Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-01-10
The Hoodlum Wagon.
Written for the Trunscrtpt.
"There she cOmpsl Thoro cha onroo

The Hoodlum Wagon.
Written for the Trunscript.
There she comes! There she comes
Look out for the hoodlum wagonw shout.
ed motley throng of several hundreds,
as the sharp clang of a bell pierced the
heavy air of the narrow crowded street.
The timely warning turned the eyes of
all in the direction whence it came. A
block or two away, wagon, driven at q
fearful rate and apparently with utmost
recklessness, was seen approaching the
gathering, as if it knew intuitively that
its prey were there. The horses were
magnificent, powerful animals, and much
less uncomfortable than they appeared to
be. They were in harness that knew
no weakest spot, and were guided, not
held, by big brawny fellow who stood
up in the wagon like an Achilles in his
chariot. The wagon resembled an open
bus with seat on each side behind the
drivers seat, and steps at the rear end of
the box for entering and alighting. 1t
was most strongly built and handsomely
painted, bearing on it's side the inscrip-
ton, PATROL DEPARTMENT. 1t was, in
deed, the patrol wagon, or, as it is COM
monty called on the streets, the hoodlum
wagon. Behind the driver sat deter
mined looking man in the uniform of the
police department. Close observation re-
vealed that he was fully armed, and that
the wagon was we'll supplied with means
for securing prisoners. There was also
attached to the wagon bell, very like a
huge door bell, and it was struck at al.
most every spring of the horses. Carria-
ges, drays, furniture cars, everything
turned out for the patrol wagon, and did
not question for moment its right of
way. The crowd, needless of the mud
flying from under the horses feet, open
ed just enough for the wagon to reach
the center That opening, however, dis
closed the cause of the excitement and
the presence of the patrol departments
flying agent. A policeman. one of those
large, fearless men who have penetrating
eyes and unshrinking nerves, held in a
grasp that knew no escape burglar of
local fame. Upon his prisoners in
telligent face was that look which only
crime and wicked thoughts can impress.
At last the law, which had protected him
from the beginning of his being and
had in return been so often disregarded
and violated, had laid its hand upon him
in no unmistakable way. He scowled up
on the crowd and cursed his unexpected
arrest. The policeman in the wagon leap
ed out and seized him. With quickness
and energy of movement more admired
by the crowd than enjoyed by the priso-
ner, the two officers assisted him into the
hoodlum's carriage; and it, having scarce
ly stopped, dashed away with its load to
the prison at the Four Courts, followed
by the hootlng of newsboys and boot
blacks, and the dispersion of the curious
throng.
A few minutes later ope of these wag-
ons stopped at another corner to pick up
an unknown old gray-haircd man who
had fallen in fit upon the sidewalk. He
was lifted up tenderly by the policeman
and driven slowly away to the city hos
pital.
The patrol wagon is most valuable
adjunct to the police department.. The
rapidity with which prisoner is moved
from the moment of arrest to his lodg-
ment in the station house is scarcely
equalled by the celebrity with which the
French Kings executioners arrested their
victim on the highway and hung him to the
nearest tree, as described by Scott in Quez-
tan Duraoord. The policemen are spared
the disagreeable task of dragging, or carry
ing, prisoners through the streets, and
they are not called away from their beats,
thus leaving a part OF the city unguarded.
There is also much less danger of the
prisoners escape, or of a rescue by a
gang issuing from some dark alley, es-
pecially in the night.
But the patrol wagon would be of lit
tie use without the telephones for calling
it. At the corner of every third or fourth
block one sees curious, small houses, or
boxes, built of corrugated iron around
the lamp posts. These boxes are about
three feet in diameter and six feet high,
having door large enough to admit a
person and to which only policemen have
a key. Within is a telephone connected
by one of the thousands of wires which
form vast net work over the city with
the nearest patrol department Office.
When an arrest is made, the officer takes
his prisoner to the box, calls for the wag
on, which by the way, stands ready day
and night, and waits but moment for
it's arrival.
Rogues and criminals dislike police.
men, detest the hoodlum wagon, and
positively hate electricity, which may in
a moment summon hundred men to ov-
empower them. or call free carriage to
carry them swiftly to places behind the
bars.
If people who are troubled with colds
would make use of Ayers Cherry Pects-
raj before attending church or public