The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-07-26

caught him with the staff full in the face,
Telling him like bullock. He was quite
senseless, and by the time the Others got
round had him quietly hanlcuffed. When
we got him to the station we sent for doc
tor to dress the wound, but he wouldn't have
it touched, and insisted upon being taken
into court next morning with his face all
Marked but though he certainly looked
horrible enough he didn't take anything by
his move He was well known, and besides,
though struck with a will, struck in self
defense, and for life. He had penal servi-
tude, and he didn't live to do his time out.
That is the sort of customer policeman
has sometimes to tackle, and he never knows
the day or hour he may have to tackle him.
Menras are wanted wifi generally come quiet
enough, when they find they are fairly
dropped upon but still you can never be
quite certain of them if the drink or the
evil is in them at the time, they may take
it into their heads to show fight, and when
they do they're not particular to trihes-
the first thing that comes handy they I'll use.
But, as l said before, it's when they go in
for being revenged on you that they are
most dangerous. 1t isn't a case of fighting
them they don't give you the chance to
fight they creep upon you-in the dark for
choice-and are up to all sorts Of cruel,
cowardly ways of tanning a man. Many a
fine man has been made a cripple for life,
in doing or for having done his duty as a
policemen, and some have been killed out
right.
Then see how policeman has to go into
row, and take his chance of what may
happen from interfering with wild or drunk
en- men with their blood up; again, see how
he has to 60 into house where Murder
is being shouted, and where perhaps the
| first thing that meets his sight is man more
than half mad, and slashing right and left
with poker. Then there is being at
fires, and being out in all sorts of weather,
so that, what with one thing and what with
| another, polceman's is both a hard job
and risky one. If there's any one as
thinks as it amt risky. just let EN- ask any
policeman's wife as cares for her husband
how often she has lain awake, fearing some
thing might happen to him, when he's been
on night duty in bad quarter!
What class of criminals are the most dan
gerous for policeman to have to deal with
| Well hardly know the regulars, the =" hab-
tual criminals" as they are called, are much
of muchness. A sneaking thief may turn
Turk upon you, while burglar or garrotter,
as you might think likely to show fight,
will often let himself be took as quietly as
lamb. The chance cases are often rough
ones. A mad drunk sailor amt nice Gus
toner to handle, and mad-drunk soldier
especially when he takes to the BELTS a
decidedly nasty one; and sometimes your
swindling clerk, or absconding bankrupt,
will show his teeth-pull out pistol, or
pick up decanter or chair, and talk of
knocking your brains out if you lay hands
on him though of course we do lay hands
on EN- for all that. If you dash in boldly
at them they generally knock under.
Coiners used to be about the worst, but
there's not many about now. There is one
customer however, as is more likely than
not to make fight Of it before he'll be tax,
en-, and as is generally tough un to fight,
and that is the escaped convict. It's gen.
orally desperate hand that does manage to
escape, and one that's dreadtully fond of his
liberty, and that knows that if he is took
again he may bid long good-by to it. A
gentleman of that stamp gave me the stiffest
tussle 1 ever had, and the one I'm proudest
of, for fought him fair, and took him single
handed. When he made his escape he got
clean away, and he had sense enough not to
bark back to his old London haunts while
the search was hot but about year after
| wards he did venture back, and | accident
ally got wind of it.
| knew that there was five pounds for any
one who took him, and | had pretty good
idea that the governor of the prison he had
broke out of would stand something more
but more than all that, We'll, | may as
we'll say it had not been long in the
Force at the time, and l wanted to show
that l had something in me and so, though
| could have asked for help, l made up my
mind to try to take him by myself. l was
eleven, weighed twelve stones-good fight
ing weight-and, though l say it that
shouldnt t. the convict, escaped or unescaped,
didn't breathe that feared to tackle single
handed.
1t was not of the man himself that was
afraid, though knew he was a Tartar !;
what made the job so risky was the danger
of being set upon by the whole of the gang
to which he belonged, and who always went
about together, and would, l know, think
nothing of numbering policeman. l wait
ed few weeks to see what chance might
turn up, and at length one afternoon | heard
that the gang had picked up some sailors
and were spreeing with them in public
house some little distance from their regu-
lar Turk; and thinking to myself that /
might wait long enough without finding any
much better opportunity, determined to
try, 1r,oly TO
this public house | went.
There was no one then particular in the
bar, and so | passed through to the back,
and there in shut-in skittle alley caught
sight Of the gang, eight in number, and with
three sailors inflow l felt qualmish, but
knew that it wouldn't do to give way to
that feeling, and so seeing my gentleman
there in the midst as large as life, put on
my boldest face, bounced into the alley, and
shutting the door. placed my back against
it. Though the gang was taken by surprise,
they acted cleverly enough: they didn't
know which of them might be wanted, and
not one of them said word or moved an
inch, but l noticed my man picked up a
beer-pot and make pretense of slipping at
It, thought l=could see easy enough that
his real move was to be ready to fling it at
my head if it should turn out that he was
the man wanted. s T
I caught his eye, and in an off handed
tone said, ~ = ~ 7-Tv.as frr,
"Oh, you know it's you I've come for,
then but take my advice, dontdo anything
in the pot-throwing line 1t will only make
things worse for you, for the house is sur
rounded, and there are men enough in re-
serve to take houseful Of you