New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-10
SEES
PULL In TRANSFER
Lost Traffic Job After Sum.
moning Chauffeur for
Friend of Mayor.

Patrolman Gustave Soderburg, o. the
West Tooth Street station. returned TO
his home, at 1927 Third Avenue, last
night, after his disappearance from
post early Wednesday morning caused
the department TO send out a general
alarm FOR him. He said he had wan
dered away while his mind was upset
by the humiliation Of being transferred
for arresting the chauffeur Of an in
fuentisl citizen.
Soderburg, tall, athletic and well edu-
Gated, has been d patrolman for eight
years. He wears two bronze stars on
his sleeve, having received the depart
ment "Commendation and Honorable
Mention"
Until few days ago he WAS attached
TO Traffic c. Last night he charged
that his transfer to the West Tooth
Street station resulted from giving a
summons for a traffic violation TO the
chauffeur Of Jefferson De Mont Thomp-
son. q lawyer, clubman and member OF
Mayor Mitcheps traffic commission.
81 was regulating traffic at Thirty
fourth Street and Fifth Avenue about
three weeks ago" Soderburg said,
when saw a chauffeur deliberately
running on the wrong side Of the
street. He refused 20 heed ny signal,
and rs he turned into Thirty-fourth
Street | jumped on the running board
and compelled MIN to halt while / made
out the summons.
"A woman in the car told me her
husband was Mr.. Thompson, OF me
MAYORS traffic commission. | told her
that made no difference 70 me- ana she
replied:
..'You won't use abusive language
n me. We will see 20 IL that you are
dismissed within a week. You'll regret
this"
Abusive Language Charged.
Sodcrburg said he warned Mrs'
Thompson that she was interfering WIN
an officer and, when she persisted, that
he would place her under arrest on
that charge. She subsidized, the pstroi-
man added. when Mr.. and Mrs. Dun
Ian. OF the Hotel Biltmoro, who were
also I'M tho car. spoke TO her.
"Thc next morning the case went nc
fore Magistrate Murphy Soderoure
continued. "and even though Mr. Ihomp
son appeared and told who he was and
made quite talk, tho chauffeur was
fined 50.
and then / was tipped of that Mrs.
Thompson had been down 70 see the
chief Of the Traffic Squad, Inspector
Meyers. was called down and MIS-;
Thompson's statement that | had used
abusive language read 70 me. insist
ed that she appear in person AZ the
hearing and left.
II went straight 20 Commissioner
Voods's Office" Soderburg added, "and
after / had laid the case before HIM
was told that u would be Investigated
The next ! heard was that ! had been
transferred 20 West Tooth street
81 turned out at midnight on lues--
dav and got 20 thinking. ] remembered
that a few years ago ! arrested Charles
Schwabs chauffeur, and ny reward was
q transfer. A little while after ! ar
rested the Italian Consul, and was
again transferred The same thing hap
pencd after ] arrested Berkman, the
anarchist, in a Union Square not dur
ing which | had 10 draw my gun 10 re-
cover my nightstlck.
81 got 70 wandering. | guess ! walked
n lot" he said. All the time II kept oo-
curing 10 me, What's the use? It's
all right TO lock up poor guy that has
no connections, But let the big fellows
get away with anything they like If you
want to hold your job"
The last heard Of Soderburg was
when he reported over the signal box
a. 2:0s a. m. Wednesday. When ne
did not report between 3 and $3.50
o'clock. as the rules demand, Lieuten-
ant McNiF sent out another pstrolman
70 I'm dhim. Nothing having been heard
from him by 8 o'clock, a general alarm
was sent out.
Soderburg reported for duty last
night and made an evasive answer when
asked bv the lieutenant where he had
been. lie went out on patrol, and Will
be brought before Commissioner Woods
70 answer a charge Of leaving his post
without permission and another OF fall