Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-17
How Pete Came on the Force.

Late ON warm August afternoon some
five years ago, while the captain of the
Church street police station was leaning
negligently back in his chair behind the
desk, chunky built brindle-dog Of SOL
emn mein walked gravely into the room,
and sat down in the middle of the floor
with the air Of dog whose right to such
a liberty was entirely beyond question.
Hist! Get out!'
The captain yelled these syllables at
the dog, but the animal never moved.
Then the official SHE'D small paper
weight at the dog, who looked up with
an expression of grave disapproval and
settled himself in his former position, and
paid no more attention to the man behind
the desk. After one or two attempts at
dislodgement, the Captain fell into ia
revery and left the dog in peace. Later
the dog aroused himself, and trotted into
the rear room where the policemen con-
gregate. He walked about quietly until
he found position to his liking under
the table, in the center of the room. He
lay down here and went to sleep.
At midnight the fourth section Of the
second platoon was rung up. The men
marched into the main room and ranged
themselves into line. The dog followed
and took up his position at the foot.
When the roll was called the sergeant
named the dog Pete, and babe him 60
went around from one post to another,
returned with the platoon in the morn
ing, and went to sleep under the table.
Relays Of men were called during the
day, but the dog did not move. At six
o'clock the fourth section of the second
platoon was again called out. The dog
marched in with the men and took up his
position at the foot of the line.
"By George" said the Captain, ''there's
that pup again. Well, don't feed him,
doorman, and he'll soon go away"
But he didn't go away. He has never
been fed in the station, and he has always
acted thoroughly at home.
There's one peculiar thing about
Pete" said the sergeant at the desk, re-
Gently. ''He moves and acts exactly like
policeman. He never runs or jumps
or plays, but simply strolls along. He's
fond of janitor's daughters, and will stand
stock still in a shadowy doorway for
hours at stretch Not man in the
precinct has ever seen him eat, and I'm
pretty sure that the general public never
saw him drink. And then what clever
dog he is? In the winter of 10, on the
10th of January, if my memory serves,
Pete was walking along Greenwich street,
on his way from post to post, when he
saw three men at the basement door of
the bonded warehouses, Nos. SO, 100 and
1902 A moment later, and the men had
forced the door, entered the building, and
closed up their work so that passing
glance could not detect that anything
had been tempered with. Pete lay
down by the door and growled After a
while officer Doughterty came along, and
patting the dog on the head, walked on,
expecting the dog to follow him. Pete
never moved, but growled louder than
before, with his eyes fixed like augurs on
that door. Dougherty tried to get him
to move, but it wouldn't do. At last the
officer saw that something was up. He
examined the door, then raped for assis-
lance, and the building was searched,
Two of the burglars were captured. The
other one escaped. About three o'clock
one morning last winter, Pete was trot-
ting along Broadway when he discovered
broken pane of glass in a clothing store
near Cedar street. He stopped at once
and barked like mad. Every man in the
precinct knows Pete's voice. Officer
Donnelly ran to him and found that there
had been light robbery. Whether the
dog frightened the thieves away or not,
we never knew Another time the dog
discovered fire at 240 Fulton street.
Pete has never missed his turn on the
second platoon, and has never gone out
with any other than the fourth section in
five years.
If young people would consider matr1-
mony powerful reality, instead of think
ing it a picnic, there would be more hap
py marriages and satisfactory lives.