The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-30
EVEN If THEY HAD LANTERNS.
SUPERIOR OFFICERS PUT AN END
TO HIS RAIDS LATER,
HOWEVER,
AS THE WIND SEEMED TO BLAME,
ExtinSuishing Lights MS Fast Al
most as They Could BE Lighted
ny the Riders.

on the enforcement of the bicycle or
dinance recurring Wheelmen to carry
lighted lanterns, and for once there was
an i'll wind which blew no particular
good to any one, for after the Jealous
blue coat had summoned the patrol
wagon to Seven corners three times In
a dozen minutes, on each occasion 10
send from one to three rip-roaring ana
indignant bicyclists to the police sta
ton, he was headed off in his reckless
career by Sergeant Joe Davis and more
forcibly than elegantly ordered to
'have little sense" Markie's bud
ding ambition to outdo Bicycle Bill"
O'Neill's record Of a weeks special duty
at the Sixth street hill in half an hour,
wilted, withered and died under the
caustic advice of Sergeant Davis, ana
the pile of bicycles left at the station
as security by indignant owners ceased
to grow
When Markie began turning the tide
Of wheelmen toward the station the
officials in charge could not compre-
hend his action, for each bicycle pushed
through the doorway by wrathful In
dividual was equipped with lantern.
Some of the safety divices were as big
as headlights on a locomotive, While
others were smaller, but could hardly
have escaped the discovery OF Officer
Markie on account Of their size. Not
until the last batch of prisoners was
unloaded did a wheel show up without
some kind of lantern, and then but
one machine came under the proscrlp-
ton of the law. However, Capt. Rou-
leau and his assistants were not long in
being apprised Of the situation, for each
victim had a kick comming and pro-
ceeded to register it the moment he en-
tered the station. All were perfectly
willing to observe the law and exhibit
ed the lanterns on their wheels as evi-
dence of good faith, but claimed that
the high wind of last evening made it
impossible to keep a lighted wick In
any kind Of a lamp. AS fast as the
lanterns were lighted, the wheelmen
declared, the wind blew out the flame,
and they considered it blanketty
blank injustice, indignity and exhibi-
ton of foolishneSs on the part OF any
policeman who would subject respect
able citizens to the disgrace of being
hauled through the streets in the pa
troll wagon, in spite Of every eXplana-
ton in one case, that even his Satanic
majesty could not keep a cigarette
lighted in the gale which was blowing.
The weather, however: had no con-
Germ for Officer Markie. In fact, It
soon looked as though he had but one
aim in life, and that the enfocement
of the bicycle ordinance. No sooner
had the first load of prisoners left the
station minus their bicycles, than the
patrol wogan was again summoned to
Seven corners. Capt. Rouleau exerted
all of his diplomacy with the protest
ing wheelmen Of this load, but even
his suave consolation failedaSto ap-
pease. They were mad clear through n
and gave expression to their senti-
ments. Part of their protestations
were drowned by another series Of
bangs on the patrol gong, and again
the patrol wagon dashed toward Sew
en- corners. Another pair of remon-
strating wheelnen and then Capt.
Rouleau, Sergt. Ross and Sergt. Davis
took counsel together. The ground
floor of the station was being filed
up with bicycles, the patrol horses
being run Off their feet and the chances
good for Officer Markie to keep up IN
definitely his hot pace. Something
ought to be done, the superior officers
thought, because it was clearly no
fault of the bicyclists that their Ian
terms would not burn, and it was de-
cided that Sergt. Davis seek to stern
the tide. Sergt. Davis steps quickened
as he started for the door, as it was
nearly time for Officer Markie to again
summon the wagon. Up Third street
he "scorched" along the sidewalk at a
ten-second pace, and arrived at Seven
corners just in time to prevent another
unfortunate going to the lookup on
account of the eccentricity of the
weather. Sergt Davis said few
things to Officer Markie, and the be-
lated bicyclists with "doused glims"
pedaled l1omeward unmolested.
Those arrested were A. Hill, Richard
Raschick, of Minneapolis; B. B. Strait,
David Provan, Emil Schultz, Albert
johnson and Charles Anderson. Ras-
chick was the only rider without a
lantern Strait and Anderson deposit
ed SIS each for their appearance in the
police court tomorrow, but the others
will be obliged to forego pleasure rid
ing today, as their bicycles were left
at the station as bail.