Jumel Mansion: Patrol Post #4

 

The Jumel mansion is situated on W. 160 -162 street and Jumel terrace. It was the colonial home of Madame Jumel and Aaron Burr. It was used by General Washington during the Revolutionary War. Eliza Jumel became one of the wealthiest women in America, being married to both Roger Morris and Aaron Burr. She would be entombed in Trinity Church cemetery at W. 155 st and Broadway.


When I was a rookie about 14 officers in the 30th precinct were assigned to the 6pm x 2 am foot patrol. I was assigned to Patrol post 4, West 155 to 165 st and Edgecombe Ave. Specifically I was to give special attention to the Roger Morris, Jumel Mansion. As it was a gated park I was given the keys, not only to the front gate but also to the basement. Unlike the rest of the precinct patrol posts, PP #4 was like taking a time trip back to the 1700s. Opposite the Mansion was a small dead end street, Sylvan terrace, with the original small wooden houses.

Here are some incidents from Patrol Post #4.

During the bicentennial, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited and we had to change the street direction as the Queen always exits from the right. Her security saw one of our plainclothes red-headed Irish officers, John Browne, and said get him out of here. They then gave me a commemorative coin. We were not allowed to talk to the Queen, only respond if she talked to us. However, Prince Philip addressed and thanked us

After the Knicks won their championship in 1969, I saw a funky dressed man with a large hat. As I recognized him as Knick great Walt (Clyde) Frazier, I said, hey Clyde what are you doing up here. He said he was looking for the Edgecombe high school. I told him it was a few blocks up on W.165.

The next incident happened when an elderly Black man produced his lieutenant shield and said he was assigned to the security for former boxing champ Joe Louis at 555 Edgecombe Ave.

Finally, a couple of fellow officers had apprehended 2 youths who were playing with flintlock rifles. Upon questioning they said that they found a tunnel on the Harlem River drive which led to a trap door in the Mansion. The rifles were sent to ballistics which revealed that they were found to be loaded. Apparently the escape tunnel was dug 150 feet down in the rock at Coogan’s bluff.

As there was not much crime in this area, I was later assigned to another new brainchild idea, Vertical Patrol, with another rookie Kenny Mac.

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