Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-22
SHIFTED Police
TAKE NEW POSTS
Some Will Have Chance to Make
Cood-Others Are to
Be Dropped
CLEANUP OF CITY ORDERED

Twenty three police lieutcnants be-
gan work in new districts and at new
assignments this morning, following the
greatest police shake-up in the city's
history.
The shake-up went into affect at ~
O'Clock last night. Nearly one half the
total number of lieutenants were trans
ferred.
For some the transfer is but the pre-
iiminary step to dismissal. Others
Know they are on probation in their
new districts, with dismissal penalty
II they don't make good.
Every one of the transferred men
was on duty at his new station early
this morning. The patrol squads that
went out at midnight and at 8 o'clock
were greeted by their new superiors.
The lieutenants evidently took the
transfers seriously, for they passed the
word along to the patrolmen and ser
geants that Director Cortelyou was out
after results and that the goods must
be delivered.
Give Clean. Up Orders
They passed on to their subordinates
virtually the same its tructions regard
ing the cleanup Of the city that had
been handed to them at the front.
The shifting of the lieutenants is the
second step in the reorganization of the
police bureat. The first was taken
more than week ago when every police
captain was transferred.
A general shakeup of sergeants and
patrolmen along the line is the next
step expected, along with the dismis-
sal of some of the lieutenants under
whom "the skids" were placed by
transfer to highly undesirable posts by
Yesterdays order.
"Police lieutenants and captains
didn't understand and thought that di-
rections came from outside and not
from within. Several were placed on
iceboats and police boats so they may
gradually come to understand. The ad-
ministration knows it is on trial al
ready
That comment on the changes was
made by Mayor Moore last night. He
had conferred with Director Cortelyou
several times regarding the transfers
before they were announced.
To Fill Three Vacancies
Three districts are left without com
manding lieutenants by the shakeup.
They are the Fifteenth and Snyder ave
nue., the Twenty eighth and Oxford
streets and the Tenth and Buttonwood
streets stations.
Tommy Walsh" a City Hall de-
tective, and former Lieutenants Horns
by and Zinn. who resigned under the
former administration, are expected to
get the appointments. Acting lieuten-
ants will be in charge in the meantime.
-Four lieutenants, said to have been
strong supporters and workers for the
ware administration, reported for duty
on board city police and freboats to-
day. y
The new ''admirals'' are Harry
Pluckfelder, Frank Hustler, John j.
kerns and William A. Elvidge. These
exiles to the ''police navy are ex-
pected to "slip and fall overheard by
other police officials.
Extend Welcome
West Philadelphia gave q cordial well
come today to- the three police lieuten-
ants sent there by Director of Public
Safety Cortelyou to take charge of dis
tricts.
a number of businessmen were at the
Twenty ninth district station Sixty
first and Thompson streets, this morn
ing to greet Lieutenant John Ewing.
They presented him with an armchair.
luG lieutenant was III CuuTRc OF C0e
district three years ago, but was trans
ferred under the Smith administration.
In addressing his men at rollcall
Lieutenant Ewing said that all he would
ask of then: was attention to police
work. He wanted to see the district
the best poiiced section of Philadelphia
He was cheered at the conclusion Of
his address.
Flowers decorated the Office of Lieu
tenant Charles e. Kunkel when he took
charge of the Sixteenth district station
at Thirty ninth street ana Lancaster
avenue. Business men who knew him
nine years ago, when he was in COM
mand of the district, were present to
congratulate him.
Lieutenant John Barry was also
warmly greeted when he assumed COM
mand of the Thirty second district sta
tion at Sixty fifth street and Wood
land avenue.
In three of the districts no changes
will be made in commanders. Lieuten-
ant George F. Boston remains at the
Twenty first district station, Thirty
second street and Woodland avenue
Lieutenant Samuel Ellis at the Forty
second district station, Fifty fourth
street and Media avenue, and Lieuten :
ant James Jeffreys at the Thirty eighth
district station, Fifty fifth and Pine
streets.