Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-09
PRIVATE WATCHMEN
IN CITY TOTAL 37q
They Guard Properties and Are
Not Paid by the
Municipality
HAVE BADGES AND PISTOLS

There are $3.50 men employed in ri,
city ms private watchmen. either in fac.
tories or large buildings, and on IN.
street in residential districts. Accord.
ing to Chief Clerk Gilbert, Of the IN.
reau of Police, the number Of ma,
guarding department stores, apartmer,
houses and large Office buildings NUN.
ber $500, the total of private pa,ro,.
men being 2J0.
Although both classes of watcbm.,
are paid by private concerns or ne,vb.
borhoods, they are technically und.,
police supervision In that the Direc,o.
Of Public Safety has the power TO "a. ,
ject any of them.
IL was through that power that As.
sistant Director Tempest revoked ~.
commission of G. D. Magnavits who Il
is alleged, was found In a restaurant A.
III North Broad street on December a.
when he should have been guarding ibs
houses between Morris and Teskor
streets and from Broad to Sixteenth
street.
Guard" Put Up Hands
The fact that Magnavita was in tbs
restaurant came out in the report thai
eleven patrons Of the place we're held
up by two bandits. The private patrol.
man, although armed with a reyolye,
is said to have made no attempt To
prevent the robbers making their "a.
cape. Instead of acting, 1t is charred,
he put up his hands along with the
others who were unarmed. These facts
were brought before the special Crime
Commission appointed by Director Cor
telyou to investigate the restaurant rob.
berry and the hold-up and shooting Of
r. T. Moorhouse, paper mill owner,
at Bridge and Thompson streets,
Bridesburg, and, as q result, the
watchman was dismissed.
In the opinion of Assistant Director
Tempest, there will be no need OF pri-
vate patrolmen and the consequent er.
ira expense to the taxpayers II City
Council accepts the suggestion of the
Special Crime Commission, and pro.
vides enough money to pay 1900 addi-
tional patrolmeu. .r
"Of course, n good watchman." said
the Assistant Director, lis unqucstion-
ably invaluable to any big firm which
finds II necessary to cover many floors
But feel sure il we can have the In
crease of policemen that every one
knows VIC must have sooner or later
there will be no need for hundreds OF
private watchmen and patrolmcn, now
paid by the taxpayers, who also con.
tribute to the upkeep Of the regular
police force"
As It Was In Clay's Time
Several interesting sidelights on tho
habits and workings of the private
watchmen and patrolmcn were obtained
from policemen who work in conjunc.
ton with them. ..
When Henry Clay was Director Of
Public Safety in the Reyburn Admin.
istration he issued orders to all private
patrolmen and in some instances to
watchmen Of Office buildings to report
every hour to the house sergeants OF the
nearest police station.
They were also compelled TO wear
a French gray uniform and carry club
and badge similar to that used by the
regular city policemen. The street
sergeant Of the police district was also
supposed TO visit the private watchmen
whenever he made his rounds Of the
regular beats.
But after Clay's time all such reg.
ularity was gradually eliminated until
now watchmen and private patrolmen
appear on tho street IN citizens clothes.
Their badges are inside their coats, but
they are permitted to carry revolverS
and are supplied with keys to fit the
police patrol boxes.
Private patrolmen are required TO
give bond of $50 for which they are
charged $3.50. All such watchmen are
sworn in at City Hall by Chief Clerk
Gilbert. The men employed at indus.
trial plants do not have to put up
bonds. as they are chosen by the firms
employing them.
The private patrolman Is sworn in
after he produces a signed petition OF
the majority of the residents ON the
beat he seeks to cover.