The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-13
CUT OFF
SATURDAY IS FIXED AS EXECUTION
DAWN POLICE CIRCLES.

Great Uneasiness is Felt Among the Guar
dians of the City's Welfare to Who
vii. be the Lambs Selected for the
sIaughter-The Word has Gone Forth
That the Force Must be Reduced-Hard
Trials as Related by Patrolmsn-Ben
Downing Allows the Geological Class to
Escape His watehfuI Care.
The police Of the city are in trouble
this week. and it is confidently expect
ed that several heads will fall in the
official basket at the meeting or the
board on Saturday.
The question is whose head Will fall?
That some will cease 10 live in an Off
cial capacity is given out as a cold
blooded fact by the chief, who received
his information from the secretary OF
the board, better known as the produc-
er Of Jersey milk from his father-in-
laws cow
In exactly twenty-seven minutes by
the clock the energetic secretary had
given the chief the information that
the force should be reduced consider
able at the Saturday meeting, and
asked the officer TO prepare the lambs
for the slaughter.
There was no telling last night as 10
who had been chosen for the sacrifice,
but il was confidently given out that
five would be the number required 20
lay their heads upon the official block
and become decapitated with one swift
blow from the ak in the hands Of Exc
cutioner McCanless and Pulse Feeler
Lieurance.
An officer was met last night upon
one OF the outer beats and asked II he
could give any information as TO whom
would cease to officially exist on Sat-
urday when the curtain should be
1ung down upon the horrible scene
which will be enacted. He said, after
swallowing the lump in his throat three
times before he could speak:
''Oh, indeed, / havet no idea. Oh,
this is horrible business. Just think
Of il, First our salaries were cut down
SO per month, then Tiger Bill, Dawes
and that outfit have forced US to give
up each month from SO 10 SO to the
Wichita shylocks. You see IL is not
like II used to be when all we had 10
do with a warrant was TO take IL TO the
bank and get it cashed. Now We have
TO take our warrants and get them
shaved wherever We can, and still there
is no certainty how long we will have a
job.
Say, have you heard about Ben
Downing's scrape?" said the policeman,
anxious to turn the doleful subject.
The reporter inquired what was the
matter with Ben.
"Oh, haven't you seen that Ben has
been put out in the cold and on &C
count of Jim Antrim being sick. I'M
derstand that the chief as a punish
ment for neglect of duty, has made
Ben leave the radiator and go out upon
q beat, just at a time when Ben's rheu-
mates are doing their best 10 make
him miserable"
What do you mean by Ben neglect
ing his duty?" asked the reporter.
"Oh, didn't you know that Ben has
had charge of the geological class for
sOmetime?"
Yes, but what has the geological class
got to do with Ben's neglecting duty?"
why, you see that Ben was given
charge of twenty-nine OF the hardest
looking bats that has been gathered
in for some time and told to keep the
men at work and TO return them TO the
cell in time for dinner. Well, Ben stood
watching the class soldier for some
time, gaping and stretching himself.
and there was no attempt to escape,
and finally Ben turned to the boys and
said:
See here, boys. I want you to keep
on working while ! go up stairs and
see if l can find any of John Fishers
smoking tobacco. i want you TO stay
here until 1 come back and if 1 can
find it L will divide up with you
"WeIl. Ben went 10 the Office and
there was Hank Heiserman telling a
big story about the war and Ben for
got all about the tramps and every
thing else and began fighting over the
battles again OF 1876. When the
smoke OF the battle had cleared away
Davis came IN with the dinners and
Ben went TO get the herd, but they had
taken wing and flew, with the excep-
ton OF Kansas City Jim. You bet
Ben was hot, and wanted to know why
Jim had not gone also. But Jim told
him il was too near dinner time for
him 20 leave.
We'll the next day Jim Antrim was
sick and Ben was forced out upon the
cold beat. He IS not cold, no he is 10
hot for that and is trying TO study up
some scheme 10 change his luck.
"Oh, the life Of a policeman is one
Of trials and tribulatiOns."