The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-08-13

A Xnoek-Dewn Argument
Aman Who il familiar with the munic-
ipal methods in vogue at Coney island
recently gave the New York Recorder an
insight into the plan pursued by GEAR"
McKane.
"When Chief NcKane's father died"
the man said, s:some of the crooks who in
fest the island, hoping for an opportunity
to do little work on the quiet conclud-
ed that as the chief would be absent for
several days attending his fathers funeral,
their chance had come. A shell worker,
among Others opened for business. He
was holder than the others and naturally
attracted attention, but waa not stopped
by the police. Why he was not stopped
has nothing to do with the story, but he
was not. When Chief McKane returned
he found the she'll worker at work and
doing good business, as Coney is an
ideal place to catch suckers McKane
sent for the shell worker and had him
brought to police headquarters, where an
interesting interview occurred" That
interview was declared to be as follows:
$50 you have been working the shell
game On the island2" exclaimed McKane.
.Yes, sir, but ] didn't rob anybody
gave en- oil q fair chance, the frightened
crook whlned.
"Never mind that; but want you to
tell me the truth. You took advantage
Of my absence at my fathers funeral to
sneak down here, didn't youl"
ayes, chief, but won't do it again it
you will let me off this time"
II am going to let you of. I am net
going to prosecute you as that would get
into the newspapers and be bad advcr-
tisement for the island, but am going
to lick you and l am going to do it good,
too. am not going to take any advan-
tage Of you, and on can make any prep
aration you wish, but am going to lick
you before you leave this room. Now
get ready, make any resistance you can,
but just the same am going to lick you
80 badly that you won't come here to work
your game again."
The man begged and protested that he
did not want to fight the chief, but it did
not move McKane. He listened until the
man had run out Of excuses for fighting,
and as the man was small and McKane is
almost Hercules in stature, the fellow
summoned all of his eloquence.
"You have talked enough" McKane
finally broke in. ~ will now give you
just two minutes to get ready for the lick
ing, then you get it." At the end of the
two minutes McKane told the man to
stand up and as soon as he did so knocked
him down. The poor, frightened
wretch evidently had sense enough to
recognize the floor as his best friend and
he made no motion to rise.
"Get up" McKane ordered, but the man
did not obey.
IL do-don't wa-wsnt ito ge-ge. get
up" he stammered, his teeth chatterlng.
McKane picked him up and set HIM
squarly upon his feet and then knocked
him down again, and again the shell
worker remained on the floor.
"Come, take your medicine! That is
only two rounds and your case requires
three at least, " the chief explained. Then
he again set the now thoroughly subdued
crook upon his rickety feet and for the
third time knocked him down.
"Do you think you will be able to re-
sist the temptation to work your she'll
game on the island IN the tuture2" Chief
McKane inquired.
$50 help me, will never turn another
trick on the island so long as live, if /
starve," the man whined.
swell, then, you can go now" the chief
remarked, and in fifteen seconds the shell
worker was out Of the station house and
making q new record for the pedestrian
time to New York.
'That illustrates how the chief manages
to keep the island 80 free of crooks with
so few prosecutions" the informant re-
marked when be had finished his nara
k;vo