Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-15
NERVE TESTS OF THE FINEST
Midnight 0rdeals to Which Policemen Are
Frequently Subjected,
TRIALS THEY SHlRK WHEN POSSIBLE
Calls from People Who want Their
Houses Searched for Burglnrs in
the I'VE Smn' Hours'-Cour-
age Mt Discount.
Is THEY SHlRK WHEN POSSIBLE

Judging from their own expressions,
policemen are seldom called upon TO perform
a moro trying duty than to enter a house
in the wcc sma' hours Of the night to hunt
for burglars, real or imaginary, whom the
tmid householder firmly believes to be rum
maging around in his castle, There is
really nothing in the whole catalogue OF q
bluccoats duties which he dislikcs more.
1t is not that he is coward for, as a
matter Of fact, there are very few towards
on the Omaha police force. but the ordeal
of making a target of ones self in a
dark and strange dwelling for a well in
trcnChed burglar to shoot at Is one not
eagerly courted by the braycst.
1t was my good fortune to be a spectator
OF an episode Of this kind one rainy night
last week. l was ON my way home about
l o'clock in the morning. Tho streets We're
deserted. The silence was unbrOken, save
| by the steady drip Of the rain and the
sputtering of the electric lights from their
lofty poles. Suddenly there broke on this
dcathlike stiffness shrill cry OF Murder,
lielp!" uttered with the full frenzy of a
female voice. This was decidedly unpleas-
ant, although 1t may be interesting to read
about. The cries were repeated with a fre-
qucnCy that was blOOd-Curdling Windows
were raised all through the street and
heads pukCd out into the chooross night.
The sound OF quick running and the alarm
rap of near and distant pOliCemon's clubs
! increased the excitement, and soon the
street was pOpulous with excited men in
many varieties OF eNtempurlzed make up.
y policeman rushed by me at this moment,
ana | followed, my umbrella IL one hand
and a revolver in the other.
In a side street little crowd Of men
was gathered in front of an uuprctentlo lous
lootng English basement house Two
women were hanging half out of the top
story window, shriekng at one and the
same time. All that could be made OF their
incuhcrent cries was tumble of the words
burglars and murder At sight ol
the policemen who came running up from
several directions, the women managed to
regain a few of their scattered wits. BE
tween frightened sObs they said that there
were burglars In the house and that they
dared not go down and open the door. one
of the policemen shouted up that the door
would have to be broken in. This seemed
to calm the girls. for one OF them presently
left the window. In the fraction OF q
minute sho reappeared and threw out a
bunch of keys. An excited ucighbOr pro
cured a lantern and four big policemen en-
tered the house with drawn rcyolyCrs. II
was an exciting moment, no discount or
The two white-robed figures still remained
at the window far above. ready to jump
at a moments notice. There was no auX-
iety on the part of any onlOokcr to enter
| the mouse, inc nan lamp OF Mnltn lbO bttN
| lighted by the policemen In their progress
Expectation was raised high when one OF
the bluccOats was seen to mount the stairs
! leading from the first floor and disappear
| in the darkness above. He was in th"
/ room occupied by the women a moment
later. The crowd was interested to see that
he was talking earnestly to them. Then,
horrible to relate a laugh rang out from Tn,
window. The men in the street were getting
nervous and drew away from the vicinity
of tho house, as IL the burglar might be
| expected to dive out of II in hurry. After
what seemed an age to the spectators tho
four policemen emerged from the hoUsg
| together, closing the door after them. The
blinds were drawn in the fourth story win
dow. and the policemen prepared to go
about their business as II nothing had hSp.
| pened. The men were boseiged with Quos-
| tions as to what had been the result of
| their Investigations.
1T wasn't nawthin'." said the biggest.
| fattest and most good natured looking Of
! the cops" 'Nuther case Of scare, that's
all"
The fat policcman's genial manner at
tractod me. | followed him when he
saunterod of toward his beat and found
] him very willing to talk. His converse
| tion proved to be very interesting lie
| explained to mo that the two women were
| Mr. Smiths household servants who had
| been left in charge Of the house while the
! family was spending the winter nj Grand
! Island. Because they had heard the sound
! Of a heavy fall at that hour of the night
! they naturally imagined that the house had
| been entered.
But there was nobody there" continued
the policeman. I'VE went all through the