The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-10

boken; Webster. or indianapolis. Lane
Of Manchester. n. H.. Kurtz. Of Eliza
beth, y. j.. Gilloley, of Davenport. Iowa:
Schlag. Of Quincy. Ill. and Mcmahon.
OF Erie, have seen nothing unlucky about
the hOodoo number. but Chief Larkin. Of
Dayton. Ohio. says Most OF the large
fires we have had since have been chief
tsince lN>Ol have occurred In the district
where box - IL located. and tho depart
ment haS responded in answer TO an
alarm from that box. Fireman No 70
was hurt twice. once In a Pomper dril
by the rope breaking. when he fell about
30 feet. another time by being knocked
OF q ladder and hurt rather badly"
'hief Stetson. of Minneapolis: I'VE
have not been able TO observe that any
particular fatality is attached TO the num-
Der l3. fireman bearing this number
was seriously injured some years ago. and
his successor was discharged for I'M
scemy conduct. the former having re-
covered and been promoted. Another
member OF this department was per
mancntly injured at fire. the alarm for
which was received from Box g. but We
nave had many worse accidents when
the number IS was not in evidence"
chief Byron. Of Troy. relates curious
coincidence in the following account:
'On the morning Of Jan. 10. 1896 an
alarm was rung In on Box l3 Among the
was Truck Co. No. 3. with thirteen men.
Charles Watson. tnlerman. was seriously
injured by the head Of an cxtinguisher
blowing out II almost tore his nose from
his face. and he was rendered uncon-
scious from the blow. He was brought 10
the hospital and was placed in private
room No. 49, For the last four or five
years we have usually had large fires
on tho 18th day Of the month. as the re-
cords will show
The naval authorities of the United
States have noticed nothing unlucky
about 30. 70 in any way.
THE TALE or a HOODOO STAR.
The most startling story Of the lot is
that OF Marshal Of Police Morgan. OF
Dubuque. Iowa. In that city it seems
there are some curious facts connected
with number thirteen. Star No. lS was
worn by officer Dan McClain, who was
drowned In March. 1925, while trying TO
save team that broke through the Ice.
His body was recovered late in the fan
of 1898. and Identified by fisherman
near Belriew, thirteen miles south Of this
CITY bv star No. -. which was on the
badge This star was given 10 Ofiicer
Talcort. who was murdered in the {. NJ.
q ST T. yards along with ms partner
Firth by Robert and Haley. now serving
life sentences The star was given 10
officer Ndmutl lsllitN' VIM Nt'' '-N'''
cancer on his lip. II was then given 10
officer John Hoffman, and on july Il"
1895 while attempting TO board an cleo
frlc car. he slipped and fell the car
mangllng his arm 80 badly that IL was
animated This star has been called the
hoodoo star, and when the mayor APP
points "a new man. who | think Will not
nm the bill. l present him with star NO.
10 and he resigns immediately.
d mol
marshal. II he can scare of incompetent
men with It,
70 10 is considered exceptionally lucky
by Chief Fish of Peoria, H.
INSPECTOR OF Police Mackellar. Of
BROOKLYN. states that patrolman Nicho-
las Callan wears star No. IS, in that city
and is not aware * has hoodooed him
in any way.
Another lucky badge 10 IS that Of the
Richmond. Va, police fore. Chief How
ard reports that the first wearer Of 1t
received II i'm 1863 lie was displaced in
1865. but reappointcd I'm 1870 received the
same badge and is now a sergeant No
is apparently unlucky in Richmond
at the reorganization In 1870 the man
who got No. went crazy and attempted
suicide The next man ran away 10
Canada with his slster-in-law. The third
one died after about four years service.
and the fourth was fined 800 soon after
appointment
POLICEMEN WHO DON'T BELIEVE
IN IT.
Chiefs Kahn. Of Saginaw Dolan. Of
Wilmington. Del. Rockford. of Science
tadv. Hendrck. of Springfield. Mass,
Briggs. Of Wilkesbarre. Hanigan, OF ST.
Louis. Ahern Of quincy. H. Healy. OF
Manchester. y. H.; Connolly. Of Atlanta.
Cloyes Of Cambridge Mass. Hoffman. Of
Elmira and Carr Of Grand Rapids Mar
shals Frey. Of Baltimore. and Worcester.
of Haverhil Mass, have nothing against
the number 10 and claim that IT is as
lucky as any other.
Former officer 49, in Cleveland, was an
exceptionally good man and stayed on
the force twenty-five years. TO retire on
a pension. His successor has done well
for five years.
officer Shaughnessy. badge IS. Of
Springfield ILL.,. was killed at the hos
pital by "a patient crazed with liquor. The
badge has not been given out since.
on the 18th of December. 1894, Gideon
W Latimer was shot at 10 Bond street,
Lynn At the trial were thirteen wit
nesscs
In Poughkeepsie, Police Shield Nc. 10
was worn by a man dismissed five years
ago. The next wearer lost his mimi.
The present ono reversed the figures.
"
will let it pass at that.
When the new police badges were made
i'm Louisville Ky, recently. Officer John
Goodrich. who had No 1S. requested a
change. stating that he wanted TO change
his luck. that he though wearing badge
10 was a hoodoo. as he had failed TO make
any arrests OF any importance since he
had worn IL. and that had been for thr-
teen years "Of course we humored his
within and gave him a different number"
writes Chief Taylor's secretary. The
time is so short since the change was
made that no change has been noted
bat In the future We will keep the un-
lucky number put away"
Chief Ligget of Fort WAYNE. reports
that vehicle license tag Is is often re-
fused or returned.
Chief Linden. of Philadelphia. says that
thirteen has not been particularly un-
Jacob l.. Ref had his house burned on
Jan. 2d. last, because a Christmas-trec
took fire.
Chief Woods OF Erie. refers iocularly
10 the case Of a gentleman in that town.
who was taken In charge for stealing
thirteen chickens on the night Of Febru-
airy l3, and who pleaded not guilty on
the ground that he had taken only !
twelve. This plea had no luck at all. |
But then. stealing isn't very lucky /
business at the best.
Shocking is the tale OF badge 49, OF /
Scranton. Pa, as briefly related by Chief 1
Simpson. one officer who wore 1t only |
two years and a half was 50 transformed |
(by It's malign influence from q moral |
citizen that he was dismissed from the /
force for brawlng with a brother officer.
His successor lost his wife very sudden