The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-01
BRAND NEW POLICE.
The First Day of the New Metro
politans.
They HAVE NO UNIFORMS YET.

Departure of the Old Force and Entry
of the New-The JAN Pretty Nearly
Empty
A little knot of rather anxious looking,
half worried, half happy, half silent,
half jockey men of all sizes were gather
ed in the front room at the police station
last night Many of them were not
dressed very we'll and many of them
looked as though they would like to go
home and go to sleep.
They were the new policemen awaiting
their assignments. There wasn't as much
joy among them as you might possibly
expect of men with new found jobs, but
they tried to look satisfied, withal, and
there was sort of contentment behind
the look that seemed to say, ''Now, don't
you laugh at me if 1 look awkward"
The new men were sworn in by the
new police judge at about 1850 o'clock
and as they stood in a Jagged row await
ing the oath they looked like primer
class looking for punishment for steal
ing jam There were eleven of the pa
trolmen-Bundy, Carlson, Byers, Lowe,
Brussman, Washburn. McElroy, Long.
Pinkston, Ewing and Hale. The last
! four are colored. Captain Gardiner and
! Sergeants Donovan and Ellison we're
also sworn in. Donovan was sort of
master of ceremonies and made the
chalk mark for the boys to miss with
their toes
Ex-Jailor Woodruff was showing peo-
pie about the Jail for the last time.
While they were in the mems depart
ment Sergeant Ellison said to Sanitary
Officer Nels Mcconnell, who is pretty
big himself, ''Tll just try my muscle on
you and ne forthwith grabbed him and
! forced him into one of the single cells
and locked the door.
There was great excitement among the
new men when the first call for the patrol
wagon was sent in at 8 o'clock. 1t came
from the Missouri Pacific depot, and
Henry Aye, the new driver, was beside
himself. Driver Sage was there, how
ever, and kindly donated his services,
so the horses were hitched up right, any
way.
Aye was gone about half an hour, and
before he got back with the report thai
he couldn't find anything wrong. Sergeant
! Donovan had brought the offender il
afoot, and the incident was almost for
gotten.
Only four of the new men were sen
out into the cold blast at the turning O.
the night and of the administration
They were Brussman, Lowe, Washburr
and Piukston, and they took their club
silently, buttoned up their overcoats anC
started out with Il sort of apoIogeti,
cough to the weather for disturbing it
They didn't all put their clubs in theil
pockets and they didn't all try to lool
dignified.
They were glad to report off this
morning and go home. The first night
was lonely one.
Chief Wilkerson and Captain Gardi
ner found an empty jail awaiting then
at seven o'clock last evening when they
went down to sit around and see how i
was going to seem.
There were not many prisoners left il
the Jail Five told them all, and two o
those we're free by right of expiration o
sentence last night The three other
had only two or three days each to serve
and Chief Lindsey as his last official act
turned them loose.
sect out" said he, ''and let the new
fellows start fresh"
Yesterday at noon the outgoing chic
remarked, perhaps humorouslv, 9Th,
towns open. boys, till tonight at mid
night Raise all the you want to
1t will be free as salvation, and you cal
have good time with impunity" Thi
was to the public, but the public didn'
seem to notice any change in the atmos
phere. and continued to be good as usual
With the close of the old regime til
doors were open and new Chief Wilker
son found them so when he arrived
This morning, Long, Hinkston, Hal
and Carson were sent out to preserv
peace with the aid of the old force an
learn how to swing their sticks.
None of the men have uniforms and j
you want a policeman for awhile yet, yo
must look for the star and not for tn
uniform
Policemen buy their own uniforms an
the old men have right to wear thei
clothes out
Chief Lindsey was around soon afte
eight this morning and unbuttoned hi
oYercoat LONG enough to give the na1