The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-06
A YEARS RECORD
or the Work OF Capt. Bennetts Police

During the year 1882, the police force OF
this city made one thousand one hundred
and fifty.fye arrests, and that number Of
cases were heard before the Police Court
These were OF course all city cases and do
not include the large number OF State cases
In which the police rendered valuable aid by
arresting and helping to arrestpersops want
ed. That number OF arrests-l, 1856, represents
hard and almost continuous work on the
mart Of Capt. Bennett and his small police
force, which for the first eight months
consisted OF eleven men, one OF whom was
always on duty at headquarters subject to
telephone call, and for the past four months
Of twelve men, Council having with consid'
I'erable grumbliug, finally consented to the in.
crease. The duty OF the men Is arduous at
all times and especially in disagreeable
weather. They IRE on from A. N. until
midnight. and often 1t is much later when
they reach their homes. When one consid-
ers The numerous drawbacks and difficulties
the Chief OF Police OF Wheeling encounters
the song OF the Sergeant 10 "Che Pirates" Is
iorcibly recalled, and all will agree that
..The pollcsYan's lot is not happy one"
Capt. Tom. Bennett is surely TO be con.
last wear: One thousand, one hundred and
fifty five arrests In year by a force OF eleven
men, In city Of over 80, 900 inhabitants and
with over fifty miles Of streets and alleys and
nearly 100 saloons, indicates good work.
Only on the Fourth Of July were there any
special police on duty only $50 was paid
out last year for specials. In 1854 large
force was sworn In on several occasions, and
once during the fire-bug excitement, they
were on for several days.
The following figures compiled by the In
TELLIGRNcEE are taken from the books OF the
Police Court and are correct. They furnish
food for reflection: In January there were
% arrests; February, 6s; March, ia; April,
IO2; May, lG7; June, "; July, lOl: August,
100; Septembtr, IS; October, SO; November, u,
duct 405 were arrested; for drunkenness, 29i
for keeping houses OF i'll fame, 20; for prosa.
tuition, 8S; for lettering in houses Of Ill fame,
40; unbecoming conduct on the street, 3; for
exposure OF the person on the street. TO- un-
law full sale OF bottled beer I;selling liquor with
out license 8; selling liquor on Sunday ~ for
gambling In saloons, s; for keeping gambling
houses, 8; fer keeping faro banks, 9; for gam
Ing ut faro and other games OF chance, 49,
carrying concealed weapons, %; dischargtDg
tirearmes inside city limits, O. rules Issued
on account OF contempt oil court 4; rules IS
sued for failing to attend court, 10; assault
aud battery, As; vagrancy, Al; using abusive
language. %; using profane language, s.
using lewd and filthy language, 8; lettering
on the street, 10; obsttucting officer In dis
charge OF his duty, 8; resisting an officer, A.
annoying conduct on the streets, q lopng-
ing In market houses, Is: fast driving
a; destroying and defacing property, g.;
wife beating, /; carrying knucklers, l; fore
staIling the markets, 8; cleaning privy vaults
contrary to ordinance, 4; failure to remove
garbage, 4; selling real estate without license,
3; selling goods without license, !; failure to
place red tight on distractions, 1; failnreto
comply with the rules and regulations OF the
I Board OF Public Works, Is.
Toe fines assessed in police court the past
year have not been remarkably heavy, in
TACT several have been very light. The times
having been hard, not.as many were paid as
in 1851, the victims preterring to 60 to the
hill aud work out their sentence on the stone
pile. Still the financial showing is not tall
bad. The following table shows the amounts
turned over from the police department to,