New-York tribune., 1901-08-29
HONI SOFT QUI VA 7 PENSE.

Police Captain Hardy, who rules over New
town, Maspeth and way stations, Is good man,
and we think owe him some reparation for
the reprehenslhle conduct of one of our reporters
who in excess OF zeal has risked bringing the
blush of shame to his maiden innocence. We
always like to stand by our reporters, but we
do not mean them to contaminate the virtuous
or under any pretext introduce the unsophisti-
Gated TO knowledge of vice and crime. Hap
PLY the reporter in question, though he did
force shameful things upon the eyes of this
officer. did not succeed in demOralizing him; for
so great is his innocence and so pure his mind
that he sees no evil in what might offend more
worldly natures "Honi soft qui nal pense
is his motto
Our reporter went down to Maspeth the other
day and found two poolrooms in full blast and
people going in and out in masses. like the
crowds thronging n circus tent. They were
betting openly in plain sight from the street
and the attendants boasted that after having
been closed up for two days recently they had
been steadily running every day. The reporter
then went to Captain Hardy, who told him
there were no poolrooms at Maspeth. The
reporter said there were, and rashly and with
out regard for decency sought TO initiate the
blameless captain into the mysteries Of gam
bling by showing betting cards obtained there
True TO his motto, however, Captain Hardy did
not know betting card when he one. He
examined ii as innocently as ever one OF Edward
HIS knights looked at a garter, said he did not
know what ii was. and the corrupting reporter
had to tell him. True, the captain did then 60
over TO Maspeth 10 what this strange thing
known as n poolroom might be; but, happy
man. 1t did him no harm. His soul is pure and
white as ever. The worldly minded reporter
was there the same day and saw the game run
ming with hundreds of men betting. but Cap
tain Hardy went in and out among them
unspotted from the world. All he saw was
two seventeen year-old boys and sweet
bucolic picnic. The mind sees what the mind
carries and in spite of the virus OF the reporters
inocuIation Captain Hardy still saw only the
blithe and innocent sights about him. The rest
he saw not. any more than big staring baby
eyes see the phenomena of n world which the
infant mind does not comprehend. Honi soft
qui NAL pense.
Can it be that this is a state oi mind, n
height of character, more common among
policemen than has been supposed We have
been blaming them for letting Vice and crime
flourish IN this city have thought them cor
rupt and conscious protectors OF evil. Possibly
they have been treated unjustly. Maybe they are
all like Captain Hardy. clothed with perfect
innocence, and so able TO 20 through vile places,
come in contact with the Vicious do them
favOrs and take their money in return, without
ever dreaming they are not in the midst of
Arcadian simplicity. Perhaps the trouble with
our police force is that from Devery down It's
members are too good TO know or think evil
How appropriate it would have been If Colonel
Murphy, when ordering those buttons had
adopted the motto, "HOni soft qui NAL penSe.
1t would also have been n graceful tribute to
Squire Croker of Vantage 10 the livery
of his servants here a symbol of the royalty Of
his adopted home