Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-04-16
BOARD
DEFERS ACTION
ON DEMOT|ONS
Commissioners Think Governor
Will Help Them by Signing
House Bill 616.
MEN COULD BE REDUCED
AND STILL KEPT ON FORCE
Acting Inspector" Fails to
Cover His Seat at Board
Meeting.

The Board of Police Commissioners
deferred action yesterday afternoon
until April 26 in the cases of the nine
lieutenants and nine sergeants whom
they seek to reduce in rank. The
postponement of the case is taken to
await action by Governor Fielder
upon House bill No. SIG. as told in the
Evening Star.
The bill has passed both houses of
the Legislature and requires the gov
ernor's signature to become a law.
1t provides that "any person or per-
sons holding office or position under
the classified service, and whose posi-
tion has been abolished for any rea-
sons of economy or otherwise and not
because Of delinquency, shall, with
the approval of the Civil Service
Commission, be denoted to some
lesser office or position in the same
department in the regular order of
demotion."
1t seemed to be taken for granted
by the commissioners that Governor
Fielder was anxiously awaiting the
arrival of the bill at his office to at
tach his signature to it, despite the
fact that the measure has been ma
terially amended from it's original
form. 1t would help them out of a
hole.
Among other things, House bill SIG
provides that the names of men de-
NOTED shall be placed on list which
shall take precedence over the reg
~ 1setfa.
tions are to be made. At the time
when the police board firsta took
action to denote the men, the COM
missioners apparently considered that
they had the power to do this. The
recent decision by the State legal de-
partment in the cases of the five bat
talon fire chiefs who were denoted
by the fire board seems to cast grave
doubts upon this. The Civil Service
Commission must approve all demo-
tions before they can become effec-
tive.
Veto May Block Move.
Should the governor veto the bill,
the commissioners may be denied the
opportunity of making q show OF
"econony. This Saving. would
force the desk ieutepants back to
a day for seven days every week.
The promotion Of the men last De-
cember was to make possible the
present duty tour, and was a cul-
mination Of a fight for better work.
ing hours which the lieutenants made
for some time.
When asked why the board post
poned action yesterday, President
Frederick G. Breidenbach said that it
was to have "more time to consider
the matter and to await advices from
the Civil Service Commission and the
city's legal department.
The board transacted several minor
matters yesterday, although the ''act-
ing inspector" was not in attendance
at the meeting. This derellction by
the ''acting inspector" in the only
visible duty which the board has ever
found for him to perform, was i'm
mediately noticed and commented
upon by spectators at the meeting.
The board announced it's decision
in the case of Sergeant William G..
Hoffman, who was tried recently OH
charges of conduct unbecoming a
police officer. 1t was alleged that
early in the morning of March last,
Hoffman, without cause arrested
William v. Warren, of 164 Roseville
avenue, In a saloon on Orange street.
Warren, who was the only witness
against Hoffman, later withdrew from
the case, saying that it had caused
him unpleasant notoriety.
Hoffman alleges that Warren and a
friend were posing as government in
spectors in the saloon and acting sus-
piciously. They refused to give him
satisfactory answer when he asked
them their authority, he asserts.
Four other witnesses corroborated
parts of Hoffman's testimony at the
trial, which was held a month ago.
1CnntInued nm Pnxe IR. Cnlumn II