[MS bound] Blotter of 25th Precinct From December 9th 1878 To March Ist 1879 [Daybook]; day to day activity and personnel of a NY Police Precinct

Two pages per day, total c.465pp., folio, original boards, worn, newly rebacked with new endpapers, handwritten title-label, information printed from website about Capt. Ira S. Garland, Precinct Captain, etc. tipped on to front ep. The printed column headings were used recurrently, perhaps averaging one a page: Time, Names, Age, Color, Nation, Calling, Married or Single, Read amd Write, Residence, Complaint, Name of Complainant, Residence, Officer, Disposition, Police Justice, Remarks. The entries have a cumulative effect giving a vivid picture of the people involved in petty crime and inhabiting the geographical district. Their callings (jobs) include washer, driver, housework, grocer, varnisher, spinner, labourer, butcher, clerk, servant, carpenter, truckman, errands, carman, tailor, contractor, trunk maker, etc. The Nation mainly involves U.S. and Irish, but also some German and one Cuban Pedlar (broke a pane of glass - malicious mischief). Crimes include: intoxication (mostly), reckless driving (common), petty larceny, assault and battery, disorderly conduct, vagrancy, cruelty to animals, cruelty to children, begging, L & P (stealing a handkerchief), insanity (once). There are several reports of accidents (man dying after falling from the fourth floor, etc), thefts, and lost property.The main function of the Blotter is to record the personnel and day-to-day running of the Precinct. On first page in blue ink, heading Day Posts, listing 1-40 Boundary (from 1. Broadway from Bowling Green to Exchange Place to 40. Broadway from 28th to 34th St.). With parallel listing in red ink of Relieving Points. At the base of the column of boundaries, three Special Posts listed. Information actually recorded were: Times for things like Roll Call, Key exam., roundsmen, Morning Returns, Listing of names of all policemen (including detectives) on duty (with the numbers of the posts they were covering) from Capt. Ira S. Garland (on 9 Dec.signs three times, in Command twice, on patrol once) to Sergt John Gay on patrol, police on patrol, roundsmen, detectives, total force present (usually more than 50), inspections, absentees, Special Duty, fire keys, leave, gas on and off, illness, excusing for dinner, etc.The Captain and others had to sign whenever they arrived or left, so Captain Ira S. Garland in Command or Captain Ira S. Garland left this Station actually written by him appears frequently.Note: Captain Ira S. Garland, according to the information tipped on to the front endpaper, had a long and distinguished career. He became commander of the 25th on 3 October 1876, but in his previous post, in command of the 28th, he arrested William J. Starkey for murder, but Sharkey, who was convicted, escaped from the Tombs while under sentence of death, aided by Maggie Jourdan, in whose clothes he had concealed his identity.