The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-07
HE HAD HIS TROUBLES
AND THE GENTLEMAN FROM TUS-
COLA TOLD THEM TO THE POLICE.
He Couldn't Get n Drink at Home
Slowed His Money in the Lining of
His Coat and Lost the Coat.

He didn't seem at all put out about it,
and appeared to take a philosophic view
of the situation. He told the story
merely as an incident in the life
of an everyday man. One wouldn t
| have guessed at the start that he
came from a temperance town, but he made
| the blunt and somewhat startling declara-
| ton that you couldn't buy a drink for
love nor money in that town of Tuscola."
He was a respectable-looklng person with
| the exception of his coat and thereby hangs
| the tale.
| The fact is he had no coat, and he was
acting on the sage suggestion of some one
he had met: go tell your troubles to the
| police" He was sauntering along Alabama
streefeabout o'clock yesterday evening.
and his eye caught the blinking electric
lights in front of the police station and the
blue coats of the big officers as they fitted
here and there in the regular evening drill.
He was a modest man, and he leaned
against the corner of the building and
waited till they had gone to their districts
and the night captain had gathered his
sergeants about him. Then the man from
Tuscola emerged from the shadows and
sought friendly face. He timidly APP
preached the big bicycle cop who sat I'M
der the electric light, and was trying to
beat off a great beetle bug that like the
man from Tuscola, was attracted by the
light 1t CHANGED that here was a SYM
pathetic ear.
i've lost my coat" he said tentatively.
Where do you live?" asked the bike Of
fcer, with swipe at the bug.
Il come from Tuscola,'' was the reply.
'Tuscola-let me see. Why, bless my
heart 1 used to run through Tuscola," de-
clared the policeman.
The modest man frightened up, and it
was like the effect of stimulant 1t was
just as if he had met an old friend-one
who could help him out. Then he went on
and told the whole embarrassing story.
Some times he laughed, but it was mirth-
less chuckle. 1t wasn't much fun being one
hundred and seventy miles from home with
out coat. He said his name was Harry
Smead, and he rented a farm mile or two
from Tuscola, Ill. To show that he was 81
substantial sort of man he drew out a
respectable silver watch occasionally. Mr.
Smead came to town yesterday on an ex-
cursiop that brought a considerable crowd
from his neighborhood to see Indianapolis
He started from Tuscola with $40 and a
railroad ticket in his possession.
You see, it was this way" he remarked
brushing the beetle bug from his shoulder
Il had four $40 bills when l started. After
the conductor took up half my ticket / got
uneasy, thinking l might lose it, with my
money SO just took my knife and slit d
hole in the lining of my coat Into that 1
showed my ticket and my four $40 bills.
thought the money would be safer there
you know" Then he proceeded to relate
his days experience. He got his breakfast
when he reached town, and with his friends
began to look about for the choicest enter
tainment to be found. In the midst of this
occupation he got separated from the Tus-
cola boys, and after a while found himself
out at Kissell's road house. Here Mr.
Smead says he made the acquaintance of
four men-jolly fellows all OF them. He
spent a good part of the day ar kissells,
and came back to town on the trolley.
Some time during the afternoon he discov-
cred he was without coat.
At this point in the narrative the Tuscoa
had been drinking. 1t was a confession
that brought a blush to the sunburned
cheek. 1t was curious, too, how the po-
liceman Strengthened up in his chair and
grew coldly naughty and didn't seem to
notice the beetle bug. And the Tuscoa
man shifted uneasily on his feet and con-
suited his respectable watch again. But
when he told about Tuscola and it's pc
culiar liquor laws and vowed a man could
not get a drink there under no circum-
stances, the policeman thawed slightly
and again lent a sympathetic ear After
while, though, he advised the TuscoIa
man to so and see if he hadn't left his coat
on a street car. The man said il was a
good coat, and he hated to lose it, He
started on his way pretty soon, but at the
corner stopped and locked back The great
light in front of the station was still
blinking, and the policeman was vet bat
counts the Tuscola coat mystery HAD not
been solved