Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-02-16
"RAT" ALLEN.
The History OF n Philadelphia Po-
liceman.

Richard NaIN OF that CITY.
''Rat" Allen was a street Arab with
out home or home connections. He
slept in market house or in huckster's
wagons, or in any other shelter con-
ven ent TO his haunts. He never re-
memberod having had any other meal
than his breakfast. He never knew n
fathet, n mother, nor had any relations.
He never was IL child. but sprung from
the earth. or dropped from the clouds,
ragged and frowzy. Now and again
he would come by book, and going
off by himself into some lonely corner
he would seat himself on stone and
struggle with the print until he master
ell its contents.
| had never so much as heard of him
until one day some friends of mine who
had taken an interest in Rat" came to
M office and asked mo TO appoint him
to a place on the police force.
''Who the devil is "Rat" AllenP" i
asked.
Then they told me how they wished
to befriend the young man whose cour-
ageous spirit and desire for self-better-
ment were well known to them. He
had been in some way brought to their
notice and they wished to enable him to
rise from his very humble condition.
They told me candidly that he was dir
ty ragged, unkempt, mwashed, and
all that. yet they declared that under
meath all his uncleanliness they recOg-
nizal sterling character, and they
felt sure he would do them credit. if
once appointed.
| was surprised at their audacty in
asking me to make such an appoint
mcnt
"a pretty sort of n person TO put on
the police forcer' / said.
TRY him. they answered.
Now how can | appoint Rat Al
len? just think of Il. What would
the people say if | were to appoint
him?'
Ny friends nrged me to give the
poor fellow Il chance.
Does ne drmk?'
"Not drop
"IS he honeSt?"
Gas the sun, and his word is as good
as any man 5 bond.
"Then bring him up"
They brought him up. and their de-
scription OF las dirty and unkempt con-
Il ton was verified. | directed that he
should be taken away and washed.
Two officers took "Rat" out and scrub
bed him with soap and coarse towels.
Not only was his head, face and hands
scrubbed but they gave him II thorough
"Sandpapcring' from top to toe. When
they brought him back he was differ
ent man. | then gave him some mon
ey and told him 10 80 to cloth NJ
store and lit il msrlf out with good
clothes. | read an honest look in his
glowing face, and | knew he would ex-
pend the money rs | had directed.
When he came back to me in his
good clothes l hardly knew him. A
spirghtly upright gait and carriage
had taken the place of his old slouchlng
shuttle. and he. looked the picture of a
young athlete in prime cOnd ton.
/ made him pol ceman and assigned
him to duty in the second district l
was never sorry for it. watched him
rs Il banker would n new clerk of
whose character he was in doubt
inquired about him of his superiors.
anu GNtD NtHl ONCl lllS Dtll db IIHHls
never heard ANYTHING or saw any
thing that could lead me to think him
ANYTHING but an upright officer.
He gave such universal satisfaction
that after three or four months SER
vice as "a patroImaD Ipromoted him to
be n sergeant.
He was the best officer on the force,
without exception. He broke up q
number of bad gangs, notably the Car
rol Hose Company. and II tough gang
they were. Their chief amusement
was to 90 out in body on II head
smashing excursion. and they seldom
went home without participating in
some sort of riot of their own ra sing.
They went out one Sunday morning rs
usual TO get up riot. Rat" Allen
was on the lookout for them, and he
went out too, with his squad. Clubs
were trumps this morning, and the Car
rol Hose Company never went out
again. When they left the battlefield.
carrying their wounded with them,
they abandoned their hose. and Rat
carried it off the field as trophy. He
was ever loyal TO duty. and, poor fell
low. his loyalty cost him his life. One
cold night fire broke ont on Chestnut
street above Third. The upper floors
of the burning building were occupied
by firm of jewelers., and there was q
great deal of slverware in the place.
"Rat" came on the scene with his squad
and had the silverware removed, most
Of it with his own hands, and not q
pennyweight was missing He took
h stand in the doorway TO prevent
those from entering who had no bust
ness in the building There were plen-
" in the crowd who were only too anx-
Gus for the chance to plumber. and they
were there in pretty good numbers,
too. Several times they tried TO press
past him. but ho repulsed them every
time. He maintained his position in
that DOORWAY. while the water which
had been poured upon the burning
building fell upon him in streams.
When he was relieved from duty he
was thoroughly soaked. and the result
was that he caught a cold. which set
tied on his chest and eventually devel-
oped into consumption, from which he
died in short time.