Telegram-herald., 1890-01-02
A QUEER COLLECTION.
Unclaimed Articles Letr az Tie
Chic2go Ponce Stations
EesOEssrs sBd Esires ~ Al Eisss-s'Hss
Have Histories. othsrs are C0@1-s--
Pl.cS- Eore8Es Cslas 81 anaEV
DEmezS1r SzEloEs-

TIE othsr day ne eesk sergeant 81
the Caieago armo-y went tbrolgn he
annual cleaning pap" TIE COLES tloA
3f mlscel l4aeols odds ard ends "L-~A
b-d accumulated in the s.--lon t1F-ng
.hs lAst ye4s w4s q study.
Gould each kRife, pocket-book, Key,
revolver and trluzet speak whole vol
1mes Of romance. tragedy OF comedy
uight be revealed by tLem. Al kFen-
Ing News reporter happened around
when Desk Sergeant McAv0y, aided
bY Lieutenant Chzrles Day. @As over
hauling the accumulation, prepArA-
tory 70 taxing the articles % me Gus
todians Office. Rosolyers came nrsL
A travelling man couid MAKE quite an
extended trip by us,ng the LOT for sam
pies There were revolvers OF every
standard make. IS VEL a. many OF IN
certain manufacture ana quality
few we're really good, ana were the OBJ
jects OF many enviOus gl&nces from INC
tlue-c0ats Who many OF them, al least
remem bered the days when they could
get : good gun By substituting nfty-
cent affair for soIao splendid self-acung
revolver taken from drunken prisoner
Now all IS changed Upon arrestlng
person for violating the ordinances Ia
regard 20 firearms the officer Is com
PEELED 70 I'll out blank directed 70 the
custodian, giving in full the descriptio
Of the forfeited weapon, together with
It's number.
"Ah, there is Q wicked gun, and IL
caused . good deal Of trouble" remarked
Lieutenant Day, as be EinCerly handled
a murderous ss-calber revolver, about
as thick as IL was long. Zach chamber
in the cylinder appeared as big and as
gloomy as the approach Of the Wash
ington street tunnel. "Oaicer Thomas
was down on the leyeo one morning
about two o'clock when suddenly he
was startled by five reports in rapid sue
cession, which nearly shook the build
ings. Rushing 70 the corner OF Fourth
avenue and Polk streets he found Billy
Payson. alias 'Cheroo,' a big negro,
standing over the PROSTATE body OF
Birdie Snow. He had nearly killed
her, but as badly "a she was wounded
she came out of the hospital and'swore
that she was fooling with the revolver
and shot herself. OF course, Billy g0t
of"
The revolvers were all packed into
box, and then came envelope after en-
velope, each containing one or moro
knives. These were of all sorts Of
makes and quality. Some had human
~.fr
prisoners whose hands were reeking
With the blood of a fellow being. Not
one prisoner in ten calls at the ser.
geant's desk after his trial 70 get his
knife or revolver or other pocket pieces.
SO this collection grows 70 an enormous
extent in a year. Among the knives
was one about an inch long. 1t con.
tained coiled steel saw, besides one
thick blade. James Spades, when
locked up about eight months ago, was
searched, and some loose change was
taken from him. The officers did not
find this knife, as it was closely con
cealed in the sole of his shoe. That
night the prisoner robbed cell-mate
of $40 gold piece, and placed il in the
same place of cOncealment. Ex-Ser-
geant Tim Murphy, after all others had
failed to find the stolen money, discov-
cred tho gold and knife. Spades said
he meant 70 escape that night by saw
+ ing the bars of MS cell-an easy thing
10 do with a saw like that Of his knife.
The collection contained about thirty
coins from thirty different nations,
among them being an old cart-wheel
penny Of the time of George III. Of En-
gland, dated 1877. There were many
ill-mated dice, old buttons, skeleton
keys, brass rings, printers rules, a
chisel, a keyhole saw, match boxes,
photographs, blank books, pocket
books, tobacco-pouches, a bull's-eye
lantern, lunch box, three bottles OF
medicine, several boxes OF pills. com
bination awl, carpenters rule, a cigar
lighter, a lead dollar, a pair of kid
gloves, collar buttons, hsh-hOOks and
many other unclaimed articles of little
or no value, except, possibly, TO tho
owners, who appeared 70 have either
forgotten them or 10 have been too
frightened % risk visit for them.
There were many fine burglars keys.
Some OF them would open tho doors Of
almost any ordinary dwelling. There
we're also button-hooks made into lock
pickers, and bits Of steel wire formed
into 'safe-feelers."
we are obliged 70 take these things
from prisoners before locking them up.
said Day; and this precaution many
times saves trouble. can't imagine
why the prisoners forget 20 call for
their articles. The custodian sells this
truck "a best be can after year has
elapsed"
The above-described lot Of articles
was csrted 20 the city hall In patrol
wagon The scene az the arm0ry is a
mere repetition Of what occurs a. the
other priucipa precinct stations once OF
twice year.
Uafprf ~f A. fl~anr-0ufan~.