The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-21
THE POLICEMAN's UNHAPPY LOT.
He Is Meek and SubdNed I'm Presence
of Com fssiOner Roosevelt.


New York World.
There used to he laughter among the
merry accused men when any one of them
said anything funny i'm his defense. To-day
little is said that is meant to be funny and
there is not the faintest inclination to laugh.
A roundsman with freckles and face too
how four men accused by him were lying
under their beds in the dormitory. That
would have been thought funny at a po-
lice trial once. 1t is not thought at all
funny now
If the common. everyday New Yorker
could have seen those trials yesterday his
heart would have been warmed. The COM
mon New Yorker has been occasionally
dubbed: he has been constantly ordered to
move on; he has felt that if he existed at
all it was by grace of the gentlemen i'm blue
who kindly decided what he might do and
New York would have incurred the wrath
of four Presidents Of the United States
rather than that of one policeman.
Now that seems about to change. Yes
terday the average New Yorker might have
seen samples of the finest who looked after
passing through the hands of the new
police Commissioner as limp as a shirt fresh
from the bluing tub. He might have seen
policemen of all shapes and sizes standing
does not know enough TO respect pull.
These big policemen stood twildling their
fingers with nervousness and their knees ,s
literally.
In the long room there were more than
Every one of these studied the new man
who has come to worry. and unsettle them.
Their verdict concerning him ~as sad.
gloomy: One very gray Old man said
cheerful thing.
Hes not quite SO fresh. it seems to me.
as he was the first time L seen him.. That
was the only cheerful remark of the day.
our police force a busness-like, disciplined
body of public servants, IL it can be done,
little boss. He does not even know that
the men before him look upon him as
dude sent to punish them for their sins
granted that his manners and education
must embarrass them little. and talks
ways talked TO the public
Think what must be the poor policemans
feelings when he comes up for trial before
Roosevelt speaks English accurately He
does not say Il done it, II seen it,"
He talks much more like Boston man or
an Englishman than like a New York po-
lice commissioner. He wears a little turn
down collar. He looks like dude, hardened,
but still like dude according to police
rules. His cuffs are very long. and they
show all the time. He has big gold buttons
in them, and he hasn't diamond about
veTS bic are and Of Tonnd and
looket bigger and fercer to the accused
men yesterday than did the VOLTS eyes to
i-.ttle Red Riding Hood.
When he asks a question Mr.. Roosevelt
shoots IL at the poor trembling policeman
az he would shoot a bullet at coyote.
n
set OF Zee calculated TO unnerve the
braves oil the finest. The teeth are very
white and almost as big as colts teeth.
They are broad teeth. they form a per-
fectly straight line. The lower teeth look
like a of dominoes. They do not lap
over or Under each other. as most teeth
do bot come together evenly.
He has knack of showing them all at
once when he speaks quickly. and when
he does that he seems TO say: .'reil the
truth to your commissioner, or he'll bite
yodr head Off"
Remember about Mr.. Roosevelt's teeth,
because they are the best thing about him.
But there are other things. His ear. for
instance, deserves the careful study CT all
policemen. 1t is probably the smallest ear
a picture il Is contrasted with the ear of
Commissioner Grant. son OF the great
Grant You may see that IT is only about
wonderfully small ear. means anything, Mr..
Roosevelts means a lot.
Generally speaking. this interesting COM
missioner's face is red. He has lived d
eat deal out of doors, and that accounts
Tor it. His hair is. thick and short. His
He parts it on the left side. and above the
right hand corner of his forehead he has
a sort. of pun that might have been made
by lick from some COW steer while he
was ranching. Under his right ear he has
long scar. 1t is the opinion of all the
policemen who have talked with him that
West. 1t Is also their opinion that the
mans hardest trial. II is an exasperating
| voice sharp voice, a raspfng voice. IL Is
| voice that comes from the tips of the
| teeth and seems to say i'm its tones, What
| do you amount to anyway" In the good
| old days. when the Silver Grill ran wide
open, when Williams cap
| tain. before Parkhurst had made
| the Tenderloln sort of Asbury Park. the
| owner Of such a voice Rooseveits would
! have been dubbed general principles.
Now the bravest policeman must listen To
that voice. obey il and seem to like H. lie
must even try TO initiate IL according 10
|. police traditions of policy. although he can
/ never succeed, and ne must use up MANI
/ thousands of brain cells trying TO under
| stand its queer. correct pronunciation of
words.
One thing our noble force may make
up it's mind to at once-it must do
Roosevelt says, for il lis not likely that IL
| will succeed In beating him. From his
| round bullet head down TO his square toed
boots he looks like a man OF strength. His
| jaw and chin powerful. His chest is
| broad. His lungs and his liver are I'm good
working order. His hands are strong and
broad across the back. The fingers taper
| more than is usual with strong men. lot
that does not matter.