Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1895-09-19
POLICEMEN IN SPAIN.
They Have Divers Duties Besides Catch
ing Criminals.


ing Criminals.
The little towns and smaller cities
Of Spain have very effective system
of night police. These Spanish public.
lwatchmen are clad in long black
cloaks and wear on their heads each a
black and red cap. In one hand is
lantern with .colored glass, in the
other a kind of lance. ~ ss
''Sereno" is the name this policeman
goes undors and he gets the title from
the cry he Is obliged to utter at. every
few steps: "Sereno!' which means
fine. The phrase refers to. the state OF
the weather. If the weather is cloudy,
he would call out: ''Nublado;" if it is
rainy: .'Lluviendo." Under the blue
sky Of Spain, however, it is generally
serene"
An extract from the municipal regu-l
.lations of Spanish town details the
duties of the serene in this wise: He
must perform a certain number OF
rounds in all the streets, lanes, pas
sages and alleys on his beat, and call
out in a loud voice the time aud the.
weather as he goes along. He must
lend assistance to citizens who request
his help for any reasonable cause, and
90 for the doctor, chemist, midwife or
clergyman. In cases Of robbery, as
sault or fire he must hurry to the
scene of the occurrence as soon as he
hears the signal He must pay par
ticular attention to such houses as arc
pointed out to him and report to his
supe riors." M
Each ''sereno" sspervises certain
small territory, a 'sdemarcacion," as it
is called. He has three or four
subordinates, who act under his orders
and are known as ''vigilants." Each Of
these fellows has charge of block of
ten or fifteen buildings, and besides
having police duties he acts as sort
Of porter to his houses. carrying the.
keys to them all and being alone able
to open the doors. In the Spanish
towns ten o'clock is the signal for
closing, and after that time the only
way the ledger can get inside his
dwelling is to summon the "vigilant."
To do this he must clap his hands three
times, and then the ''vigilant" hurries
up armed with his bunch Of keys. So
also if anyone desires to 60 out dur
ing the night he claps his hands at
the window and ''vigilant' appears.
When street brawl occurs or an
attack is made, either serene" or
..vigilant" blows his whistle at the
/ first cry of help and chases off in the
direction OF the sound. Up come the
other officers on the run, all. blowing
their whistles loudly. Ifthe criminal
gets away the whistles are blown in a
peculiar manner, signaling in just
what direction he. has gone. The
outer rings of { 'serenos','s and .'.vigi-
lants'' take up the. signal, and in . few
moments wide, Gordon is formed in
the surrounding streets, which in
nine cases out Of ten ends in the evil
doer's capture. within 9 few moments
These. police are paid directly BY the
householders on their beats, though in
every other. way directly under
municipal control. The tax varies,
running from ten cents month to
sixty cents for each house, They also
receive New Years presents, and they
are BY no means averse to tips.
twenty-five years Of service puts .
man Oh the pension list, the pension
being not less than forty cents q day,
conside rable sum ID sunny Spain.
NY World. y. &. & NJ S5ss