Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-07-22

Following a complicated legal and
parliamentary tangle in which the
members of the Board of Aldermen
and the City Attorney all took turns
at giving opinions and stating their
view of the circumstances before
them, the Eoard last night adopted
the majority report of the Aldermanic
police committee, which was to re-
fnstate Patrolman Stanley Koscielniak
to the force. following payment by
him of fine of 500. Kosielniak will
also lose his salary from the time he
was suspended till the day Of his re-
instatement
The action of the Board in trying
to decide whether to adopt the minor
ity report of the police committee,
which was for immediate dismissal of
Koscielniak from the force. or the
majority report which called for his
reinstatement, soon became so COM
plicated that City Attorney Leo Gold
berger was asked for advice every few
minutes on how to proceed or the
legality of such actions.
Thought Minority Won
When the board first acted on the
matter 1t was thought that the min
ority report had been carried, that
Koscielniak was dismissed from the
Force and the case disposed of. But
City Attorney Goidberger brought
InG dtLcIlLlQA VI llG bOol W VIC
fact that the motion, as it was pass
ed, favored action on the minority
report, which was for dismissal, but
did not stipulateN what action the
board should take. Councilman John
J. Clark, who made the motion that
the minority report be acted upon,
declared that by passing by vote of
six "ayes" to one pass" the recon-
mendation contained in that report
I,of NJ
his resolution meant the dismissal OF
the officer.
The report of the police committee,
which is composed Of Aldermen Will
son, Waters and Riedy, came in two
parts, one being that of the majority
(Wilson and Riedy) which called for
the fine and reinstatement, and the
other of the minority (Waters) which
recommended immediate dismissal
Vote ON Minority Report
AS soonNa as the clerk had completed
his reading of this report Alderman
Clark moved that action be taken on
the minority report. Alderman Waters
seconded the motion and when put to
a vote all said AYE" with the excep-
passed.
Alderman Wilson then called for
similar action on the majority report
his motion that It be taken up for
action. But right at this point was
where the matter began to get com
plicated.
further action was necessary as by
passing his motion, the report of the
minority committee had been approx
ed and the matter was ended with dis
missal for the officer the outcome of
the Boards action.
Put Cne Over ON G. o. p.
Alderman-at-Large Grouse declared
Alderman Clark had put one over"
on the Republican members of the
Board but he was willing to let his
vote stand. Alderman Wilson then
said he also was satisfied with his
vote declaring that "the police force
will be better off without this man.
1 am for the betterment of the police
system first last and always" Alder
man Anderson declared he saw the
..hitch" in Clark's motion and that
was why he passed. Alderman Riedy
argued that there had been misun-
derstanding with the way the motion
was worded but the vote had been
taken and the action of the board
stood,
Everyone seemed to be satified that
the case had been disposed of and the
report of the police committee in the
case of Officer Lester Underhill,
charged with taking the police auto
mobile out on the afternoon of July
4 without permission and causing the
car to be damaged. was heard. A
recomm endation that Underhill be
fined SIS, receive no pay from the
time he was suspended until he is
renstated, that he pay for all dam
ages done to the car and that he be
removed as chauffeur on the police
automobile and returned to patrol
mans duty was adopted by the board,
all voting in favor with the exception
OF Alderman Anderson who voted
mo"
At tie conclusion OF this action