Evening star., 1896-03-07

mans or fireman's badge are reported the
net result of the inquiry is black eye for
superstition.
Only one man confesses to any belief in
it himself, and very few report instances
Of such belief on the part of subordinates
In several cases thirteen seems to have
been unlucky, but in at least as many the
number Is regarded as a lucky one-which
Is counter superstition with a vengeance!
A fair sample of the letters received is
hat OF Melvin Beal, chief engineer of the
Lawrence, Mass, fire department, who
writes:
military service Of the state and nation,
over sixteen years as colonel of the sixth
Massachusetts regiment, and I have been
connected nearly forty years with the
Lawrence fire department., and recall only
one case where No. 13, or any man or
thing connected with that number, could be
mentioned In this case No. 13 man got
MS foot cut by an ak falling on. it, but I
nave had other men having other numbers
hurt, and one man killed that was No 81
To my mind. all such talk is simple folly,
ana the more any one INDUCES himself in
1t the more he thinks there is something
to it. I can find enough to do where I
know there is some good to come from it,
without troubling myself with anything Of
that kind"
The president of B. Fire COMPANY of
Richmond. Va, declares that, as he is 1.-The
recognized crank on such matters as you
refer to, 1 will answer with the latest CO.
incidence
MY board were to assemble on the 18th
day Of November. 1895, to purchase a hook
and ladder, which cost 81, 300 An alarm of
hre interrupted us from box 80. which, di-
vided by the ominous number 3, makes 13.
The fire-the most disastrous Of the year
was the Randolph box factory, Nos. 1913
and 1915 Franklin street. The building
was exactly thirteen years old. and it re-
quired thirteen pieces of apparatus thirteen
hours to extinguish said fire. The alarm
box was on the corner of 13t tn and Frank
lin streets. and across the street two large
windows, Nos. 1921 and 1873, were located
and the great heat destroyed every num-
Der by melting the glass except the num-
bers 13, which defiantly remained
What the Record Shows.
B. ]. Doy ming, fire chief of Buffalo, re-
ports four disastrous fires in that city on
the thirteenth day ct the month-November
13, 1887; November 13. 1883; July 13, 1890,
and April 13, 1893. If In nine years Buffalo
has not had 100 fires, thirteen would seem
to have had more than its share. But may
be it has
Chief Downing Of Lynn writes: 1--WE had
a fire the 18th Of last February, at which
three men were killed and one died seventy
two hours afterward from his injuries and
twelve were injured; but it would have been
just he same if the fire had taken place
on the 18th or 14th.'
Chief Randlett Of Newton, Mass, ex-
presses willingness to receive q check for
$13 at any time.
Fire Marshal DENIM Of Grand Rapids
has mo patience with the whim,' and has
never observed that thirteen Is unlucky.
Chief Engineer Guthrie Of Sacramento
finds from his records that badge 13 is ap-
parently hoodoo. with record of sus-
pension, illness, and, in one case, fatal
shooting, for those who wore 1t.
Engine company No. IL of San Francisco
lost three men by falling chimney at a
fire two :; ears ago.
Engine company No. 13 Of New Orleans
has been, according to Chief OCOnnor, one
of the luck: est and most efficient in the city
for more than half a century. Mr.. OCon-
nor has noticed that marriages solemnized
on the 18th of the month have turned out
well.
Chief Mullin of the Birmingham Ala,
fire department lives in house numbered
1913, has fire horses Weighing near 1900
pounds as possible and regards alarm box
I'D, from Its location and record, as the
Jonah. Mr.. Mullins adds: "No; I am not
superstitious about thirteen, but will not
start on trip on Friday"
Superintendent c. G. Starkweather of De-
troit gives this interesting bit Of history:
"In looking up badge No IL we find that
1t has had the following history since 1882:
On January 10, 1882, it vas given to n new
patrolman, who gave 1t up September g.,
1888, being requested to resign for making
an fmproI er arrest. He had been three
times on trial before the board of commits
sioners for drunkenness and other offenses
for which he had to be disciplined. We
next find 1t in commission October II, 1885,
when it was carried just thirteen days,
and agair turned in by the officer. who re-
signed November 1. From November 30 of
the same year until May 10, 1885, 1t was
carried by patrolman who only turned it
in on being promoted. The patrolman who
carries it row was appointed June %, 1886
and while he has been involved in no very
serious trouble. he has been in hot water
nearly all the time. One or two officers
have paled when presented with the badge,
and on one OF two occasions 1t has been
exchanged for another on request Of the
recipient"
Chief N. N. Murphy of Bay City, Mich,
reports that "Patrolman No. 13 of our city
was very unlucky, was before the board
twice. and was at last dismissed. And the
house at the corner Of 18th and Frazer
streets has always been a>scurce of trouble
to the department for the last eighteen
years, no matter who lived there"
Very curious is the report of Chief Kel-
logg of Sioux City: '1 have never had any
unusual experience with No. 13. although
the man who used to wear badge No. 13
got into several little scrapes, and finally
wanted me to let him wear a badge of an
other number, and he Is now getting along
all right"
Tale of HOOdOO Star.
The most startling story of the lot is that
Of Marshal OF Police Morgan of Dubuque
Iowa. In that city 1t seems there are some
curious facts connected with number thir-
teen. ''Star No. Is was worn by Officer Dan
McClain. who was drowned in March, 1895,
while trying to save a team that broke
through the ice. His body was recovered
late in the fall and identified by a
fisherman near Belview, thirteen miles
south of this city by star No. 13, which
was on the badge. This star was given to
Officer Talcott. who was murdered in the
c. NJ. and St. p. yards along with his part
ner, Firth, by Robert and Haley, now serv-
ing life sentences. The star was given to
Officer Samuel Elmer, who died from can
Ger on his lip 1t was then given to Officer
John Hoffman, and on July 13, 1895, while
slipped and fell, the car mangling his arm
SO badly that 1t was amputated. This star
has been called the hoodoo star, and when
the mayor appoints q new man who
think will not fill the bill I present him
With star No. 13 and he resigns immedia te-