The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-26
THE DISCARDED NIGHT STICK
IL Was less Deadly Than the Biiiy ane
Could BE Put 20 Many Uses.

Could BE Put 20 Many Uses.
Probably the most popular order which
Superintendent Byrnrs ever issued was
the one abolishlng the might stick. No
citizen was ever known 60 call night
stick anything but club. "a term which
Is never used by the police 10 designate
any weapon they ever carried. Club was a
bard, harsh name that most citizens were
unable 60 disassociato from clubbing and
led many to believe that they might some
day have the misfortune 90 be uniustly
clubbed. Il will surprise such people &c
learn that II they ever should be dubbed
thoy will fare worse under the weight Of
the short, hard hatons now carried than
under the blows OF the old time night
sticks. The explanation is simple.
The night sticks were made Of the best
seasoned locust Well seasoned locust be-
comes comparatively light and is springy.
The bat0ps, OF billies, which replaced them
are made Of the heaviest wood available
rosewood. liguum Vita and the like-and
are short and absolutely devoid Of pliabil-
ity. consequently a blow on the head.
which. dealt with night stick, would re-
suit only in a scalp wound. II dealt with tbs
policeman's present weapon might result
in "a fracture of the skull.
SO true is this that many of the older
. policemen who have carried a night stick
for years will draw "a revolver ON a retrac-
tory prisoner. hoping to intimidate him by
the exhibition of IL. rather than to risk
drawing the billy, which would have lit
tie or no terrifying effect ON the prisoner
and might result in his death II the officer
was forced 90 use &C.
The night stick had many uses with
which the general public had little chance
nIatHHH d
was 22 inches, but they often exceeded this
by two or four inches. The leather thong
which the user wrapped about his hand TO
reinforce his grip on the weapon was
nearly as long and was strong enough 20
sustain the weight Of most men. 10 gave
its possessor a reach Of at least five feet
and time and again the night stick has
been used rs a support until other assist
ance could come for some unfortunate
who had fallen or jumped overheard, and
in cases Of great emergency where the
drowning man or woman was losing
strength or growing benumbed with cold
awaiting the.arrival OF boats or ropes the
night stick and strap have been used to
drag them UP to the pier. Again, IL has been
found Invaluable as life saver when lit
tiers were too far away and the ambulance
was tardy in responding 20 a call. -Four
men with two night sticks. one Of the
sticks slipped under the knees, the other
under the arms of the patient, could carry
him easily and rapidly TO the hospital or
station.
Another and probably the least thought
of use TO Which the handy night stick has
been putwas in. extinguishing fire. Fires
started, no one knows how, in rubbish in
cellars or In bedding or clothing in rooms
and closets are among the most common
that give the hremen a run. Many such a
FIRE that would have resulted in a damag
ing confagration IL left 10 await the ar
rival Of the fire department has been beat
en- out with,a night stick. Last, but not
least. the fear Of it has quelled many an
incipient riot while the judicious use Of it
has kept many dangerous corners free Of
the corner loafers which made them dan
gerous and has done more than the fear
OF arrest and imprisonment to break up
the gangs which used 10 infest many por-
tons OF the city. York sun.