Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-12-12
A SUSPICIOUS PERSON
JOINT CARRY BUNDLES ON A NEW
YORK STREET AT NIGHT.

met friend not unkI own in the literary
worlu. He was taking luncheon. His air,
however, was so perturbed and his rnien
80 gloomy that in pausing at his table /
SAID banteringly: whats the matter,
Lost your last friend?"
Don't suppose I've got any more
friends, )" he said laconically; Pm sus-
picious person.
A suspicious person." I echoed sOf
"hat are you suspected ?"
SIT down and Ill tell you all about it,
he replied.
Then when had nominated NV bever.
age listened to a rema rkable tale of woe
from my friend, and | can assure the
reader that it is true in every essential
feature
Last night" began my friend, 81 was
oo"n town very late. | had spent the
evening IN Brooklyn, and on arriving at
Ihe END OF the bridge l stopped in at an
open all night drug store, where during
Che Gay had left package containing a
pair OF trousers which Iny tailor had lust
pressed and renovated.
with this bundle unler my arm took
train on the Sixth avenue elevated and
got of at Eighth street The cars were so
warm l had thrown my overcoat over nv
arm, and in leaving the station | did not
stop to put it on, as | live very near Uni
Verslty place. When within half a block
oil my home it began to rain, but did not
stop to put up my UNI brella, having NV
coat and umbrella under my left arm. l
Just made run for it.
l mad run perhaps thirty yards when l
leIt heavy hand on my shoulder, and
gruff voice said in my err, Hold on the,.,:
what are you runnin fer2'
IOnkpd IlT, nd
standing over me. Twas so surprised that
all l could say was: Il am running to get
out of the rain. Didn't think | was run
nlng to catch a train at this time of tho
night, did you?
| Don't get fresh. young feller,' per
sisted the policeman, but just tell me
where you got them clot les.'
Well, | replied, still so astonished ]
could hardly collect my wits, the overcoat
is mine and the pair OF trousers in the
bundle were just sent from the tailor's
this afternoon, and | am bringing them
home
oh, say, now, that won't do was the
/ bluecoat's reply. I'm Oh to you and you-
game. You'll have to come to the station
with me. See,
/ But listen. Pm so and so. and haven't
done anything l vainly expostulated, Civ
4 iuB my name ana Occupa ION
"'Where do you live said the fellow
lnsultingly. We are right opposite the
house now I replied meckly
"'Oh, we are, are wes' said the police
man with a sneer. Well let's see you open
the door
But | don't go in this door, | ex-
7 planned; J go in the one Oh the side. have
20 key to this door.
Just what thought said the police
man. Wen have no more monleyings, so
You just come along with me-
with that he dragged me off to the
Mercer street police station and intro
suced me to the sergeant at the desk, who
proceeded to question me in much the same
/ Chesterheidlan manner IS had character
ized the pOliceman's conduct toward me
since he first appeared Oh the scene.
Il explained to the sergeant that was
only a harmless citizen and tried to be a
worthy one; that / had been kept down
town late, and was returning with my
overcOat on my arm and a bundle contain
ing pair of trousers under my arm. I
added that had told the policeman where
l lived.
'''You iiel You're liarr shouted the
I policeman, who was standing Mt my side
AT this ventured to get irritated, and
/ I.
grew more and more exc ted the sergeant
sent him into the back room.
! Having done this the sergeant took my
name and address. and told me the police
man was perfectly right in having arrested
me, and that / had no right to be out at
night with bundle under my arm; that /
bad no business to have been running, and
ought to have known enough to have been
! particularly polite to the policeman when
he stopped me, and to have at once told him
all about myself without any reservation,
without having been in the least offended
al being taken for a thief.
Having read me this lecture the ser
geant told me that might go home, and
left the police station with feeling that
perhaps | ought to thank the sergeant for
allowing me to live.
The next morning at IL o'clock was at
police headquarters. l met a newspaper
friend on the step and he greeted me with
Well, how did yon mans ge to get locked
up last night"
How did you know it, gasped. oh,
q slip came in here from the Fifteenth
with your full name and address saying
you were arrested as suspicious person
and not held for lack of evidence
Then learned that it was possible in
this city for the police to arrest a respecta-
BILE citizen, accuse him Of being a 'sus-
picious character and then when he has
proven his responsibility brand him on the
records at police headquarters for all time
10 come as suspicious person still, but
not held for lack of evidence .
"A little later / was closeted with Super
intendent Byrnes, who, after he had
listened to my story, said calmly: The
policeman had right to arrest you. His
Instructions are to question people ut night
whom he meets with bundles, particularly
III they are running. If their replies are
not satisfactory he must take them to the
police station. There the sergeant can use
his discretion in the matter.
las to the men having been rude toyou,
| have your statement, and viii look into
that Come here tomorIow at IL O'Clock,
and I'll have both the ser yeant and police
man here
Tomorrow / am going up TO confront
the sergeant and policeman before the su-
periptendent, but from what he says l am
afraid there will be but little done in the
matter unless ] take the case into the
courts and sue the city for branding me as
a suspicious person discharged for lack of
evidence.'
You can see how far this thing might
20 ne Ryrnes' men also have instructions
In regard to women on the street at night.
Supnosino a thick headed officer like the
20 L.. tod tn