Evening star., 1897-12-02
DIR. Leathermar1.
USED HIM AS A POST.
A Citizen Ties His Horse to a Buffalo
Policeman.

From the Buffalo Express.
Patrolman Andrew Cotter of the eighth
precinct had strange and rather en-
barrassing experience early yesterday
morning. Cotter is a comparatively new
member of the force, but it is doubtful
if any of the older members ever had a
stranger experience. The officer was stand
ing near the curb on Broadway near the
Belt Line tracks about = o'clock. He was
wondering why the sergeant had 'shoo-
fled him off his regular beat, on which
there were two breweries and wedding.
ard placed him away out on the outskirts,
where vacant lots and loneliness were
about his only compa anions. The streets
were deserted and il was a relief to him
when he heard the rattle of an approach
ing vehicle
1t was a horse and buggy. There was
only one occupant, man. who drove
straight up to where Cotter was standing.
He Jumped out, and, taking a hitch-strap
from the buggy, snapped one end of IL TO
the ring-bit. Then. without saying word,
he placed the line around the officers
waist, drew it tight. tied couple of good.
safe knots in it, and started away Cottel
was so amazed at this unheard-of pro-
ceeding that he was unable to utter a
word of protest, and the stranger had
gone two rods or more away before Cotter
had found his voice.
Hey. there called the officer. Where
are you going?'
Never mindt. Yoost stay there und holt
me mine horse file / come back"
So saying the stranger increased the dis
lance between himself and the officer.
Hold on therer' yelled Cotter. What
do you mean by hitching your horse to
me?"
Vat l mean? 1 vouldt haf you under
slant L vas citizen und taxpayer, und
If you let mine horse go away | go by
Mister Bull in der morning"
Meanwhile Cotter had been unhitching
hlmseif- His amazement had given away
10 anger, and he was no sooner free to
owe than he caught the man who had
shown so little respect for an officer of tn,
law.
TN teach you to hitch your horse to
me, he roared. as he rushed the man to
a patrol box. The man, who said he was
Charles Stromski objected to this He
started in to abuse the officer, and used up
all the profanity known to the three lam
Suages prevalent in the neighborhood. 1t
was not without much trouble that the off,
Ger dragged him along to a patrol box
Stromskl never ceased his abuse till the
police wagon had got out of sight of Cot
ter. At the station house, when the officer in
command asked for a charge and was told
1t was hitching horse to a policeman, he
laughed himself into Mysteries After he
recovered his compcSure the circumstances
We're explained to him. He looked over
the laws of the city and state and found
many things which it is unlawful to do to
a policeman, but there was nothing about
"hitching horse to one" Stromski was
obviously drunk, SO for want of a severer
charge he was put down. much to Cotter's
disgust, a plain drunk
The morning Justice offered to let him go
IL he would promise never again to use a
policeman for hitching post Stromski in
disnantly refused TO make this promis. He
considered that he was suffering from Il
great injustice, and threatened all kinds of
vengeance to the officer and every one con-
nected with the police department. He was
fired So which his friends paid