Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1896-01-09
RICH MAN ON THE FORCE.
wealth owned by Little PatroIman
of New York

of New York.
The most Truly remarkable man
on the New York police force was
an Insignificant looking little
patrolman who nightly patrolled
post 80, as the beat on the east
side of the Sixth avenue, from
Fifty fourth to Fifty-ninth street,
is known. He is an Irishman,
understood, but stockily.built, and
from distance looked like a very
young man. But he is not a young
man, is Patrolman Thomas o.
Rourke, having lived through
forty-fo four years. During his
twenty-one years of service
O'Rourke has been shifted from
precinct to precinct with the same
regularity that all patrolmen are
changed about. But, unlike his
companions, he took advantage OF
these shifts TO look about for real
estate bargains. He had little
money when be joined the force,
aud with his savings he was able
to do a title profitable speculation
in real estate before he had been
three years in the department.
Year by year he increased his
capital, until now there are few of
his superior officers who are any
thing like as well to do as he.
Today ORourke owns eleven
houses and four lots, and in ad-
dition has two rows of houses in
course of completion. He per-
soually attends to all of his own
business, besides doing his police
duty, and the story of how he has
worked himself up to his present
condition in lie from penniless
boy, as told by himself, is most
interesting one. A Sun reporter
found O'Rourke on his beat and
asked him to talk about himself.
Talk about myselfP' said
O'Rourke. What can say about
Thomas O'Rourke that's interest
ing? Pm a plain man, and for
twenty-one years the papers let
me alone That satisfied me. But
now, because somebody made
complaint against me, and during
the hearing of that complaint it
came out that | was possessed of
more money than patrolmen are
in the habit of having, everybody
wants to know just how much 1
have got. OF course, I'm rich
man. 1 ought to be. after twenty.
one years of constant work. Any
man who keeps good paying
place that long and has any bust
ness ability ought to be, Every
penny I've got in the world was
honestly earned, and, let me tell
you, it represents years OF untir-
ing effort. A New York police
man has none too much time to
him self, but what little time
l have had away from my
duties l have spent in building
up my present fortune. 1t is not
a large one, and some papers
have grossly exaggerated it. /
don't hesitate to say it's 500 900,
or may be $50, 900, because it's
just about that much, but every
dollar of it was honestly earned
and, let me tell you, few Irish
men who have adopted America
have done more for their country
than L have. Consequently l feel
entitled to every cent l can make
out of it.
81 got my first start by taking
a wagon load of merchandise to
Mexico in partnership with a man
named John Bannor. My share
of the profits was $500. 1t was
on that capital and my saving:
from my pay that l speculated
and accumulated the fortune
have today. 1t seems impossible
that a man could do so much or
so little, but if any one doubt:
that | DID it, | will willingly show
them records Of my every trans
action. AS a policeman l had
different beats all the time, and
kept on the constant lookout FOL
bargains in real estate. l was
left up town great deal, anC
property up town was cheaper ii
those days than it is now.
imagined that things would &c
srnI "a .hn., nun and hnnn hI nI