The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-28
WATCHING THROUGH THE NIGHT.
The Merchant Police. the System of Their
Organization and Their Work.

When the police force of this city is mentioned
the reference is taken as applying exclusively to
the Metropolitan police WHILE as matter of
fact, the work of these conservators of peace
and order would be greatly augmented were it
not for the quiet, patient panstaking labor of
those modest auxiiiares, the members Of the
merchant police force. The merchant force
was organized by Daniel Coouillard in the
spring of 1866, and is now oyer twenty one
years old. At that time it numbered nine men.
Mr.. Coquillard continued in charge until the
winter of 1866 when Col A. d. Rose succeeded
him in the captancy. He increased the force to
twelve men, and was in command until Feb
ruary, 1869, when Henry P. Thomas succeeded
him as captain. and has been in charge since.
The force now numbers thirty three men. the
roll-cal being as follows Captain, Henry P,
Thomas; lieutenant. John L. Elliott;
secretary. 3. +. Wilson; treasurer, John III.
Whiteman; Jasper n Clary James L. Taylor,
Patrick Hartnett. Nelson Daubenspeck, John Nj.
Shulse. Christian Cook, James G. Goladay. John
Reid, Dennis Connors, AL Davis. E. w. Nichol-
son. E. Sleieht jan Minor. Robert D. Bacon,
Z. G. Moore, David Clary, Thomas kingsbury,
Joseph Wheatly, Peter Carroll, John D. Webb,
Samuel Mcclure. Martin Powers, George Beeler,
Alfred Isaacs VIM. Bacon Denison Warner.
Jacob t. Shut, Geo. Fess and Geo. W. Cheat
ham, The members of the force are paid by
the persons whose property they watch. from
% cents to So week, according to the
value of the protection, and the earnings of the
policemen range from 5000 to 80, COOS year. Only
two, whose beats include blocks and leading bust
ness houses, receive as much as $1,000 Three
or four earn between 81, 800 and 81, 400 year,
and the average income lie about $1,000 The
force has long since organized benefit fund,
and has money on hand from dues contributed
hs me- rs which is used to pay sick benefits
and for other purposes. Captain Thomas has
been connected with the merchants force
from the beginning, aud, IKE orcn OF the otner
duty. For twenty years he has patroled
the block bounded east by Delaware
street. west by Pennsylvania, south by
Washington and north by Market Noting the
numerous business changes. he remarked to the
reporter that there were but two of his present
patrons business men on this square, who were
there in business twenty years ago--Samuel f.
Johnston, the stove-dealer, and Joseph Staub,
the merchant tailor Capt Robert Campbell. of
the Metropolitan force, did his first police duty
on the merchants force, beginning under Mr..
Coquilard. Many of the members of the mer-
chants force were formerly on the city force,
some being turned out by political changes and
others resigning from the city force, the beats
upon the merchant force presented fewer annoy
ances and paid them more money Among these
are E. w Nicholson. formerly captain on the city
force; John Reid. formerly sergeant and Patrol
men Jasper N. Clary, Taylor Hartnett, Dauben-
speck, Cook, Minor Webb, Mcclure, Pow
ers Isaacs, William Bacon, Shut and
Cheatham. Next to Captain Thomas
the member longest in service is Lieutenant
John l.. Elliott. who has served seventeen years,
and next to him James L. Taylor. who has had
over ten years service During the past seven
teen years the force mas been instrumental in
convicting over two hundred criminals and send
ing them to prison. OF this number eighty were
caught in the act of buarglary, till-tapping and
other offenses. chiefly various kinds of thieving.
They have been instrumental in saving many
thousands of dollars in property by the early
discovery of fires, in many cases extinguishing
them without the assistance Of the fire depart
ment They have saved many losses to mer-
chants and others on finding doors left open by
careless employees, taking charge of the prem
ises, thus preventing theft They have also saved
many dollars by taking care of goods forgotten and
left on the outside by their owners. The fact
that they are constantly on the watch, and each
patrolman in personally responsible to
his patrons. makes them more active and alert
than the officer who the general public
and is seldom brought to task except for very
serious failures to attend to duty. The mer
chants force is now spread out so that it covers
nearly the whole of the city, and several thou
sand people sleep great deal sounder than they
would if this excellent force was not in existence