Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-02-19
POLICEMEN FEAR BADGE NO. ls.
Evil Fate Attends the AIan Who Wears


|
Evil Fate Attends tfle Man Who Wears
tlc Unluchy Number.
Even Chicago's fearless guardians Of
the peace are subject 10 superstition.
Brave officers grow sick at heart if a
black cat crosses their path. But there
is nothing of which policeman is more
in dread than the numbcr"13," and this
in special reference TO the star of that
number. Order him out to face a mob
Of rioters and he chcerfu!ly obeys; send
him into dark building where gang
OF desperadocs are hiding and he will
not hesitate, but offer him the Innocent
looking badge "13" and he draws back
in horror. This point is best illustrated
by the fact that the star on which that
ill-fated number is engraved reposes
most CT the time in Il drawer a the city
hall. 1t does not show much sign of
use. It was last worn by a member of
the detective force who was afterward
transferred to station in one of the
outlying precincts of the city. Since
then it has rested in q desk at police
headquarters, and it will most likely
remain there until the police force is
| SO Cl al StNl as W lliuAt ~ lItCtS-
sary to bring all the stars in use.
No officer will wear badge "13" if he
has the option of selecting any other
| Furthermore no prudent guardian of
the peace will of his own accord choose
star that in any way suggests number
"13." Multiples of that number as well
| as figures that make a total of 13 when
added together are declined with
thanks. If you see policeman with
star No. "166" or 1885" on his breast
you may set him down as a marked
man. The hand Of fate hangs over him
and he will one day be shot down in his
tracks by desperate highwayman, or
| perhaps summoned before the trial
| board for some offense of his own. At
any rate, his path is beset with difficult
ties of all kinds. The man who wears
such an ominous star either has had no
choice in the matter or he knew not
the traditions CT the police force when
he picked out that number. One of the
inspectors tells of an incident in con-
nection with star of which the last
two figures in the numerals were 13-
some such number as "2413." This
badge had been declined by several Of
ficers, but when it was offered to a
certain Inexperienced or unwise pc
liceman he declared that he was not
at all superstitious-No 13 had no ter
rors for him. Within the first month
the same individual was called before
the police trial board on two occasions.
He had challenged the evil destiny
An officer ct the Central station told
a story that should inspire any person
with proper dread of policeman's
badge No. "13." \ few years ago the
police force of Springfield. H., had as
one Of its members Il certain Officer
O'Shaughnessy, brave man with a rec
ord that anyone might be proud to pos
sess. But the ''evii eye" was upon him
he wore star No. "13." One day he
was sent out to quell disturbance in
hospital of that city. He entered the
place alone, rushed up the stairs-and
was shot dead by one of Springfield's
most prominent citizens, who was con-
fined in the hospital with delirium
tremens. After that the unlucky badge
was carefully rejected by all aspirauts
for police honors. At the present day
any visitor to the station TO which Of
ficer O'Shaughnessy belonged will see
frame containing that policeman's
picture and his star-No. "13 3."-Chi-
cago Times-Herald