St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-26
The MAJORS LECTURE
Superintendent Henderson
Tells the Police What
Their Duty Is.
Rev. Smith Baker Gives Some
Tips on Couptship and
Counting.
The Abandonment Of Pro-
ceedings for Opening May
Place Refused.
The Exposition Opens August
rs and Closes Septem-
Der 26.


Volk and PatrOman White, who were
examined OH Monday, and Patrolman
Reese, who is in precarious condition
from pneumonia, we're called before the
mayor and the superintendent yeSter-
day, and their cases considered. A mass
of shorthand testimony was taken. 1t
will be gone over in day or two and
the cases passed upon.
Supt. Henderson made the first of his
"TalkS 10 PalrOlmen" yesterday after
noon. All the night men belonging to the
First precinct, including both and 9
O'Clock details, were assembled at the
Central station at o'clock. The super
inteDdent spoke feelingly and the men
listened attentively, many of them with
uncovered heads. He said:
LAS superintendent of the police de-
partment l come before you this after
noon, not to deliver lecture, but to
have a talk with you such as l would
like to have with any friend. You and
1 are about to undertake a great duty.
You and will have to work together Tor
the next two years. We want to under
stand each other.
81 have the highest respect for gem
tleman. ! like 10 trust him and to as
sist him. | don't like to think that there
are any old soldiers among you, as we
used to call them in the aImy-men who
soldier and shirk their duty. know
the position in which you are often
placed. | know the feeling i'll the com
munity at large toward policemen. By
many the estimate made of man who
is unfit for ordinary business and work
is, He'll do for a policeman That IS
not my estimate OF policemen. be-
Lin hot nil
of you have familieS-wiveS and chill
dren whom you respect and love.
"You should consider this your Occu
patton, which you want to fill creditably
to yourself and to the city. You want
to be looked upon with respect by all
honest citizens. A man up on NicOllet
avenue who is full of whisky will do
more harm than twelve good men can
repair. That is why we start out to in
troduce discipline, and l want every
man to understand it and to understand
it distinctly. No man will lack the sup
port of this administration if he does
his duty. 1t would not be fair if we
did not do our duty.
"Many things occur to me IN my Of
fee that | would like to say to you.
There is nothing that like better than
to sit down and have a social talk with
my men. That is why | came here to-
day.
.Another thing | want to mention is
misunderstanding between officers,
chickering's, talking about one another.
We can't do our best if we have that
on his own bottom.
Another important point. We need
strong men on the police force-men
who are strong in themselves, strong to
withstand temptation. There are times
when you are called upon to act for
yourselves and to act quickly, when you
are in tight place. Then you need a
clear head A man who is full of whisky
is apt to shoot when he ought not to.
Many of you have seen long service on
the police force. You are more eX-
perienced in police work than | am.
don't claim to know much about this
business. But this | do claim to know
from my experience III military llfe-if
you do your duty and stand before the
community square man, you will be
respected. | don't propose to have this
force Inundated by the presence of a
drunkard. We want no men going into
saloons. These rules were laid down
before | came among you. l find these
rules in force i'll every police depart
ment in the country. | know l have
only to ask you and you will respect
them. If q man makes mistake I'll
not turn from him; I'll help him."
The superintendent here called the
attention of the officers TO certain rules
in the manual which he had marked.
The first had to do with the duties of
the patrolmen in the way Of answering
calls and obeying the orders of superior
officers, courtesy between the men, etc.
The superintendent continued:
81 spoke TO the sergeant few days
ago. | want to say now few words to
the officers on that point. The sergeant
occupies very important position. 1t
is the duty of the officer to help the SER
geant. Now some sergeants are good
fellows" and some patrolmen are good
fellows" 1t is nice to be a good fell
low" but it is better to be a good
officer. Good fellows frequently lack
stability. n sergeant needs strong men
to assist him. He must see that every
man does his duty, and every patrolman
should so regard him You will not be
asked to do anything but what is right"
The superintendent here read some
more rules. Patrolmen are forbidden
to enter houses of prostitution, saloons
and places of amusement except in the
discharge of their duty. There must be
no smoking while on duty, nor off duty
while in uniform. Smoking in the sta
tions is prohibited. Members of the
force must salute superior officers
whenever meeting them. The super
intendent then continued:
| have come to you here because l
want to say few kind words to you.
If you get into trouble you will be called
before the mayor and you must suffer
the consequences. l am here as your
friend. thank you for your kind at
tention."
Suppressed applause greeted the close
of the superintendent's remarks and
the men filed out into the icy alleys.
Tke same lecture will be repeated to
all the men in the other precincts in
turn.