New-York tribune., 1913-07-14
Probe of Police Pension System,
for Which John D., Jr., Pro-
vided S25, 900, Will Hit
the Commissioner.
Used TO RETIRE BAD ONES
Abnormal Number Placed on
List for General and Feeble
Condition" - S10,000,-
600 Yearly Cost in De-
cade Unless Checked.

Robert Won Reutlinger, a statistician,
and six assistants for the last four
months have been working i'm an effort
n straighten out the muddle of the
New York police pension bureau. Their
labors have centred principally in the
United States Census Bureau. at Wash
ington. Won Reutlinger's report, in be-
half of the Curran police investigating
committee, will be ready within two
weeks. it was learned yesterday.
This work. which is being done at the
EXPENSE Of John d. Rockefeller, jr., has
cost 10 date almost $4,000 a reporter
for The Tribune was told yesterday.
Before the task Is completed. most Of
the $4,000 advanced by Mr.. Rockefel-
Ter for this purpose will be spent
The report will be ready for presen-
,ation to the Board OF Aldermen at the
special meeting Of the board in August
or at the first regular melting, Septem-
Der %. after the summer recess.
Won Reutlinger and his men, who
have the computation machines and
other facilities Of the Census Bureau
at their disposal, have gone back eighty
years in their efforts to give the Police
Department a pension system that will
be fair to the policemen and to the
citizens.
The Won Reutlinger report. which
will be the last section of the Curran
committees report will conclude the
work Of the committee, which was APP
pointed Immediately after the murder
II Herman Rosenthal.
viii Contain Waldo Admission.
The report, it was said yesterday
in the main will be an indictment OF
the present system Of pensioning po-
licemen. It will contain an admission
made by Police Commissioner Waldo
To Mr.. Won Reutlinger that many in
efficient policemen, who cannot be dis
missed on charges, are retired on pen
sions
The report will show. il was aid that
nearly twoscore Of police pensioners
are drawing salaries from other city
departments. This the report will con-
denim as unjust TO the taxpayers, VINO
in 1912 paid $2.O94.OO toward the PEN
sons of policemen. Computations
made by the investigators, it was said
will show that if the present method
is pursued taxpayers of this city will
pay 100000 a year for retired po-
licemen's pensions within the next ten
years.
Some Of the cases Of pensioned po-
licemen who are also drawing salaries
from other city departments are those
Of William H. Lake. who has drawn
500 annually from the Police Pension
Bureau for seventeen years. and who
for a period short of that by two
months has been drawing $2,4OO year
~ from the Controllers office; Henry
Hahn. with a pension Of $1,000, is re-
ceiving 81. 800 from the state Con-
trollers office, and Patrick J. Lane.
who draws a pension Of 81, 100, receives
Sl,5O0 yearly as a court attendant.
Too many policemen. the report Will
say, are retired for general and feeble
condition" when in reality they are in
the prime Of health. a recommenda-
ton for more exacting medical exam
nations Of applicants for pensions will
be incorporated in the report, along
with the suggestion that all pensioners
must be re-examined annually, and
when they are found TO have regained
health warranting their return 10 ac-
tive service that this will be ordered.
Retirement Ratio Abnormal.
The report will say that the proper
tion Of retirements in Commissioner
Waldos administration has been alb
normal Although the ratio Of increase
in the last ten years has been 03 per
Continued on second page, seventh column