The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-08
KILLIGAN O. THE FORCE.
I, A MUTE, NOTORIOUS HARP
WHEN TT COMES TO LITERATURE.

vv.,,,o ,,.Lo , marc or Hin You're rhink.
ing CroaLed-He's Passed NO Eknu''nntton
In GeoErnphy, but He's Handy AZ n F1re.
When Killigan got on the force there was no
such thing as asking q man such questions as
what state Is Salt Lake City tho capital OFF,
"Name ten cities on the Mississippi itlVer' nve
OF which arc on tho left bank ana nve on tho
right bank. or How long Will 1t lake q three
mastod, squaro-rigged ship to reach Calcutta
from New York. providing sho meets three
typhoons and a hurricanoi' Perhaps 1t was q
good thing for Killigan that ho did not have to
answer such questions, else ho might have con-
tinucd TO dig bitches and "histo tn hod y ut
Size aday, When n fresh young policeman who
was bopsting one day Of the civil service exami-
nation which he had passed repeated q ques-
ton to Killigan the ~latter's answer nearly
caused a riot in the back room.
What would you do In case you found q
nude body floating in the river q was the qucs-
tion.
"why. that's easy Killigan responded. I'D
get n boat, and, after securing tn body to tn
dock. take a description O. tn clothing an make
q report"
The fresh young cop snickored. then giggled,
and finally reared with the rest Of the Oft
platoon, and Killigan, after staring hard at
them for n moment, began on them with his
nightstick. He cleared the back room in a jiffy.
Killigan is six feet two inches to the dot in his
socks and built in proportion. He came from
the parish of Tara in Leinster.. County
Meath. and this coupled with his general
makeup has earned for him the sobri-
quet Of Tho Harp" Killigan is not
to DO trifled with, and no man in
the second platoon, or the whole house for
that matter. dared openly to assail his dignity.
When he Joined the force tho period of proba-
tion was as perfunctory as everything else. and
the first night he donned his uniform he had his
first cxper ence with q roundsman. He had pa.
tiently plodded over the post assigned to him
for nearly five hours when the rounds"
turned up.
G evenin'," was the rather rough greeting
OF the rounds"
GOOD evenin'," said Killigan pleasantly
enough. and then noticing tho chevrons on the
arms OF the rounds he queried:
"Be you tn roundsman Of this precinctf'
yep said tho rounds" CURLY.
"Well. IL there's bin wan there's bin half a
dozen officers lookin' fer 80 this night an akin
me whether I'd seen We or not" said Killigan
innoccntly.
Rounds looked at tho raw recruit queru-
lousy and then passed along. remarking soto
voce:
well. that follow is a harp for fair"
Killigan passed through three months Of
breaking II" without a hitch until the first
case that called for active police work hap
pencd on his post. 1t was q tenement-house fire
in the dead of night, ana Killigan had the good
fortune to discover it in time to rouse all the
tenants and rush them to the street. Somebody
sent IN a fire alarm. and when the fremen ar
rived Killigan was discovered on the top floor
trying to beat out tho blaze with hands. feet,
and Dightstick. He was hustled out bv the fire.
men. who extinguished the fire with an ex.
tinguisher and departed. In fifteen minutes the
sleeping as though nothing had happened. while
killigan kept on solemnly patrolling his post;
quite sriiaf forgotten @Sott i the pf ire When tn.0 he efG reached ed the the
station house, but the grutf Sergeant soon re-
called it to his mind after the off platoon was
somewhat Of 4 harp" hi self.
have seen no report 81 i: Where was It'll"
you've forgot, eh r. growled the Sergeant.
well. just hustle out now and get up a report
Of it or maybe ton days fine II make you remem-
Killigan hustled out and returned in half an
hour. flushing as red AS a beet.
it out in a minute" said he, mcekiy.
We'll. sec that you're no longer" snapped
Kiliiean hurried into the back room and col.
Jared Patrolman Jacob WnrZenburger who was
known as the German Harp" Of the station
"see here, Jak". I'm in tn divides own pickle.
I have to make out n fire report" said Killigan.
Ter tell III, tirooth. / can't. I'm stumped
Come here an, help me out" pleaded HiIligan.
get up one betwixt u.s."
of blank paper the two "Harps" got started on
the sS EoPo ssy sometbin, like this: In tn. rear Of
tn yard at tn end OF tn alley in front of TIL
tiniment at % Carminc street lasht night there
was a slight alarum Of fire which burned up tn
cause OF which an tn owner Is unknown"
minsignifcen fire. said Wurzen6urger.
We'll. then, them.s IN facts an yer can put it
se wSrzo mbby sot TOOK @E" tho TO- facts and after half
an hour or painful scratching he produced a re.
broke out on top floor back of drei story ten.
ement houses in back OF o. Carmine street. Put
damages slight causes and owner unknown"
Jake read this over for his own satisfaction
several times and then handed it over to Kill
Is it all right now = asked Killigan.
sure said Wurzcnburger. and Killigan
the Harp took the report out to the Harp"
The latter studied i. while Killisan shuhled
his feet nervously in front OF the desk.
What tn divvle kind of a report is this y
asked the Sergeant.
Read It to me- ordered the Sergeant.
Kiiiigan took the report and studied it for a
few moments and said:
II can't make out that first word, Sergeant.
! was in such n hurry when l wrote 1t that I've
forgotten what it is; IL you could toll mo what
that word is. maybe 1 can get the rest all
right
IBID ye write 1t ycrselfi' asked the Ser can't,
grabbing the report and tackling .Zwischen."
I'm write 1t out again" said Killigan.
"Wcll, see that you do, an write 1t In Eng
lish this time, fer II l can read English right,
that's German"
Killigan shufiied toward tho back room with q
tittcring young policeman, who happened in
while The colloquy was taking place: behind
him. Killigan glared ut the young fellow so
fcrociously hat he sohered up and asked:
What's the trouble. Killigan 7"
Here Killlgan got tho chance he wanted, and
pleading his inexpericnce, pnburiencd himself
to the young policeman. Tho young fellow was
sympathetic and wrote out this report for KILL
gan. which was finally accepted by the Sergeant:
"A 3:45 A. VI. fire broke out on top floor OF
three story and .'asemen brick dwelling In rear
OF o. Carmine street. Damage slight; owner
md cau.e unknown. Reported by Policeman
Killigan."
The story got out In tho back room, and the
Harp was horsed until ono day. he cracked
"ShOrty' Days clay pipe all over his face when
he caught him telling OF 1t, and after that he