The morning times., 1896-03-30
WORKED THE PATROL BOX
Why the Police Phone Apparatus
Has Been Changed.
Inspector Found Th mt Men Could
.'Hoodle" and Turn in From
Different Points.

The police department has taken every
precaution against the dishonesty of its
men, yet, despite this, shrewd policemen
have devised many ingenious schemes TO
avoid strict performance OF duty.
One of the best plans, perhaps was that
of sending III falso returns from the boxes.
This was discovered by Inspector Cross
II few days ago, and upon his recommen
dation, every Box in the department has
been altered.
box is that great tin-can like strlc-
ture, with wires escaping from the top,
which ma V be seen on many street corners.
A rule, there are several of these On
each beat. A policeman while doing
bis trick Of duty must turn in each hour,
that is, he must ring the box and report
through tha! telephone that he is on duty.
The clerk, al the police station OF that
precinct marks up the minute at which the
policeman tiirnad in. and the number of the
box from which he teicphoned.
When Il Policeman pulls down the lever
in the box 20 aCti1Ies the station and
ticker indiCHtca the box on q tape. To
prove hat u uian is not standing still or
sleeping III a doorway, he is expected To
turn in from all the boxes on his beat; at
least he must not report successiyely from
the same box.
ficient assurance that the men We're cover
ing their beats. But a willy policeman found
Il way around this and communicated tito
his brothers OF the force. The department
got on to it in this way
Inspector Pearson, variously known TO tie
! police as ''Uncie isaac" 'Old Gums, ""'fhe
| Midnight Slcnth. 'etc., caught two Third pre-
cnct policemen in noodle" He watched.
On the hour they emerged from the noodle
and pulled the nea rest box. Then they went
| back TO the noodle When the next hour
| rolled round they went To the same box
! and turned in. A third time they returned
| TO the same noodle and on the hour turned
| in from the sane box.
They did this fourth time, fifth tine.
| and Il sixth time. Inspector Pearson was
considerably agitated. He went to the
station ana found that the clerk had marked
! the men al the right tire, but the book
| showed that they had sent in their reports
| from every box on their beat. Officially they
! had been doing lively piece orpatrOl duty,
| but actually they had been hoodling and
| pulling the same box.
The mystery deepened and the inspector
| thought OF hauling up the people on duty
| at The TarA station before the trial board
! for aiding the police in their neglect OF
| duty. lt.ooked very much hike q CouSpira cy
! Then the Inspector pulled the tape out Of
! the basket aud found TO his CONSERVATION
! that the numbers OF every box on that
! particular beat had been recorded in purple
! ink.
The mystery gave the inspector head
! ache, but he said nothing and reported
| the men 10 the ma ior. In due time they
were called before the trial board. In
| SpectoF Pearson charged them with smaip-
| ing in one place six hours and with rot
| having covered their beat.
! These policemen anticipated this charge.
| They denied it, They produced in evidence
| the tape which recorded the boxes at which
| they had turned in. II was very hard TO
| get around this piece OF evidence. 1t
seemed To knock Inspector Pearson out.
| He couldn't explain it.
| Inspector Cross came up smiling and
] showed how it had been worked. Above
! the lever in each box there is small
| rubber knob. If a man pulls down the
| lever That box VIII register its official
| number. But il he holds on TO that iever
! and presses this rubber knob he can make
! the box register any number he may de
! sire. The registration on the tape is by
means of dasIes. For instances, three
| daSheS. break, TWO ddSheS wouid read
| 81. If the policeman should press the
rubber knob thrice, break and twice, II
| would Indicate to the people al the station
| that be was at box No b.
| In the sane box ne could press the knob
| would be au boXeNo. 2;}. In fact, officially
| lie could be in any part OF the city he
! wished. An electrician was sent out and
| now these ribber knobs have disappeared
| and small wooden plugs are i'll their stead.