The Washington times., 1894-11-04
PICTURES OF POLICE LIFE
Scenes in a Station After the Setting
of the Sun.
HOW NIGHT is MADE HIDEoUS
Phases Of Character Shown by Prisoners Who
Are Cast Into the Cells-Humorous and
Pathetic Incidents-EOw the Business
Of an officer Is Conducted-After Dark

Night in a police station. Beneath the
spreading glare Of the gas lamp which hangs
from the ceiling are enacted scenes after the
sun set, ranging in the emotions they excite
in the spectator from the pathetic to the
tragic and the ludicrous. There is a certain
element that cannot help encroaching upon
the rights Of others, the great body politic.s 1t
Is with these people that the brass-buttoned
policemen mostly deal, and in the doing Of
their duty much happens that cannot be de-
picted in the daily reports Of arrests.
When dusk falls and the station-keeper set
ties down for the nights business, offenders
Of many stripes Of iniquity hang upon the
brass railing in front Of the desk, for it is at
night that the police are busiest. Sin likes
darkness.
Perhaps it viii be cowardly, sullen-look-
ing wife beater who will first appear before
the stern man who sits behind the railing and
enters up the pedigree Of the prisoner on the
register These men sometimes persist in
abusing the officers who arrested them, as in
deed do nearly ali who are hauled to the sta
tion.
sTu have YOU up before the board for being
too rough" is the frequent and empty threat
70 the officers. This cry comes from nearly
all. Then they show a sudden stubborn de-
termination not TO be placed in a cell, and
force necessarily must be used TO untWist the
nrm grip about the railing.
Often in searching a prisoner, after being
arrested for some minor offense. a pistol or a
blackjack, or even a razor. viii sometimes he
found The invariable rule in such cases is
20 enter up charge Of carrying concealed
weapon against the bearer, for which the fine
is very heavy. Searching is always unpleas-
ant TO the searched.
''Got a knife or 4 bunch Of KEYS about
youyn the policeman viii tersely ask. Pris-
oners may cut their throa.s with their pen
knives, or open their cell doors with pocket
keys. Therefore it is always safe to remove
such articles from an accused mans pockets.
Haven't got either" is sometimes the
reply. "NoW, there amt no use lookin'."
However, the searcher goes right ahead.
while q look OF intense disgust and displeas-
ure darkens the face OF the prisoner. Often
it happens that the latter viii hand out his
belongings readily. Few are willing 10 part
with their watch and money, which is re-
tained at the desk for safekeeping.
The charges which most frequently appear
on the police blotter are assault and battery.
disorderly conduct, drunkenness. suspicion,
and affray. Blear-eyed men helplessly in
toIicated viii often be carried into a station
bodily and cast into a cell to sober up. Here
in the District there is no fine on the statute
book for drunkenness, and ali persons arrested
for such misconduct are released when sober
On Saturdays, which are usually the busiest
n police circles, the cells sometimes become
filed to overhowing. It is then that night s
made hideous by those behind the bars.
Beating on the bars with clenched fists. they
Will yell and scream In the most soul-tortur-
ing fashion. The rattle of the iron doors and
the piercing cries must be endured by the re-
serve policemen asleep just one floor above
Tina iC how Frrnr Df1la 81
such maddening sounds about them.
IF you don't smut up wei put you in the
dark cell is a frequent threat to particularly
obnoxious prisoners.
"Do yer worst. I won't keep quiet, comes
the tauntlng reply. And the miscreant viii
keep up the bedlam, worthy Of the witches on
Walpurgis' night.
The dungeon Just hinted ct is rarely used.
but may be found in the cellar Of each sta
tion-house, where particularly obnoxious
prisoners are placed. a stranger happening
into station Saturday night and hearing the
noise and hullabaloo OF those in the cells
would not need TO be imaginative to believe
himself in the midst Of an asylum full Of the
most violent lunatics.
By way OF contrast. when the bars do con
fine genuinely insane patient the inmate is
quiet and well behaved. Women add TO the
torment Of the policemen as well, in trying TO
make as much noise as possible while under
restraint.
At times there is quite rush Of business. as
an officer would put il when a number Of
prisoners appear. Then viii come q lulI
during which the scratching of the station
keepers pen or the rattle OF the telephone
call from the men making their hourly report
may be heard.
Suddenly the door viii be banged open.
and ACKNOWLEDGMENT man suagger ia
followed by hack driver and policeman.
This man hired my coupe tonight. viii
be the complaint from the hackman land
after driving all over town, says he won't
pay me a cent
'.Oh. thash's all right Ny folks'u pay for
everything. Don't let er little matter like that
worry yer" replies the accused. who is al
ways intoxicated. Nevertheless. he may he
locked up until the hackman is satisfied
This is very common occurrence, and passes
without comment.
Il want you to go out and arrest a man
who cursed me-"
This from a newcomer. People often rush
20 police station with such complaints.
Then they are intensely disgusted If no atten-
tion is paid TO them. a thousand and one
petty complaints ike this harass a policeman
every night and day.
From 10 clock TO y in the evening there is
q procession Of prisoners on a busy night. So
callous and accustomed TO such sights grow
those IN charge Of the station. the most flag
cite more than passing comment. These are
usually the busiest hours in tine whole twenty
four.
AT midnight new squad OF men goes on
the street. Before leaving the station-house
they are drawn up before the sergeant like
soldiers and receive their Instructions. These
are many and varied. running from the de-
scription Of a man wanted to an order about
the observation OF electric lights After this
they distribute to the various beats in the pre-
cinct, and the others come in TO report and
sleep for a few hours.
Women are often arrested. Of all sorts and
conditions. A matron is provided at each
station fOr the purpose OF looking after their
welfare. Sometimes a hardened woman Of
the other half may be detained. or else a
young girl who has run away from her parents
10 choose a life OF sin. Happily such cases
are not very frequent.
Alter the midnight hour the surroundings
grow quieter. An arrest may be brought in
only once in several hours. During that time
until dawn breaks again the silence is peace
ful and refreshing after the horrors of the
early night.
Early Visitor.
The story Of Sir Edwin Tandenar,c modal