Norwich bulletin., 1918-04-06
NEW lONDON'S POLICE MATTERS
Jeers Succeeded as Acting Captain By Policeman Pnney- Government Had Not Demanded Change-Work of Railroad Detectives = Workmen at Submarine Base Threatened With Arrest While Boarding Cars in Yard -Gross Lack of Courtesy.

to become captain, but he felt that his time associate Jeffers ought to be captain and that he was entitled to the lieutenancy. The election of Pin ney as acting captain will not neces- E sarily occasion any other changes in the department.
 lt eaa be said right here and now, despite the erfounded assertion of the mayor, and the bunch of biuffers, that | for the past three mociihs at least, the efficiency Gf tho department was the equal of any in New England. Now, and during that period, and before i for that matter, there gre at least 5000 1 sailors and civilian workmen in the i city in addition to the largely increas ed regular population. The mayor has | cried for more police efficiency, but 1 neither he nJr those who are with him l in the attack upon Lieutenant Jeffers, 1 have even hinted to ttA necessary in 1 crease in the number Of policemen. The small force, kept busy in the ] days when there were practically no trans;ents are now expected to. cope
 with this greatly increased number that are now here The officers have surely done their best to preserve peace and order and their success under the circumstances is almost mar velous. Still the mayor, and hts close adherents are not satisfied because
 JefferyN against whom shey cannot
 mustr up tenabie charge after his
 long service. IS an officer in the de-
 pertinent. It's about time the bluff
 was called. According to posted notices in rail- way stations and in passenger oars, Courtesy is the watchWord of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, and it is exacted of all who have business with the public. and even the ticket agents have been orr dered to keep smiling. so as to send the passengers away in pleasant mood, and as an expression of railroad courtesy. But, based on late develop ments courtesy is not known to the class designated as Bulls. or railroad 1 special officers. This is quite notice able of late when a new batch Of lofficers Bulls have been located. in the 1 local pasture. One day last week an l old gentleman. lifelong resident Of 1 the city, while seated on the bench near. the boot black stand in the station : reading newspaper and enioying, qaiet smoke, while waiting to take ! passage on a belated train was &C., i costed by one of those Bulls, who was
 uot far removed from bully, in thls courteous way: Say old man cut of-t that smoking. and right now O. Of you go to the police station; do you hear me-"
 "There was nothing about the Bull
 to signify he was clothed with au- the erity, and he had the appearance in
 ,style and dress of the fraternity once known as tramps. Naturally the 4oid
 igentIemen felt just little bit hurt,
 and resented the manner in which he
 Twas accosted, and asked the fellow
 who he was and by what right he . made the demand to quit smoking
 something that had been permitted 1T , ;he station for years. .,Tle received , this reply: ''No matter who I am
 dent give me any gulf or off you go I want you to know that an a de-
 tective aJrailroad detective. and, have full authority to place you under ar rest and prosecute you in court; abu' ] I'll let you off this time. Don't let nlt
 catch you smoking in here again. tha ts
 all' Is that railroad, courtesy? Is ? that the sort of chap that should bt selected as railroad detective?
 That some of these rai:roa,t Bull, lack intelligence and eood iudshaen was demonstrated at tl1e railway sta : tion last Wednesday morning early just before the departure of tke trail for the submarine base, long trail
 of ten cars that carry over l2c0 civil
 ian workmen to the base. engaged il 5 emergency work for the federal gov ernment. It seems these special Bull I have orders to arrest all trespasser ? on railroad property, and the wonde a is that they have not taken into GUS 2 tody all who cross thes tracks to tn [ ferry or the municipal pier. or eve the passengers who cross the track to board trains on tracks two, thre and four. By their act. it would seer . to be the interpretatio1 Of orders b
 some of these ignoran Bulls who cer : tainly lack judgmeEt, and are stran ' gers to tact. This train for the sub ' marine hase extended far beyond tn | depot p'atfo~n and some Of the wori; . men loa-6ed tto taraa rear cars. I II so do:n~ they were obliged 10 20 ont z lrailroad property below the station. e The fresh Bulls were onto their iol e and thought they saw a golden oE . rortunitv to make good with the Bul # higher up. Through their bullheadnes or rather the act of one of the Bull Q the same chap who insulted the ol ,f gentleman in the station, delibera tel , locked the doors of the three rear cal # and yelled to the occupants that the 's were under arrest and all his prisor a CTS. The Bull then had the irnpuden+ If to order the conductor to set off tE
 locked cars containing the workme i. that he intended to, transform in :. criminals. That Bull got his answ If from that conductor, and call dow I'd for interfering with the operation ea the train. The doors were unlockt se and the workmen came out; and tn tv particular Bull disappeared.
 ed Of course the wc~kmen were indi. ne nant at such treatment from repr at sentative of the railroad eempau a- they patronized daily, and assert, nt their right to be treated as passenee he and not be domineered over and cias on ed as criminals by an ovsr-oficfo
 railroad Bull of low grade. The fee = ing of these men extended all tfIr-6g1