New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-08
Alderman Expects Majority OF
Committee to Side with Him
in Waldo Criticism.
ESTERBROOK FOR REPORT
Brooklyn Fusion Member, Who
Is III, Will Sign 1t o-day
Pension System Will
Be Attacked Later.


Commissioner Waldo as UNI and incom-
petent and urging his removal from the
head OF the Police Department. will in al
probability he adopted by a majority vote
Of the members OF the committee when
II meets tomorrow
This a least was the belief Of Henry
II. Curran, chairman Of the committee,
yesterday. He said Alderman Esterhrook,
who is IN at his home in Brooklyn, would
sign the majority report this afternoon.
and Il is expected that the two fuslonists.
Downing and Shipley. who remained
away from last Wednesdays meeting and
re Gardine whose attitude there was some
doubt will vote for the adoption of the
majority report. Even II only one Of
them supports Mr.. CuTan the report
asking Mayor Gaynor to remove Waldo
can be adopted
Chairman Curran said he would ask
the Board Of Aldermen a. its meeting
Tuesday TO delay action for a week I'm
order that each member Of the board may
make a thorough personal study Of the
report. Should there be any attempt on
the part Of the fusionists 10 make the
report party measure such action will
be frowned upon by Mr. Curran.
Esterbrook Anxious to Sign.
Alderman Esterbrook. who is suffering
from tonsilitis. had high fever yester-
dav his temperature Wavering between
l03 and 1o4 during the day and night Mrs
Esterbrook called up Chairman Curran In
the afternoon and said her husband
wanted 10 sign the report. although he
was unable 10 leave his bed. Curran and
the chief counsel to the committee.
Emory r. Buckner. will. therefore. go to
the aldorman's home to-day with the re-
port.
In addition 10 the fight in the Board Of
Aldermen that is expected when the time
comes to vote on the report. another
battle is predicted when Chairman Cur
ran informs the board its report will not
be completed until July 10.
This is expected 10 raise a howl from
the Tammany members of the board. Il s
the aldermen adjourn on July until Sep
TENDER so that II the Curran committee
did not complete its final report until
July Is II would, Of necessity, continue its
existence until at last the first fall meet
ing Of the Board Of Aldermen, thus keep
ing this much Tammany-h ed committee
alive up to the time when the mayoralty
campaign would be in fairly good swing.
The fusion members Of the Curran com
mittee expect there will be an effort on
the part of the Tammany aldermen 10
vote the Curran committee out Of exist
ence before the board adjourns for the
summer and incidentally wipe Il of the
map as an active force before Tammaay
begins to lay plans for the fall campaign.
The section of the Curran report that
will not be completed before July Is re-
lates to the police pension system. II is
being prepared by pension expert named
Won Reutlinger. who has not only studied
the police pension system. but the pension
systems Of several Industrial institutions.
There will be three big criticisms Of
the police pension system The first Will
be general and describe the police pen
sion system as wholly unjustifiable from a
business point Of view. This will be based
on the fact that last years police pension
was made up largely by direct contri-
button from the pockets Of taxpayers. who
subscribed more than s1,l00.000 for the
purpose. while the policemen themselves
contributed only $4,000.
Present Practices Criticised.
The system will also be criticised be-
cause Of the way 1t is now being adj
minstered, and the report will urge that
al n
their duty be not retired on pensions, as
is now the custom when the department
wants to get rid OF an undesirable
which really happens now and then-and
that some other means should be found Of
furnishing these de!inquents will be
urged
The report will criticse. too, the retiring
of men physically able to perform the
duty OF policemen. 1t will show that
strong. healthy policemen have been able
to find agreeable surgeons who were Will
ing to declare. and did declare, that the
officers were physically disabled. To pre-
vent this. the report will ask that more
exhaustive examination be made OF appli-
cants for retirement, and that after their
retirement they be examined annually so
that should their health after their re-
tirement be such that they could again
perform the duties of policemen, they
may return to the force.
1t was reported yesterday that the
fourth section OF the Curran Committee
report, which will be voted on tomorrow
would recommend an increase In the sal
ary of patrolmen in the first year from
ssOo-the present salary for a first year
man-to 5000.
Other recommendations will include an
extension of the Police Commissioner $
term from five years TO eight years; an
increase in his salary from $500 TO w.
COO: an amendment to the charter TO en-
able an increase in the number OF deputy
police commissioners as occasion might
require, and the adjustment OF the pres
ent inspection districts which the COM
mttee finds too large. and reapportion-
ment creating smaller districts. The re-
port also advocates the removal OF the
Police Commissioner either by the Mayor
or the Governor, but only after trial on
charges.
The fourth section, II is said. comes out
strongly against a state constabulary'
NH