The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-06
CAUGHT OFF POST BY A BURGLAR

CAUGHT OFF POST BY A BURGLAR
Caught off post by the roundsman
mas always been a serious matter for q
! member Of the metropolitan police force,
! even in these days OF Generalization; but
/ the news-TeaGing public generally hears
littioe or nothing of the patrolman's side
of the story, and he is lucky if his me
/ IN days pay is small, says the New York
| Evening Post. Occasionally, also, the
experience is complicated by other diff
eulties, and, of these, one of the oldest
was that which happened TO DETECTIVE
Sergeant Evanhoe, IN the early days Of
his service, when he was pounding the
pavement in the lowest rank. This is
| his story:
In November, 1879. had an expert
ence that caused me to look in the glass
the next day TO see if my hair had turn
cd gray. You see, IL was this way: The
building which stands on ene southwest
corner OF Spring and Greene street had
just been put up, but wasn't done. 7 had
Spring street for a post 1t was after
twelve o clock at night, and 1 was taken
SICK. but did not want to report at the
station house, because the weather was
quite severe, and being a new man, I did
not want them to think that Z wanted 10
dodge police duty. I stood under an avn
ing Of grocery store opposite, when
Officer Sheridan, who had Green street
for post, came along. I told him how
bad I felt, and he wanted me to report
sick, but I said No, and he told me,
Well, L have a key OF a siIk-hOuse on
my post, and after you see the rounds
man and sergeant, you Gan go in and lay
down a little while. l corked il off there
many time. The fellow that opens up in
the morning gave me the key, and they
have nice lounge in the rear office.
VIII keep a sharp lookout, and If any
thing turns up III tip you off.
I saw the sergeant and roundsman go
by. and then Sheridan took me to the
silH-house, just two or three doors he
low the new building. lie let me in, and
then kept the key, saying that he would
come down and let me out in an hour,
because he would know when the coast
was clear. Sheridan being friendly with
all hands, they used to stand with him
very often, because that part of Greene
street was full of sporting houses a that
time. Nobody could have that post only
a pet OF the Captains.
I marched in. for there was plenty of
light from a gas-jet in the rear. Sure
enough, there was the lounge. / took off
my club and belt and laid my revolver
alongside Of the club and belt on the
chair The safes were in the same room
where I lay. I don't know how long 1
lay there before fell Oft in a doze. Then
1 wake up, and there was man stand
ing in the door, reaching for my revolver.
[ lay still, mighty scared. How long ne
was there before he made up his mind
to take the revolver I don't know; but as
soon as he got it he started off I lay
there, unable to move, and finally / heard
footsteps running up the stairs. / thought
everything; / knew if 1 gave chase
would be it; for I had no gun. ] could
not get out in the street, because had
no key. If L raised an alarm, l could not
explain my presence there, but I was
there all right, and to stay.
Sheridan. being kind to me, gave me
an hour and a half instead of an hour,
but at that time 1 wished he hadn't. His
key turning in the lock was the most vel
come noise 1 ever heard. You talk about
the sigh of relief that the jail-bird draws
after doing ten-spot. That was not deuce
high compared with my feelings But
1 said nothing to Sheridan. Ihad good
reason to believe that the man who took
my revolver (and me looking at htrn) was
burglar, and he was in a silk house
where my friend and brother officer had
the key How to inform him of it with
out telling him the whole stOry-that kept
me sweating. Finally I made up my mind
and walked back to Greene street and
raped. Sheridan came down. and 1 told
him that while L was standing on the cor
llEI OIL W OOSleF anu spring streets LaG
seen man who must have gone in that
new building.
I'VE raped for several other officers
and went through the building to the
roof, then on to the adjoining roofs, and
when we got to the silk house we found
an aperture cut through the roof The
thieves were TOO wise to try the scut-
tie, because they figured that it would be
wired. They had made a getaway in
the building and used it. The case was
reported by Sheridan and the firm made
him a present of silk enough to make a
few silk dresses for his wife.
Now, there is something to be learned /
from this One thing is that If you hear
a burglar in the house. and you can find
voice, call to him from where you lay
to kindly shut the front door as ne goes /
out If you jump up in your excitement /
YOU win be a dead man. OF course, If It :
is your reputation he is stealing, it is |
worth while to take chance"