The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1898-02-26
POLICEMEN FEAR BADGE NO. 10.
Evil Fnte Attends the Man Who Wears
the UnIucky Number.

Even Chicago's fearless guardians OF
the peace are subject TO superstition.
Brave officers grow sick at heart if
black cat crosses their path But there
is nothing of which policeman is more
in dread than the number "13, and this
in special reference to the star of that
number. Order him out to face q MOI
of rioters and he eheerfully obeys; send
him into a dark building where gang
of desperadoes are hiding and he will
not hesitate, but offer him the innocent
looking badge "f3' and he draws back
in horror. This point is best illustrated
by the fact that the star on which that
Inflated number is engraved reposes
most CT the time in a drawer at 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 a station in one of the
outlying precincts of the city. Since
then it has rested in a desk at police
headquarters, and it will most likely
remain there until the police force Is
so much enlarged as to make it neces-
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
a star that in any way suggests number
"13." Multiples of that number as well
as figures that make a total of ] 3 when
added together are declined with
thanks. If you see a policeman with
star No. "166" or "1525' 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 a 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 omiuous star either has had no
choice in the matter or he knew not
the traditions of the police force when
he picked out that number. One of the
inspectors tells of an incident in con-
nection with 4 star of which the last
two figures in the numerals were 10
some such number as "2413." This
badge had been declined by several of
| fieers, but when it was offered to
certain inexperienced or unwise pc
lieeman he declared that he was not
at all superstitious-No 10 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 at the Central station told
a story that should inspire any person
With a proper dread of policemans
badge No. "13." \ few years ago the
police force of Springfield, ILL.,. had as
one of its members certain Officer
O'Shaughnessy, brave man with a rec
ord that anyone might be proud TO pos
sess But the ''evil eye" was upon him
he wore star No. "13." One day he
was sent out to quell disturbance in
a hospital of that city. He entered the
place alone, rushed up the stairs-and
was shot dead by one of Springfields
most prominent citizens, who was con-
fined in the hospital with delirium
tremens. After that the unlucky badge
was carefully rejected by all aspirants
for police honors. At the present day
any visitor to the station to which Of
ficer 0'Shaughnessy belonged Will see
a frame containing that policeman'g
picture and his star-No. "13."-Ehi.
ca 90 Times Herald