The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-24
CITY news AND GOSSIP.
An Old-Time Police 0filolal Tails
or Some Happenings at
Headquarters.
~------
How an Out Of Town Man Hired a
Carriage to Take Him TO
the Lookup.
------
.saacn,nr : WAY fnrer From the Ghan's-
r,.ms on the Jail nm of Fare
That Equal thu Beat.

NMG -
rtems an the Jail HIN of Fare
That Equal thu Beat.
Mon who have been connected with tn
police department. a numeer az years ar
fall of "reminiscences, moro or less inter
sstinc, some Of these man. though brouga
into oontact with criminals oil the tine,
never get hardened, and they treat ths
nriaonera under their charge with more
confederation than the less experienced
men. Tho other night one OF those 9TH
Gals fell into u reminiscent mood. and told
of things moro or less curious that had
como under his observation. Several years
npo there we're always TEN or fifteen men IN
tho city jail, who paid their fines by work.
ing On the streets. These men had n reGu-
lar systsm among themselves of eQualiSinG
matters, and woe he 10 tho new conner who
broke any OF tho rales. The members of
the chain gsng were forced TO work pretty
hard NIL day, end tho result was that when
night came they wanted to sloep. Often q
drunken man would be thrown In
with them. Nine cases out of ten
ha was noisy, and for n few minutes he
would make Rome howl. This, regular
boasders, who wanted to sleer, had q sure
way TO quiet these unruly newcomers. In
tho midst of his rawlings they weuld leave
their hunks and descend on him in a body.
The iailor would hear BiI! Bih! Bang! fol-
lowed by q grosn, and all would be ssill.
An investigation would show shat the chaia
gang had put the noisy newcomer TO
sleep" and then retired. Finally the pun
.shments inflicted by tho prisoners on their
companions became too severe. and they
we're stopped. Now IL a man disturbs the
other prisoners he is Put in the dark coll.
and that has a Quieting effect.
One of the most surprised men that ever
slept q night in the city jail is u resident OF
a nearby town. He came TO Helena not
long neo and starting ont with q oonsid-
cradle sum of money, soon became uttsrly
unconscious Of his surroundings and laid
down to sleep In the middle of Main street.
An officer found him there. and calling a
hack put him into ii and took him to the
city hall. He was searched and nearly $500
was found on his person. Out of this the
hickman was paid and the visitor wae
given u bed in tho Jail. The next morning
he was duly nober, and after breakfast he
was told he oould 90, no charge being made
against him.
II wonder what l did with my money!"
qusried the man.
How much did you have?" was asked.
''The last l remember l had S167." he re-
Piled.
WELL" enid the court clerk. mere Ia
$l65.b0. and counting the $3.50 YOU paid
the haokmen, that makes il all right"
The man took the money, counted it. put
1t in his pocket, and stood for n moment or
two apparently in q brown study. Finally,
he turned to the clerk and asked:
did | como to jail in a haok?'
"You did. most nssuredly," said the
clerk.
We'll" said the iodger. II have heard
of a good many l. fools in my life. but
! believe | am the biggest. The idea of q
man hiring n hack TO take him to jail!'
The clerk did not tell him that tho po-
liceman brought him to Jail. and to this
day that man believes he hired q hack and
asked to DO taken 10 the lookup.
But few people outside of tho officials
themselves and the newspaper men know
how many visitors 10 the city ero saved from
The hands of the spoilor by the police. Men
came into the cisy from the ranches or the
mines with a months or a half years saw
incs in their pockets. They take a few
drinks. somo OF the Rhouls who are always
on the watch TO rob drunken men, get hold
of them and unless en- officer 10 on the
watch, the visitor Ia coon minus all his
cash. Only O few nights ago tho police
found q mnn from the Boulder Mining dis
tr!ct in just this condition. Ho had been
in o only n few hours, and
ia that short time had made more
Rcqunintanoes than II b~uBineas man
would make in E woek. His pockets were
full OF money, and when the police ran
across him he was in full swing on the Mid
way, spending his money like water. and n
dozen vampires after him. each waiting tho
opportunity to rob him. lie was taken TO
the city hall and given tho option OF boing
put TO bed in n hotel or sleeping in the Jail,
the police meantime keeping his money iii
he 6obercd ur. lie took the cot in tho Jail,
after q good many protests. Tho next
morning, when he was sober and his money
returned TO him, he was one of tho most
grateful man seen in the mGrrhal's Office In
u long time.
The iailer has to resort 20 all sorts Of OK
pedients at simos 10 get inobciatod prlnon-
era to 90 quietly into tho coll room. or
course when a prisoner is helpless no ia
csrried in; but often he Ia only half drunk
and 10 qnarrelsome o: very particular, and
M IL 10 not desired TO usa force to got such
II one behind tho bars. Lo 10 lod into tho ooll
room much rs u child Ia ooaxed 10 bed.
Not long ago one of theee Buper. sensitive
gentlomon was brought In hardly nblo to
stand NJ. After no had beou bookod no
was invited into tho jail room. lnatend OF
accepting he BRt down and declared his I'M
Rlterable determination NOT SO 90 into the
jug. lie waR assured ho would have u good
bed. Ao acknowledged that was go, but no
said no objected TO the character of the
meals served.
"Why," said the jpilor. "you are mig
AIKEN. In this jail VIC awe tho prisoners
some things jGst no good NJ they give the
boarders NJ the Hotel Helena"
On this assurance the prisoner vent into
the jail propsr. Just as the door was bong
closed he called out to the j~GiIev:
'Say, what's that YOU give same ss Hotel
N~elena2"
salt" said the ~iUiler, "a hs slammed tho