The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-25
JERSEY CITY POLICE
CHIEF is ACQUITTED
Board Clears Him on Charges
of Drinking and Insub-
ordination.
TRIUMPHS OVER OLD FOE

Chief OF Police Frank Monahan OF
Jersey City. once the head OF the Patrol
mems Benevolent Association, was ac-
quilted Of charges of insubordination,
neglect OF duty and i~ntoxicatlon by the
members Of the City Commission yester-
day after a trial OF several hours. d.
rector Of Public Safety Frank Hague,
one VI the trial body. who has had one
continuous clash with the !. Il. A. since
he took office. was the complainant.
Monahan was absolved from wrong
doing by the votes Of Mayor Mark ".
Pagan. who was Mayor in 1905, when
Monahan was jumped from a %patrolman
to Chief Of Police within a few months
Director Of Street and Public Improve
ments Henry Byrne and Director of
Parks and Public Buildings A. Harry
Moore. Director Hague and Director Of
singer were against the chief.
II has been an open secret in jersey
city for n long time that Hague was
anxious to rave Monahan get out OF the
department, but the "Big Chief" as he
Is known. simply refused to retire. The
chief. who Is a bit of a joker. said that
the job was the best one he yer had
and he never expected 20 get a better
one therefore he intended TO hang on
to II as long a the good Lord would
let him.
Then Commissioner Hague began to
have skirm,shes with the politicians in
the Patrolmen's Benevolent Assocla-
ton. both In Jersey City and in the
. 1. iatn ftta hail0 ns rrontnN IA ~
posed the +. Il. A. bills and the organiza-
ton fought his measures tooth ard nail
whenever they popped ~. lie succeeded
In getting a measure through hat gave
him the RICH. TO try offending policemen
himself without the necessity OF the
entire commission sitting and there was
weeping and waillng n gnashing OF
teeth among the men IN the department.
speech Angered Hague.
Al a dinner given by former Police
Judge John Warren at Healy's res'au-
rant in New York on May ! chief Mona
han made a speech. the printed accounts
OF which credited him with u~itering de-
tiance to the Director OF Public Safety.
He was reported 10 have said that po-
licemen and fremen had been in politics
for years and would continue to remain
In politics. II was also said that the
chief inferred that the police were out
TO defeat Hague for reelection and that
he, the chief, might res gn and run for
COMMISSIONS himself.
Hague was as mad as a halter over
the version OF Monahan's speech that got
into the papers and preferred charges
against him. II was expected that
Monahan would consent to retire on a
pension and get out OF the department.
but he made VI his mind 20 defy Hague
and stand trial. Then Hague amplifed
his ~riginal charges by accusing the
chief of returning 10 Jersey City after
the speech and liquoring M In sundry
saloons on Sunday morning. which he
claimed was wrong In a CHIEF who had
sworn TO enforce all laws. including the
Sunday excise laws.
The chief retained Alexander Simpson
10 defend him and the first thing Simp-
son did when the trial got under way
Yesterday morning was TO challenge the
right OF Commissioner Hague TO sit on
the trial body. Mayor Pagan alone
agreed that Simpson was right in his
contention. The others overruled the
lawyer and Monahan pleaded not guilty.
Saw Chief In saloon on sunday.
William McAullfr OF c59 Second stree.
the frst witness. said he saw Monahan
in the bar room OF the Imperial Hotel
on Sunday. MAY .. between II 30 L. NJ
and | 80 4. VI.
Charles Cook. night manager Of Nc
Nulty's restaurant. said he saw the chief
and McNulty sitting AZ q table in the
restaurant on May . with TWO covered
bottles, eight incacs high, IN front 81
them. He could not tel. IL they CON
tanned champagne
Edward Moore, bartender 81 the I'm
perial Hotel. said the chief Rad tarec Or
-four drinks az the bar on May ? and
paid so o. 90 cents for them.
Judge James l.. polan, who succeeded
Judge Warren IN the First Criminal
Court. testified he heard chief Monahan
say IN his speech that the police wanted
Justice, but he was sure Monahan didn't
mention Commissioners Hague's name.
He was satisfied the Chief was sober
at the time,
chief M,nahan in his own defence de-
clared that 10 the best OF his recol-
lection ne said In his speech: They say
the police and fremen are In politics.
| say the politicians have dragged them
into politics. I hope to live 10 see the
dry when good and able iuen viii
be elected to the Legislature. - the
police as a whole will get justice"
lie insisted ne drank vichy only when
he got hack to Town.