The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-04
THEIR BOOTS sHNkD TO MUSIC
How Capt. Re,Ily's singinx Cops Eaiive,
Their Leisure.


The police OF the Tenderloin precinct. who
are all the time devising quaint and astonish-
| ingly original methods OF extracting enjoy
ment out Of the lot which is popularity sup
posed not to be happy one. have discovered
an entirely new way Of amusing them selves.
They get their latest kind Of fun while having
their boots shined and the Commissioners
| and Inspectors who have watched the pro-
ceeding. have declared that nowhere In the
town Is the process OF putting polish to foot
gear the occasion Of 80 much merrime nt as in
the Thirtieth street station house.
There are generally fifty pairs OF police shoes
to be polished every clear morning, and as po-
lice shoes are bigger than any other kind Of
footwear in conformity with the rules Of the
department. which call for footgear at least q
size too large for the wearer. the work dragged
on tediously until the wideswake coppers
thought out q clever way OF varying its mo-
notony.
What's the matter with singing while you
wait your turn" suggested Patroman George
Reed one day AZ Sam Price. the bootblack OF
the station. was bending over "Ginger" Reil-
ly's feet and rubbing away for dear life. Reilly
had extra large shoes. because it is moro COM
forting to the feet to tramp the pavement on
beat with large shoes than with ones that 1T
exactly.
''S Sukkcslioh ~6b Cdu&uN up lu-
stantly by the other cops. and now the Tender
loin precinct has an organization that is kown
Slasfing Qsartet The aaarte s sings gees
while little Sam is putting mirror-lik sheen
morning roll cali. It is a rafting quartet. too.
aud as the voices. timed to the movements OF
H9as ~ FR the anS
Sohn vnle and women who turn out early ts
nearkRQ aQmiriDRly to the pleASinU nphOps
that float out upon the morning air, The
%Mboott boot. , glees' are sung regularly at 9 4.
at night. seefore turning in from the nj ht tour
Board. heard the melody. and pronounced It
when ss S2 %ds hs
Blended their Soires they weTa hidden o from
., 4 . was SUNDAY night and the eoppeEs were
oee BOOK Snn her @ns shee droppSd
as 81 Ssss on hsl
tho esd IRON doors and t drank IN tho
.ned. TOO. Mufiel echoes OF Eandcapping
toatsd from the prison and lodging rooms: L
laughed at that evidence Of appreciation and
sen! the echoes Of Rock Of Ages " booming
UE'k 10 inc prison.
by love. the visitor exclaimed. that's as
good as any church choir ever, heard. as the
hymn closed with swelling volume Of Police
i Rsszke Ct the quartet Petrosino is tLs tenor;
Aianss Who was sent up to Join Capt. Smiths
squad Of police IN the new Sixty eighth street
fSn by SWEET whistle fSs his R %d
eruted that it sounds like his soft-toned flute.
Ho plays the violin and piano a: well as the
m n IN nj Nhnr M
nna snsqs P!Sf
ioorsq ADAMS and Biz Adams. fS Ti long long
i ssy j" had and hosts sSas
George" who won his sonbriauet from his
nond had poss In Th4tyy
first street. When they met at tI the intersect-
ing point. after the theatres were out and the
ment and delight Of the sabmen Who
Mas dor sday aree M that
belatted pedestrians. was not in kecniing with
the DEPARTMENT rules. which require that po-
post. Capt. Reilly told the men that they would |
have to, transfer their duets to the station
One night recently when Sergeant Conboy
was at the night desk the plaintive cry Of eat |
Rsy p 'nS fo at %
unusual Interruption.
'" Put that cat out instantly" he ordered.
" and don't let him get In here again"
Doormnn Meehan chased into the section |
room after the cat and came back laughing
:" Il isn't cat at all Captain" ne said.
up in the dormnitory practising new trick in
Tenderloin. the, police dog of tho precinct
had pricked up his ear and dashed up into
the dormitory after the supposed cat and came
back with his tail between his legs. looking
very sheepish at having been fooled SO easily. |
Tho cat chorus" Is one OF the queer .ea-
lures OF the Tenderloin musical repertoire
now, hut it is sung at q o'clock A. NJ. instead
Of midnight.
Capt Reilly and Inspector Steers are won.
dering what wrinkle the Tenderloin men will
think Of next. Both are Of the opinion that.
it may be, 1t can't easily beat the
quartet racket. 1t was reported yesterday
that Commissioners. Sheehan had been invited
to pay a special visit to the Tenderloin and |
take in one of these police concerts. and that
lie proposed to do 50 at the earliest opportu-
nifty. Mayor Grant Is coming up the same
night too. to enjoy the unique accompani-
ments Of Capt. Relly's singing corps.
Fox Trapped In MorrisanIa.
Robert Chambers. who lives on tho Brug-
mann estate on the Southern Boulevard. near
| 44th street, has been losing his fine chicken