Stayton wanted to know what
the Department would do If Or. Wales
should refuse to serve, and he was
told in case Of necessity the Depart
ment could get another surgeon for
temporary service.
After considerable discussion. on
the motion of General Wickersham
the board decided to defer action in
the matter to some future date.
II was General Wickersham's first
meeting with the board He succeeds
Charles r. Jones. whose term eN-
pired on April 80 General Wicker
sham presented his credentials, and
the board was reorganizezd.
William II. Bowers, on motion o.
General Wickersham, was elected
president of the board to succeed Mr.
Jones. Mr. Bowers thanked the mem-
bers of the board for the honor con-
ferred upon him.
After taking his seat, General Wick
ersham explained that he knew very
little of police work. and that to ia
mliarize himself with the department
he would like to have a book of po-
lice rules and a sample Of all the
blank forms used by the department
He also said he wanted to know all
the officers and men of the depart
ment. their age, grade, and the duty
required of them so that he could
keen strict tally on the department
He asked for a list of all the appil
cants for positions on the force and
a list Of all the police property. He
: said he thought that to have this in.
3! formation was the duty OF a police
commissioner and that all PROPERTY
should be looked after.
Chief Of Police George Black toll
the new commissioner that his Office
e is open to him at all times and tina
any information would be. cheerful,
! given.
The members Of the Commission
took up the request of the Join
; Building Commission that IL decide
upon how much space it will require
I'm the proposed joint building. Thu
commissioners we're of the opinion
4 that the Police Department is one o
: the most important that will b'
q housed in the new building and tina
o for future provision should be mad
. for the department Mr.. Bowers salt
a he did not care especially for the pre-
?. sent plans of the building. The matte
= Of space will be, taken up in anothe
! time.
r. Special reports OF all the distric
+ sergeants we're received showing NJ
). violations Of the liquor laws by club
n of the city.
n The report Of the patrol sergeant
for April showed the patrol made %
s calls. carried 2S2 persons and travel
II ed 357 miles. The matrons had AZ fe
males in their charge during III
month. During ,he same period Chic
Of Police George Black collecte
S1451O in dog taxes. The fines col
: lected in the city court last wee
amounted to s1S45O During the wee
80 prisoners we're committed to tn
- workhouse