The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18
HICKEY'S LITTLE BILL.
ITS DEMAND OF INDEMNITY FOR
BEER THAT GREW STALE.

The Beer HAD Froth on 1t when tho sunda'
Policeman Espied tho Can, but II Pniie'
OF Its Destiny in tho Subsequent NeEotin
lions, and Hickey Wants Full satisfaction
In tho Oak stroot station is a new policeman
whose ideas OF duty lack what might be termed
artistic proportion. For instance, he conceive'
1t to be a worthy net to arrest n burglar In thu
act of ~burRling or q thug In the act OF thugging
but he would prefer to trace out n place wher'
liquors arc sold contrary to law, believing tina
thereby he will earn quick promotion. His yea
in this direction knows no limits, and that II
why he is at present an object of mirth to his
follow policemen.
Michael Hickey of 8 Hague street has some
thing Of n reputation in his own ncighborhood
as q joker. Hickey, while walking along Pearl
street on Sunday with n suspiciouslooking pail
in his hand, met tho new policeman. Here, to
tho ~policemnn's mind, was n chance for glory.
Obviously the pail was intended as n beer pail.
otherwise known MS n cam" alias "growlcr,"
alias duck" and tho bearer thereof was In the
act of pushing the can, or rushing tho growlcr,
or chasing the the duck. In other words, he was
about to have that pail filled with beer Illegally
I purchased on Sunday, and the new p~oiiccman's
| purpose was to follow him cunningly to tho
place of purchase and then raid tho place.
As his method OF slcuthing was 20 creep
with cat-like tread along tho opposite side
Of tho strcet. occasionally dodging into
q doorway, tho prey soon became aware
Of tho fact that no was being trailed. There
fore. instead of going directly home, as was his
original purpose, no proceeded to lead his pur.
suer n chase. From Pearl street he turned into
the New Bowery. walked down to New Cham
bcrs street, turned up. crossing Pearl street and
keeping on until no got to Duane, where he
stopped on tho corner and looked ~furtively about
him OuiCElv tho alprth 6p1pc1 iptn mn entry-
way. chuckling with satisfaction. Undoubtedly
his man was making n final survey before enter
ing the place. But tho slcuth was doomed to
disappointment After standing first on ono
leg and then on tho other. the can bearer started
rapidly down Duane street, turned south on
Rose street, and passed under Brooklyn Bridge.
lie knows I'm onto him" said the policeman
to himself, land he's trying to lose me. Hope
he won't go out of the precinct"
Doubt on this subject was quoted as the fugi-
tive turned down Frankfort street. slnntcd Off
into Cherry street, then up Roosevelt TO Oak,
back to Pearl once more, and down Pearl to
Hague, where he seated himself on a doorstep
and contemplated the sky with a wistful express
sion. For five minutes the policeman watched
the man with the can and the man with the can
watched the blue expanse OF heaven. When this
became tircsome the sleuth decided upon action.
Going up to the man he demanded:
"Where you going with that pail
Huh = said the man. bringing his gaze down
from the loftier things to the more earthly.
"whero you going with that pail p repeated
the policeman. tapping it with his club.
been made in II I'm taking It home"
liceman that the growler might already have
been rushed; that the can was full, in fact, and
that he had been trailing = man t, to his own lair
ton did not lend softness to his tones as he said:
What you taking it home foTr .u,.,
takin' 1t home fori To hang on tho wall. Amt
it pretty :"
The policeman swore. being in doubt Whether he
Was getting guycd or not,
What you got in it & he inquired, having re-
lievcd his doubling mind.
christmas presents for my starvin' chill
dren," returned the other. "Buy, EN- early an
Doubt vanished from the poiiceman's mind.
You're too fresh" he said. "open that cant"
Because l tell you, to. I'm a policeman"
fish soldier an them brass buttons was medals
from the Cubans for long-distance runnin'."
None Of your guff, young fellow. or you'll get
The citizen ~gingerly laid hold on the cover and
apparently made desperate endeavors to move
an Pee per srfn.nea s stood " oat S in bea lh u 1hs na hi:
Its stuck" he said aDoloseticaiiy "Got a
"Give it here ordered the man of law, and
Selling the can he lifted off the cover;
other. Ever work longshoroT'
"Shuttup! You, was trying to get away with
that. wasn't yogi 1 knew what you had in
rs iti", exclaimed the citizen with great in
terest. Looks like it. don't itf' He took the
a long draught and nodded.
That's what it is" he observed. Beer. sure
enough, Good beer, too and he took another
Come on shouted the policeman. You're
swallowing all the evidence. What did you do
Thirst" explained the the s, Gt 1Hsn. besides.
Where did you get that beer T.
Whats the use of my tellin,, youl You
couldn't get any there. The place is shut
come with me an iii give you some OF this"
Ia like to punch liL the i head hG Of you" ,u,r
"Will you tell Inc where you got II, or will l
Sure, III tell you. You go roun' the corner
over. Follow on the way the lamp post leans
for three blocks. an then turn roun' an come
ment. an the roof OF it looks down onto the place
where you get tho beer. It's a two.windowed
By there bein' a man with a white apron an
beer sign hanging on the wall. Just give my
name an tell EN- TO sell you nothin' but a sand
witch an glass Of pop, fer fear of corruptin'
BY this time the new policeman had tho man
by the neck and was marching him toward the
Look out" protested the victim. You'll
ITO the station house."
"What fer !"
Carrying beer on Sunday"
Geo ! That's queer. I've seen the cops run In q
feller fer havin' more beer than he could carry,
an here I'm gettin' pulled for ~carryin' mine all
right"
"Shuttup! You'll have enough talking when
the Sergeant gets YOU"
Presently the two and the can appeared before
Sergeant Lally in the Oak street station. Lally
recognized the prisoner as Il respectable and
quiet man and a good workman.
what has Hickey been doing T. he asked tho
policeman. Whats tho charge 7"
Carrying a pail along the street."
"Thats no crime"
but there was beer in the pail" said tho new
copper triumphantly.
swell, that's no crime, either" said the Ser
geant.
Why. this is Sunday. He bought the beer on
Sunday, and he won't tell me where he got it."
Say, Sereeant" put in Hickey; .where'd
How d'yop know" he added. turning upon tho
copper. that ! didn't buy this last Fridnyf
al Ennw NIL riuht - rntnrtad Tho tNo1irn,nap