The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-15
coPPEa's MuuriFARlous DUTIES.
omeer Murphy Learns of some He Never
Suspected.

When Jon1 Mu paw, ate" many
weeks of weary N",:inS AMI NShdef
ing, was at last certified by the clNll
service commission as a policeman ana
the proud day had at length arrived
when he dunned thu brass buttons, the
star and the helmet, 1t was Wiz a
firm determination to suppress crime,
discourage I~awbreakers and break up
robbery, murder. larceny and pii'age
in his district. Murphy was 4 brave
man and he did not balk at the visions
his fancy conjured up of desperate men
lying in wait for him in dark alleys
bent on beating in his thoughts with
a billy. His conception of a police
mans duty formed from reading the
vas n whirl OF SHOTS,
knives. thrilling captures and hair
breadth escapes. He had an idea that
a policeman went on duty at Z O'Clock
in the evening, for instance, and put
i'm the time until 4 O'Clock in the morn
ing sneaking up dark alleys with drawn
revolver, taking shots at dark forms,
rescuirg children from death by fire
and otherwise distinguishing himself IN
the ways related by the police reporter.
He was assigned to "A station out on
the West side. in a quiet, respectable
neighborhood, where nothing more
startling than a bicycle collision ever
occurred to disturb the serenity of the
residents. He had a beat which took
i'm a stretch of boulevard and a dozen
blocks of well-kept. shaded streets,
where an arrest had not been made in
months. For several days he walked
up and down the streets with his big,
heavy revolver weighing him down and
seeming to pine for action, but he new
er saw a burglar, nor did he have oc-
casion to stop a single fight. Not a
fire had broken out on his beat and he
had no chance To save lives, and at
the expiration of a few days he made
up his mind tina his job was a snap
and that he would have nothing To do
hut report at the station. pull a box
every hour and go home to eat and
sleep.
But one night the lieutenant told Pa
trolman Murphy to fall out of ranks
at roll call and remain in the station
after the other men were gone. When
the station was empty the loot call
ed Murphy i'm on n carpet and began;
Murphy, you were recommended Il
me as a careful. clever young fellow
likely to attend strictly 10 your duty
but | am sorry to say that | have haC
reports on your work which l do no.
like at all
ION me?" echoed Murphy. Why,
haven't had any work TO do. / haven
made an arrest or seen any one to ar
rest OF dUNNnllS W ihAtilNAS q INV
| came to this station"
That's just the trouble" said th'
lieutenant. The patrol ~sergeants havt
been following you up on your pos
and they say you don't see half tn
things you ought to. one of the frs
things you want TO learn in this busi
ness is that a police officer has man!
duties besides arresting criminals, stop
ping fights and runaway horses
VIVA do you mean. sir?" aske'
Murphy. who was wea In the knee
from trying TO figure GU What wa
coming mex
II have here a report by one OF tn
patrol ~sergeants," said the loot tina
the street lamp in front Of 656.51S Pa
zoon street was not lighted either Mon
day or Thursday nights
Murphy's eyes stuck out.
An ! expected 10 light the stree
lamps?" he asked in a dazed sort c
way.
NO" said the lieutenant, shortly
"but you are supposed TO report i'm
mediately when they are not lighted
Here" and ne took from his desk