The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-04
THE UNION STATION POLICEMAN:
His Experience with All Kinds Of People-A
Lady Who Made an officers Heart Glad.

Eli Thompson, formerly chief of police,
and q member of the Union Station force,
was asked by the reporter if the lot of
Union Station officer was a happy one.
"Not altogether" was the reply. ''Yet the
very class of people expected to be trou-
blesome seldom give us any bother at all.
i thought my knowledge of the criminal
classes and their ways would be Of great
benefit to me in this place. 1t is little,
but very much less than l expected. The
travelling class is altogether different lot
of people. You have no idea of the variety
of questions that are asked, and every in
quirer expects a ready and correct an
swer. OF course, depot policeman is
required to know all about every
one of the 136 trains that arrive
and depart here daily, to say nothing of the
specials, which at times are very numerous.
In addition to this he is expected to be able
to answer any question in sanitary science,
botany. architecture, phrenology, aerosta-
tion, psychology, religion and fresh and
saltwater navigation. If anything has
been omitted from the American CYCLIC
ERs sSaia we are expected to know all about
.Of course people are duly grateful for all
information receivedW
THE very class of people one would nat
often thOsewhO not only do not appreciate
kindness. but sometimes even repay it with
abuse. Well-dressed, well-to-do people,
apparently ladies and gentlemen, are rude
at times when the officer is doing his best to
accommodate them, as it is his duty to do,
and for which they might, at least for the
benefit of example. make show of common
pO.iteness. 1t Is often pleasure TO help
some common looking man or woman,
perhaps a person who cannot read and IS
-h<Sllx <xf hsnNra h2o
thanked by person of that kind IN a
plain and hOmely way but with an evil
dent earnestness that has made me feel
good all day. Of course ! don't
good-natured and polite, and all the we'll
TODD people are bad-mannered. But per
son who has had the benefit of education
and money is all the greater boor when he
sets himself to be dlscOurteOus People have
singular notions about things sometimes.
Now, suppose the question was asked,
When is the Cincinnati train duep what
would you suppose the Questioner meantf'
He would mean to ask the time at which
the train from Cincinnati would arrive
here" answered the reporter.
That's what thought when I came
to this place. / soon found out better.
appear to think that due means
depart and one has to be care
There are other things quite as bad, and an
officer, to be on the safe side, had better
nOtanswer a question until he is thoroughly
convinced that he understands just what
the inquirer wants to, know. The. other
morning well-dressed lady was in. the
waiting room when the call was made for
the. A. 81, NJ. & l. train. She asked me
if that train went to Columbus. / told her
it did, and she got upon the train. She rode
out as far as the Belt road, and
there was assisted from the coach
by the conductor and taken into a switch
house to wait until the street-cars began
running, in order that she might be brought
back to the station. What was the matterf
She wanted to go to Columbus, o. When
she reappeared at the station i expected
abuse. But she was a perfect lady, and re-
ceived my explanation in the sweetest tenn
per possible. | asked her if she did not
find the switch house rough place to wait
in. She said it was not unpleasant, and
that the f1agman and others were very con-
siderate. Nothing ruffled her good nature;
she took ali the blame upon herself. and
said she should have thought that Indiana
had Columbus as we'll as Ohio. Now,
there's lady who sweetens the world
wherever she goes in it. don't know her
name, but she is an angel, all but the wings,