Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-11-28
Police Pickfngs,

Ann haOOiL Is SPOKEN OF Oy the police
authorities as being "the oldest rat in the
barn-yard." There is legend TO the effect
that in the dim ages of the past, when
Nashville was Incorporated and put on, for
the first time, the habits and customs of
city, single name appeared on the fair
pages Of the police docket, when that neces-
sary feature Of high state of civilization
was first opened. That name had appended
to 1t q short, but concise sentence, and the
first record, when made out by the skillful
hand of the first clerk of the Nashville
Police Court, read as follows: Sam
Rabbit; drunk on the street. Fined S."
Since the date of that entry, great changes
in the city and country generally, have taken
place. The city has increased in population
at a very encouraging rate. One noted
man after another has filed the
office of the chief executive of the nation.
The Mexican war came upon US, AMI in
due time became q thing Of the past.
Morse's experiments with the telegraph,
after their season of ridicule, have been
made practical, completely revolutionizing
the business of the entire country. The
nation has been shook throughout al its
boundaries by the Kansas Nebraska con-
test. The ''war of the races" has been in
augurated, carried through its four weary
years of desperate struggle, and brought to
a close. The Atlantic and Pacific oceans
have been united with a band Of iron.
Sergeant Bates, with bis little flag, has CIV
en- the nation an exhibition of how much
of an ass a man can make of himself and
live. Bret Harte and Joaquin Miller have
flashed upon US like meteor, afording the
divorced wife of the latter an opportunity
to fash upon bis amazed vision like half a
dozsn meteors. The Illinois liquor law
has been passed. George Francis Train
has kicked and splurged upon the ros
tEums of the country, finally passing into
oblivion, to the great relief of patient and
loDg-suffering public. Mrs. O'Leary's COW
has fulfilled her grand mission upon earth,
departing this life in bl re of glory. Ho-
race Greeley has res nmed the pen editorial
after a somewhat unsatisfactory six months
Sin another line of business" A bale of
smouldering cotton has received extensive
mention in connection with the city of Bos-
ton. The citizens of n shvile have been
permitted to open their eyes upon the daw-
ming of Thanksgiving Day, Nov. %, 1872
During all these years the public mind has
been engrossed by matters which were con-
sidered of great Importance, to be succeed
ed by Others equally important, and but little
attention has been bestowed on the humble
but perserVering efforts of Ann Rabbit to
furnish our police court with business, and
but few OF our Citizens are able to appreci-
ate her persistent, continuous and self-sac-
rifcing devotion to that end.
She has made it the business of her life.
Through fair weather and foul; through
sunshine and shade, she has bravely car
ried out her purpose of seeing to it that
there should be at least one name on the
Nashville police docket each morning
that is, to the best of her ability. Once In
great while she has failed, but upon care
full inquiry, it has been found that not one
of these rare occurrences could properly be
charged to her-some circumstances entire
ly beyond her control, having prevented
her carrying out her noble purpose. Hers
is moi name which has been made historic
in story and song; the Tyre has never been
attuned to sound her praises {although liars
have basely attempted to traduce her char
acter). Obscure and alone, she has occu-
pied the long years which have interviewed
since the day her destiny became revealed
to her.. in quietly following
the path OF duty, turning
neither-to the right nor to the left; but the
future will bring her reward. In that great
day when oar police records are carefully
examined and balance sheet struck, it will
be found that the transformations and hum
BILE name Of Ann Rabbit appears more fire.
| quently therein in connection with the
terse, but expressive, entry of "drunk on
the street," than that Of any woman in
| Nashville.
When her mans was called yesterday, the
| Judge ordered her release, being convince d
| in his own mind that he could rely upon
her being brought before him again to day,
on the same old charge; and Ann will not
disappoint him.
Ellen Maxey was before the court,
charged with being too free with her chin
music, which is said to be, usually, of an
abusive and profane character. She was
fined S..
Ed Bertrap and Henry Watkins, two
colored boys, built after an architectural de-
| sign similar to that OF billiard cue, or
whip-stock, were arrested upon the charge
of going into vacant building, the doors
of which were supposed by the owners, to
be locked. They carried with them basket
of capacious dimensions, which it is the
general supposition they took along for the
commendabe purpose of securing all small
articles which they might find lying aroutd
loose, thus preventing their being stolen by
any irresponsible party who might succeed
in gaining admittance to the building. His
Honor put these enterprising boys in the
way of procuring a number Of tickets for
soup at the workhouse.