St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-06
AMONG THE BLUE-CoATs.

The new police headquarters are so great an
improvement over the old ones recently va
Gated that the officers take pride whenever
citizen or stranger happens along in showing
the excellent plan of arrangement. Of
course, most of these calls are made in the
day time, but now and then visitor drops in
after the nightly vigil has commenced. and
handsome Phil Schweitzer fills the lieuten
ants chair. Up stairs where the batteries
and alarm wires are at work is Link Hide
brand, the night operator. Every visitor
that is interested in the police system likes to
S ee how the switch boards operate, and after
Eieut Schweitzer has shown him the
other apartments, he is consigned to Link
Monday night the postmaster of a small
town in the southern part of the state was
brought to inspect the station by an alder
man, whose guest he was. The gentleman
regarded the printing wheels and other ap-
pliances of the electricians office with un-
feigned wonder and expressed great admir-
alton for the man who was clever enough to
understand so complicated syetem. This
bit OF fiattery may have made Link thirsty
for more. He called his visitors attention
to the jar of gold fish that was recently pre-
sented to him and proceeded to explain to
the P NJ. that a man constantly in contact
with electricity carried great quantity of
personal magnetism around with him. For
instance, he taught each one of these little
fishes his name and he fed them in order in
the jar. He would call Bill, designating the
largest fish, and Bill would come to the sur
face and eat his food, then Tom would come
and so on until all the shiny occupants of
the glass jar had been fed. The postmaster
made no sound, but passed down the stairs
10 where his aldermanic friend awaited him,
and it was only when outside the door that
he was heard to remark: Gosh It's won
derful what this electricity can do, and es-
pecially this police electricity,
officer Gus Bear, of the central DETAIL is
being guyed a good deal just at present by
his associates. Gus has been connected
with the force for long time. and the best
proof of his reliability is the fact that he has
had charge of the central patrol wagon for
some years. 1t requires only few moments
from the time the patrolman pulls his box
until Gus is on the scene with the wagon.
He assists the unfortunate prisoner to seat
beside himself and away go the horses back
to the station. 1t is not unfrequently that a
prisoner tries to escape from the vehicle
while it is in motion, but Bears strong arm
soon causes him to change his mind. 1t has
become point of pride with Gus to tell
that during all his experience, and he has
given many tough criminal a ride in his
time. none has escaped from him.
But Gus can no longer draw himself up
proudly and make the above statement.
Seven taps of the bell called him to the cor
ner of Seventh and Minnesota streets the
other evening where a drunk and disor-
derly'' awaited free ride to the station. He
took his seat in a quiet way and as the wagon
rolled along engaged his guardian in CONVEX
sation. He was a gentleman1y sort of a
drunk and apparently harmless, therefore
Gus settled down comfortably in his seat. At
the corner of Fifth and Market streets, only
two blocks from the station. his prisoner
made a spring for liberty and escaped, leav-
ing the split end of his coat with Gus as a
reminder of his presence The latter stopped
the wagon and gave chase, but it was in vain
and the piece of cloth had to serve as a sub
sttute for the prisoner. To say Gus is
crestfallen only feebly expresses it, and now
his brother officers laugh when he goes by
and ask him if he is going to have that cloth
made over, or have it advertised for the own
tn call