The record-union., 1893-04-03
A MIDNIGHT ENCOUNTER.
Jailer McManus Imposed Upon by a
Desperate Character"
Which Also Causes an Engineer a
Peck of Trouble-Identity of the
Trouble-Creator.

Jailer McManus, of the City Prison, is
calm and cool at all times. He enjoys a
good joke when played on others, and for
this reason the tables were turned on him
last Saturday night-All Fools day.
Along about IL o'clock of the night in
question telephone message came to the
police station for two or three officers and
an ambulance wagon to be Immediately
sent to the corner of Fourteenth and C
streets, to take care of a desperate char
acter who was causing considerable an
noyance.
The patrol wagon was not at hand, but
Officers Wilson and Talbot were detailed,
and in cart at lightning speed they sped
along until the place of the alarm was
reached.
Nobody could be seen. There is a
telephone up at the stock yards" said
Wilson to Talbot; slot US go up there.
and maybe we can find out something"
Talbot consented, and off the officers
went.
When near the stock-yards the pace
was lessened.
what is that lying down there?n said
the one to the other.
"'Iis man ~ said one.
Talbot jumped out of the cart and lifted
the proStrate form of the supposed-to be
tired wayfarer.
1t was dummy
For an instant the officer did not recog-
nlZe that he had been sold and that it was
the lst of April, but he was quickly re-
minded that it was, when jeerings and
laughter went up from the throats of
about twenty youngsters who had perpe-
trated the job
For this l will be avenged ~ said Tai
bot to his brother policeman 81 don't
propose to be got the best of by a crowd
OF kids without getting even on some
one- Pu telephone down to the Coroner
ana have him come out to hold an au-
topsy."
NO" said Wilson. "A better joke
would be to get even on McManus.'
Ills CO." said Talbot.
The dummy was placed in the cart and
ana on the way to the City Prison they
formulated plans for carrying out their
Joke. When they reached the station
Jalier McManus was busily engaged
with the typewriter.
The dummy was placed against the
door, which opens on the inside. Gently
one of the officers raped to attract the
jailer's attention.
Come imp was the response very
gently. But no one came. For the sec
ond time someone gently tapped upon
blt prison UOOr.
Come in, l saidr' yelled the iailer
more forcibly. but to no avail.
After an instant's pause the same
knocking was heard again.
GU ID drunk! Are you so full
you can't walk imp shouted McManus
very excitedly and nervously, and then
ne SAID TO himself, Il may have acted
very indiscreetly; it might be woman"
lie paused an instant, only to hear rap
pings loud enough to startle the dead.
lie rushed to the door, turned the knob.
and into his arms fell the dummyl Re-
covering from his fright, out shot his right
on the inanimate face of the dummy.
quickly followed by his left, then again
an uppercut by his right, and his victim
was PROSTATE on the pavement.
Talbot and Wilson, who had been do
ing the knocking, came from their hiding
places around the corner of the building
and protfered their assistance to help con-
Vey the victims remains to the hospital.
Not until then did McManus recopnize
that he had been imposed upon. "For
goodness sake" says he, "don't let the
reporters know about this little affair and
III stand the drinks. Rich, wasn't it?"
All agreed that 1t was, and the vigilant
jailer was comforted.
Early in the morning after its seyere
encounter with the Jailer, the dummy
was rather disigured. Its pantaloons
were adjusted, its coat buttoned and
Scotch scarf placed around its neck. and
then it was thought that the vanquished
victim OF one encounter was ready for
another.
When Jailer NagheI came on duty in
the morning the representative of man
was standing behind the entrance door.
The accommodating Jailer went into the
business office and from there espied the
dummy. Thinking it some vile and
vicious person who was there for some
malicious purpose he armed himself with
Two con1iscated Chinese guns and ap-
preached the dummy. Grabbing it by
The neck, he demanded what business
called the lurking creature to hide behind
the door and haunt the City Jail? He re-
ceived no response, and pulling out his
billy the officer laid low his victim.
NaghePs chagrin was indescribable.
But he finally recovered, and like Officers
Talbot and Wilson he planned some way
TO get even. He could think of none eN-
cept TO place the dummy in some con
spicuous place where it might frighten
'hobos." He took it out of the iaiI and
stood 1t erect against the fence, hard by
the railroad track. But it did not lone
stand in its erect position and fell face
forward on the railroad track. Shortly q
switch engine came along. The engineer
detected the obstacle on the track and
thought 1t was the person of some com.
mon drunk.
With great deal of difficulty the engi.
neer reversed his engine and narrowly
averted what he thought was a great
calamity. He jumped from his engine
and he, too, was forced to recognize tha
he had been sold.
The dummy is now hanging aronnC
police quarters to frighten crows, which
are very obnoxious TO Jailers McManu.
and Naghel.