New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-11
Retires on Account of Phys
icaI Disability After q
Years on Force.
PRAISED BY GREENE
AND BY BINGHAM
He Will Receive Pension of
$1,75O-Leaves Department
with Clean Record.

Inspector George +. Titus, one OF the
most picturesque figures in the New YORK
Police Department became private citi-
zen at midnight last night. when his re-
tiremont on account of physical disability
went into effect. A month ago Inspector
Titus requested that he be retired because
Of the condition of one OF his kneecaps'
and after some difficulty in convincing
the medical board of his unhtness FOR
duty, finally won his point. He retlres
with a clean record, and will receive a
yearly pension of sl,750, which is half his
regular salary.
Titus joined the force as a patrolmah
in 1856. and the twenty-five years OF SER
vice necessary for retirement have been
TO his credit by more than two years.
However. in order 10 take advantage of
the twenty-fve-year rule the applicant
must he ffty-fve years old, and TITUS 5
ffty-ffth birthday is nine months IN the
future. Hence his application on the
ground of physical disability.
After he became a member or the force
Titus rose rapidly. and within year was
made a detective sergeant. He was re-
duced to the ranks by Commissioner
Roosevelt. who afterward reinstated nm.
I'm 1896 Titus was promoted to be heu-
tenant. and one year later he was mace
a captain.
commissioner Greene in 1903 appointed
Titus an Inspector The promotion came
at the same time as that of Inspector
Schmittberger. whose appointment De
trict Attorney Jerome strongly opposed
Jerome did not object TO the appointment
of Titus. however. and commissioner
Greene referred to the new inspector "a d
skilled police officer highly eligible anu
cue against whom no charges OF any KIM
had been recorded.
Prior to this time Titus had become
we'll known in society circles OWING ~
the fact that his personality ana aolil'y
had caused him on many occasions 10 NC
assigned for the protection Of guests al
fashionable affairs.
Early in 1906 Inspector Titus was maue
tho defendant in a 5000 suit brought
AGAINST him by George \. Stearns, law
yer. who alleged that he had been maue
the victim of false imprisonment AT ''o
hands of Titus. Detectives oppenue'i'
and C,rebe were co-defendantS with IltuS'
At the trial which aroused keen interest
amone the society friends OF the IN
snector Titus acted az attorney for NM
self and his colleagues. In that cap'oiN'
he handled the case so ably mat the Jug
found for the defendants.
When General Bingham was appoln'e''
Police Commissioner, in 1905, he acqulr0u
so much faith in the honesty OF nus '""'
no transferred him from the oth lhsPe'
ton District and placed him III chdree
~ the bureau of repairs and supplies
IIaadouarters This department IS consul
ered in police circles to afford the gredI-
est nossible opportunity for graft. As
evidence that Bingham was satisheu WI,
the work done by Titus. he was retained
in the grand shake-up in April 1871 N'el i
aisbt insnectors were reduced TO preclhoI
con,noanders and more than score oil
detectives sent away from the bureau
rnenector Titus was before the puon'
-, tho time Of the taXicab graft hearin7'
IN Nav 1918. In explaining his accouh'
with tn. Yellow Taxicab Company TO inc
grand Jury he said that II was a ies,ti
n,ate account. but that he PAID II oh''
ybe, il had reached respectable propo'
80 ~ about so. This contention WAC
''oho,d nv number of receipted p'l's
a'aduced IN evidence. which apparently
disposed OF the question Oh Iree ~
raised bv Assistant District Attorney Du
Nivicr