USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > Woodbridge > History of Woodbridge Township Police Department > Part 3
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On July 5, 1914, the fire commissioners of Fords requested a meeting with the Townshi p committee in regard to "placing a cage in the firehouse at Fords for the temporary confinement of prisoners." Mr. Mundy was named as a committee of one, but, I learned, that no cage was erected in Fords, although it was requested several times by the resid- ents of that district.
During this period, the constitutionality of the act of the Legislature, regulating the pay of patrolmen in the police force in other than first and second class cities, and in all Towns and Townships of the state, was being quiestioned. The act had been submitted to the voters of the Township of Woodbridge at the general election held in November 1910 and the act was accepted by the voters of the Township of Woodbridge by a large majority.
In the case of Sawyer vs Town of Kearny, it was decided by the Supreme Court that the act was unconstitutional because it embraced a double basis of classification of municipalities.
Early in May, the Chairman of the Township committee requested the Township attorney to give his opinion in relation to the salary that the committee has a right to pay the policemen. His opinion Was that the committee had no right to pay more than $2.00 a day. Makx What a blow to the policemen! However, no action was taken by the committee on the attorney's opinion and it was moved that the police be paid the April salary-the same as usual.
A week later, at a special meeting, Chairman Waring stated that "Whereas, the Township attorney at a previous meeting gave an opinion in relation to the pay of the policemen, he requested that the same be placed on the minutes." When the roll was called Mundy and Cooper voted in the affirmative while Gerity, Gill, Deter and De Haven cast their vote in the negative. The motion was declared lost. 't was then moved that the police question be laid over until a further meeting. "undy cast the only negative vote and the motion was declared carried.
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Page Thirty-four
Chapter 8.
The rumpus regarding police officers' salaries continued and in May of 1914, an ordinace to fix the annual-salaries and compensation to be paid the police of the Township of Woodbridge was adopted over the negative votes of Committeemen Cooper and Mundy. Although the Ordinance gave increase to the patrolmen they were not inaccordance with the act voted upon by the Township citizens, which act was later declared unconstitutional.
For the purpose of the record, it might be well to reprint parts of the ordinance, as adopted on May 25, 1912. The Ordinance , in part, reads as follows: n And Whereas, the legal voters of the Township of Wood bridge have heretofore both granted and raised money for the establishment and maintenance of a police department, and
Whereas, the Township Committee did thereupon by ordinance establish sách a police department and provide for the regulation and control and management of a police force, and
"Whereas, said Township committee for that purpose did by resolution appoint from time to time eleven police officers, one of whom is the Chief of Police, being members and officers of such police `force, the same being deemed by said committee necessary for that purpose, and
"Whereas, said department has been in effect since the year 1910 under said ordinance, and
"Whereas, said police officers have heretofore been paid according to the terms and under the direction of an act of the legislature entitled, "An act to regulate the pay of patrolmen of the police force in cities other than the first and second class cities and in all Towns and Townships of this state, approved April 21, 1909 and "Whereas the said act has been declared unconstitutional and "Whereas, it is desired to fix said salaries of the said members of the Police department,
"Now, therefore, be it ordained :
"That the annual slary of compensation to be paid to the . Chief of Police heretofore and hereafter to be appointed by the Township Committee shall be$1,260, payable at the rate of $105 per month." Continuing the Ordina ce reads:
"That the annual salary Or compensation to be paid to patrol- men shall be as follows: " To Patrick Cullinane, Hans Simonsen, and James Walsh, each the sum of $960 per year, payable at the rate of $80 per month. "To Philip Dunphy end Robert Egan, each, $900 a year,
payable at the rate of $75 per month, to the first day of July, 1918, and at and after that date the sume of $960 a year to be paid at the rate of $80 per month
"To William Krause, Emil Klein, John T. Reilly, each the sum of $840 per year to be paid in monthly installments of $70 per month until the first day of July, 1914, and at and after that date their salary is to be increased annually at the rate of sixty dollars per year until it reaches the sum of $960 per year, payable at the rate of $80 por month.
"Samuel Lloyd and John Chola $800 a year, until. July J, 1914 an thince incroused inlike nanhere All salario: shell bo meid
Page Thirty five.
semi-monthly.
"That the salary Or compensation of all patrolmen hereafter to be appointed shall be the sum of 9780 for the first year, to be payable in monthly installments of $65 per month, with an annual increase of pay after the first year, of $60, until they shall receive the sum of $960.
But many resolutions, ordinances and referendums were passed and adopted since 1914, before the present day schedules were adopted. The question of police salaries caused many a rift in the ranks of the various Township committees.
With the passage of the above ordinance it was moved and carried that " the police officers will purchase all their own new uniforms in the future." A short time later, the motion was amerided, to take care of the motorcycle officer. To this day, patrolmen and superior officers purchase their own uniforms, with the exception of the motorcycle patrol officers, who receive half of the cost of their uniforms from the Township. this is due to the fact that the motorcycle patrolman's uniform is more costly because of additional equipment such as leather puttees amd Sam Brown belts and the fact that the uniform wears out more quickly on account of the jouncing of the motorcyle.
When the summer of 1914 arrived the policemen were granted permission to wear police caps in the place of helmets during the summer months, "he helmets were never donned again. And thus passed the "Bobby" type helmet foom the Township, Retired policemen tell me that~the helmets were exceedingly heavy.
On October 3, 1914, a resolution was passed that was to cause a 10-year argument. On that date the committee voted that a question be placed on the ballot authorizing the committee to raise a $30,000 bond issue to pay for the cost of the erection of a suitable building to be used as a town hall to include a police headquarters and t the purchase of sufficient lands thereof." I thoroughly searched the recordsin Township Clerk B. J. Dunigan's office for the election returns, but it evidently Was not placed on the -ballot that year.
It was not until the 11th day of April 1916, that the ques- tion of the issuance of bonds of said Township in the amount of $35,000 for the erection of a municipal building, came before the voters. At that time 378 voted for the issuance of the bonds and 460 voted against. Only two ballots were rejected. It will be recalled that the foundation for a new municipal building was started next to the firehouse in School Street, that after the foundation was erected, the construction was stopped and the projected tied up in liti ation and that the town hall was finally build on the present site, Main Street and Rahway Avenue in the 1920's.
It will also be recalled-that only a few years ago, the foundation, grown unsightly with weeds and as a depository for tin cans and refuse, was blown to bits to make Way for the park system. But morevof that to come later. To get back to the police department that was a particularly busy at that time with murders and railroad crossing deaths.
On November 2, 1913, Patrick fee of heasbey , was struck and killed by a trolley car at Keasbey. On March 31, Paul , Bori, of Metuchen Avenue, was found murdered, with two bullets in hin, in the Valentine clay banks near Metuchen Avenue. On June 15, 191.4, Peter Skow, of Port Reading, was struck and killed by a train at the Contral Railroad crossing at Blair's Road, Port Reading. Skou's horse Was also Killed at the time, Seventy. one your old Lizzie Lanesea, of Fulton
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Page Thirty-file.
Street, was struck and killed by a Pennsylvania Railroad train at Albert Street Crossing, on September 14, 1914. t And so it went, the Township committee members, arguing among themselves, mostly on polit ical lines and the police department, despite its ups and downs, going calmly on its way -- eleven pioneers, striving to br ng law and order to a Township that had to contend with a railroad camp and an ever-growing foreign population which did not understand our Ways and manner of doing things.
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Pago Thirty -seven.
Chapter 9
In September of 1915, the members of the Woodbridge Township Police department took steps to join the Patrolman's Benevolent Association of the State of New Jersey. In order to have a suffi- cient number of members to secure a charter, Carteret police joined with Woodbridge to make a local. Later, when the Carteret department grew in number the officers of that municipality formed their own local. On September 15, the Township committee "moved and carried that Officers Walsh and Dunphy be granted a leave of absence , September 22 and 23, to attend the police convention. at that session of the P. B. A., Walsh and Dunphy applied for a charter, which was granted.
During the first part of 1916, the department Was somewhat neglected by the Township committee due to the fact that the members of the latter body had a fight on their hands to keep Fords, Keasbey and Hopelawn from breaking away from the Township. In the minutes of February 16, 1916, we read :
nat was moved and carried that petitions be circulated
* in Fords, Keasbey and Hopelawn in opposition to the proposed annexation to the City of Perth Amboy. "
On March 15, 1916, Samuel Lloyd submitted his resigna- tion as a member of the department. His place was filled on that date by Harvey E. Romond, now retired, who later became a desk sergeant.
Traffic conditions became a veritable "headache" to the police department and the Township Committee and on April 26, 1916, the committee directed the Chief of Police to purchase traffic and danger signs and place them at dangerous intersections andnear school areas.
On the same date, the police committee was directed to confer with the telephone company in reference to installing a telephone call system. Phones were later placed in Various sections of the Township and connected with police headquarters. The following week, the Township clerk was instructed to notify Recorder Mark Ashley to "make trips to Fords and Port Reading on Sundays to hold court for violations of law."
The new town hall proposition, which was to include
a police station, came up again and on May 17, 1916, it was resolved that "w. H. Boylan, of New Brunswick, be and he is hereby engaged as an architect to prepare plans and specifications and supervise the entire construction for a new municipal building , such plans and specifications to be drawn to the approval and satisfaction of the committee. For his entire work in preparation of plans and specifications and complete supervision of construction he shall be paid and accept in full 5 per centum of the cost of construction." Committeemen Gerity, Egan, Gill and De Haven voted in favor of the proposition. Committeeman Hoy voted no while Committeeman Deter did not vote.
On May 23, the committee directed that a notice be insert- ed in the Woodbridge Leader giving notice that sealed propositions would be received and opened at the meeting to be held Wednesday evening, June 7, 1916, at eight o'clock for a suitable site for the proposed tout hill, At that meeting hide wp rec ived as follows;
Page Thirty cial
Arthur E. Berry- Perth Amboy "venue, 120 feet Haagfront by 225 feet in depth, rear on Smith Street, for $2,700.
Woodbridge Industrial and Development Company, plot 165 feet on Pearl Street and about 175 feet on School Street for $10,400. This bid was accepted and a foundation built on the property, after Which the work was halted and never completed. Committeemen Gerity, Egan, DeHaven and Coll voted for the proposition, while Committeemen Gill, Deter and Hoy did not vote.
Chief of Police Murphy was given permission to attend his first chiefs' convention on June 7 and was awarded $25 for expenses. On July 19, 1916, we find the first step taken to denate a superior officer in addition to the chief of police when an Ordinance was introduced (and passed on August 22) "providing for the appointment of a Detective Sergeant of Police, prescribing his duties and fixing his salary and compensation,"
Then, on August 8, James Walsh, "one of the police officers of the department, who has served continuously for at least five years" was promoted to the rank of Detective Sergeant of Police.
Evidently guessing that the Township committee was about to appoint several men to the force, several Township residents sent in applications to the committee for the jobs, all of which were received and filed.
Finally, on September 20, 1916, the long awaited appointments were made, -- introduced with the following resolutions:
"Thatowing to the number of depredations committed and the number of accidents by speeding auto traffic inthe Township the following be and are hereby appointed police officers of the Township subject to the police rules and regulations, same to take effect as of October 1, 1916:
Moscarelli. "
"Paul Farkas, Fred Yulma Larsen, Martin Lybeck and P. M. €
Paul Farkas was the father of the present motorcycle officer, Joseph Farkas. Fred Larsen rose to the rank of Rounds Sergeant before he retired to devote himself to his hobby -- fishing -- down in South Jersey. Lybeck died during the influenza epidemic while Moscarelli later resigned.
On January 5, 1917, the Woodbridge police department was faced with a murder case which was to earn the nick name of the "Five-Cent murder". James J. Johnson shot and killed Harry Richerson at Port Reading. It appeared that Richerson owed Johnson five cents. A quarrel started over the few pennies and the shooting followed. The witnesses were Luke Heath, John Hall, Arthu- Moon and Joseph Brown, all of whom were employed by the P& R at Port Reading.
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Page Thirty-Nine
Chapter Ten
On January 7, 1917, a movement ( largely political
according to old timers) was started to demote Detective Sergeant James Walsh to the rank of patrolman. On that date it was moved and carried "that a special meeting be called on January 24, at eight o'clock in the evening to consider the matter of the police department and any other business that may be brought out and that the police committee at that time recommend a method of reorganizing the department to conform to the prospective revenues at that they arrange for the presence at that meeting of any police officers who are likely to be affected thereby. "
When the night of the meeting arrived the committee had to adjou-n to the High school due to the "lack of room in the present town hall." It appeared as if the whole town had turned out. The chairman of the Township committee called upon the chairman of the police committee, Committeeman Baldwin, to present his suggestions in reference to reorganizing the police department. Baldwin handed Township Clerk Andy Keyes the following recommenda- tions to read :
"That the position of Detective Sergeant be
abolished. "That the force be reduced by dropping at least · three members. "That no salary increase be permitted during the year. "That the salary of the chief be fixed at $1,000 a year and that no officer who has served less than 10 years be paid more than $1,050.
Letters objecting to the plan of the police committee were read from the following:
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, Joseph Stricker, Prosecutor of the Pleas; Dieder March Co., and two petitions from the residents of Fords and Keasbey. The following also appeared personally "Against the proposed changes and requested that no changes be made and the police force be left intact : Victor Man, of the Steel Equipment; A. P.
McKowan, Dr. Albee, Joseph Ryan, of the Mutton Hollow Fine Brick" Company; Howard Valentine, A. Duff, of the Liquor Dealers' Association; G. L. Bouton, R. E. Watson, of the Patrolrian's Benevolent Association and John f. Ryane
The mayor then requested all those in the room who "wished the police force be left as at present to stand up" and it is noted in the minutes that practically every person in the room stood up. So the department was continued as in the previous year for the tine being.
Then, on March 21, 1917squables in political. ranks were hidden by the shadows of war. On that date, "on account of possible unsettled conditions in the near future" it was proposed to "organize a body of special police for the purpose of home defense. " The following naes were submitted and unanimously need speci ] policy without pay: 7 J J. M. Doststaler, Willta: Pal] ; Ry Cette , S. B. BORSA,
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Page Forty
Voorhees, Colby Dill, R. A. Hinner, W. K. Franklin, G. Brewster, O. S. Dunigan, Ivins Brown, E. H. Boynton, A. Keyes and Sherman Demarest.
A committee, consisting of Z. H. Boynton, Colby Dill and Andrew Keyes was appointed to consider the advisability of Organizing a Home Defense League. The League was formed with the following(many of whom are still residing in the Township) enrolled as member of the Military company ( also special police officers) under the command of Captain Frank I. Perry : (Editor's Note: These names were taken from the Township records. There may have been others who were not recorded. )
A. T. Ames, Oliver Ames, C. S. Barbata, W.G. S. Beal, C. D. Boynton, E. H. Boynton, G. L. Boynton, Percy Brown, Harry Baker, J. M. Campbell, J. Catano, A. Christensen, W. Garfield, H. Cutter, James Concannon, G. Damm, C. Dill, Francis Drake, M. Dunham, R. R. Eskeson, S. C. Farrell, R. S. Freeman, George From, C. G. fritz, J. Fuller, "A. F. Flanagan, C. S. Farrell, A . F. Gibernat, M. Greasheimer, F. "uyck, J. Hendie, J. R. Hammett,
Mads Jensen, C. Johnson, William Olsen, Joseph Resh, L. Matthews, C. S. Wagner, Steve Rush, C. Kirchner, C. Kuhlman, B. S. Lacy, A. LeFon, A. R. Lee, C. Lombardi, W. H. Lorch, John H. Love, J. F. Lee, J. Lewis, A. Lombardi.
M. L. McCarter, C. C. McCann, J. H. T. Martin, A. R. Martin,
L. E. McElroy, A. McDonald, F. Moscarelli, J. J. Needer, J. Powers, P. Peterson, S. Byron, Potter, Don Potter, Runyon Potter, W. H. Prall, A. Fitz Randolph, J. Rauchman, George Robinson, K. Romano, Alex Sabo, L. C. Schack, C. Schaben, N. W. Sheldon, F. W. Stillman, R. H. Stryker, Harry Mu-dock, Nels Kristup, F. Mindock, P. Liddle, S. Sadion, J. Schmidt, R. Tomasso, M. Tomasso, Russel Valentine, H. Vagelos, William H. Voorhees, R . T. Wales, Thomas Wand, C. P. Wate, W. J. Wolney, H. K. Witaker, E. Zambo, R. Freeman, Joe Kochick, Mike Kochick, William Gloff, R. L. Predmio -e Jack Jensen, Arthur Ove-gaard, Sam Olsen C. Dunham, Nels Larsen, Ossian Hanstrom, John Dixon, Arthur Lind, Andrew Suanick, John Estoke, Carl Nelson, John Nadger, Charles Pfeiffer, George Fullerton, Silby Lance, Harry Mundy, Cy Marino, G. Green, Joseph Jogan, A. Rosen, A. H. Stevenson, Steve Kotroskey.
Sewaren Unit : F. L. Ballard, F. W. Bahlenm E. B. Ford,
G. A. Anderson, William Frazier lantin, W. H. Demarest, Thomas Zettlemoyer, Hans Beckman, Morrison Christie, E. W. Christie, L. J. Adams, F. H. Tu-ner, W. H. Higgins, D. V. Rush, Dr/ A. Ellinger.
Colonia Unit: Arthur B. Hull, Dr. L. Hodges, Frank A. Pattison, Dr. Fred Albee, Charles L. Ayers, Harry McFarlane, Charles Mcfarlane and Edward K. Cone. Iselin- Unit: F. W. Hoffer, Edward Reinhardt, Willard Imscher, Edward Cooper, F. Cooper, Jr. , John Boylan, Martin Hof, Charles Bohnhardt.
The Home Defense League was provided with nightsticks, badges, and guns and later on with uniforms, Several large appropriation for the various outfits were made by the Town ship
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Pac. Forty-One
attention back to the police department and for the second time attempted to abolish the position of detective sergeant. James Walsh was undoubtedly on the "Wrong side of the fence politically. " In inteeducing the Ordinance the following statement was made by the police committee :
"The police committee finds that during the summer months it is advisable to detail some members of the police force as traffic officers. The court has determined that the voters appropriated only $6,000 for the police department, which is now costing over $12,000 to maintain. There are no available funds to increase the number of officers, but the police committee is of the opinion that the efficiency of the force would be improved by abolishing the office of Detective Sergeant, making the present incumbent more directly subject to the orders of the chief of police and such action will increase the number of men available for the general service. The committee therefore recommends that the office of Detective Sergeant be abolished and presents an Ordinance for that purpose. "
Committeemen Deter, Hoy, Chase and Baldwin voted in favor of the Ordinance while Committeemen Egan and DeHaven voted in the negative. But Detective Sergeant James Walsh received another reprieve when the ordinance came up for final adoption. Not all the members of the committee were Present. When the votes were counted, Chase and Baldwin voted in the affirmative while De Haven, Gill and Egan voted in the negative, thus defeating the measure. Hoy arrived late- but whether or not he did so purposely only he can say.
But consistency did not seem to be a part of the committee's make-up. They said they wanted to abolish the position of detective sergeant because they did not have enough traffic officers and that it would increase the efficiency of the force, and in almost the same breath, on October 17, 1917, an Ordinance to Create the position of Lieutenant of Police was introduced and passed on second and final readings on October 25. On the same date the following resolution was introduced promoting Patrick Cullinane to the new position:
"Resolved that upon the publication of the ordinance Creating the office of police lieutenant, the chairman of the police committee be authorized to appoint Patrick Cullinane, police lieutenant, thereunder, with headquarters at Fords from November 1, 1917.
All went well again until the early part of January 1918, when the Township committee finally succeeded in abolishing the position of Detective Sergeant. Committeemen Deter, Chase , Baldwin, Ames, Hoy and Breckenridge voted in favor of the measure, while Committeeman Egan case the lone negative vote.
The year 1918 appeared to be taken up-with War work and emergency appropriations caused by increased prices, but on November 25, 1918 the resignation of William Krause, as a member of the police force was received and on December 23, of the same year, P. M. Moscarolli, also resigned.
When January 1, 1919 rolled around, Deter, Baldwin and How we Made members of the police committee. They searched for & your man to join the department and finally selected a man who i ? jul bar ist pel out of the army and we had meh & reis for
1 .a. So da Jmy 19,1050, that
PAGE Forty-Two
man Was made a member of the Woodbridge Township Police Department. His name Was George Z. Keating-who rose from the ranks, serving in every office of the department, until he reached the top of the ladder. Today he is Woodbridge Township's Chief of Police. A month after Keating's appointment, Joseph Einhorn, now night patrolman on Main Street, and John Olbrick were named to the force, - the appointments to take effect March 1. On June 16, 1919, "Edward Simonsen, (deceased) son of Hans Simonsen and brother of the present Desk Sergeant Andrew Simonsen and Motorcycle Officer Rudolph Simonsen, received an appointment from the Township Committee. Thus , in quick succession, Woodbridge's finest was increased by four men.
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Chapter 11.
On July 28, 1919, the following is noted in the minutes of the committee :
"Resolved : That the-application of :7. H. Treen as patrolman be accepted and I -. Olbrick be dismissed. "
I understand that this is somewhat of a mistatement of fact as John Olbrick was not dismissed from duty but resigned to take a position with Anness and Potter. Mr. Treen resigned a very short time later, and although no mention is made of it in the Township minites, his record stopped in a time sheet kept by Chief Murphy on September 15, 1919, On August 25, 1919, John Fox was named patrolman but he too, resigned -- on June 21, 1921.
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