I actually did a /etc/init.d/pgl stop myself before dpkg -i ../pgl*2.0.3*.deb fro the build directory (expanded to ../pglcmd_2.0.3-1_all.deb ../pgld-dbg_2.0.3-1_i386.deb ../pgld_2.0.3-1_i386.deb).
This failed to attempt to stop via init.d script, or start again after.
Does /etc/init.d/pgl exist? (This might be related to your older debhelper version in bug #3064833.)
If it exists please check your /var/log/pgl/pglcmd.log when you execute that command.
It exists, but it's from the prior version.
Yes, this would seem to be that stray ~ on the debhelper dependency causing the file to not be handled at all, so no stop/start.
Feel free to close this bug and just work on it in the other :).
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