The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-12
CAUGHT OFF POST BY BURGLAR.
More Thrills I'm This Than in Every
day Detection by a ROundsman.
From the New York Post.

More Thrills I'm This Than In Every
day Detection by a ROundsman.
From the New York Post.
Caught off post by the roundsman has
always been a serious matter for mem
Der of the metropolitan police force, even
in these days of decentralization; but the
news-reading public generally hears little
or nothing of the patrolman's side of this
story, and he is lucky if his fine in days
pay is small. Occasionally, also, the ex-
perience is complicated by other difficult
ties, and of these, one Of the oldest was
that which happened to Detective Ser
geant Evanhoe, in the early days OF his
service, when he was pounding the pave
ment' in the lowest rank. This is his
story:
I'm November, 1879, had an experience
that caused me to look in the glass the
next day to see If my hair had turned
gray. You see, it was this way: The
building which stands on the southwest
corner of Spring and Greene street had
just been put up but wasn't done. had
Spring street for post. 1t was after
IL o'clock at night. and was taken sick,
but 1 did not want tq report at the sta
tion-house, because the weather was quite
severe, and being a new man, l did not
dodge police duty. l stood under an
awning of a grocery store opposite, when
Officer Sheridan, who had Greene street
for a post, came along. | told him how
bad l felt, and he wanted me to report
sick, but 1 said No, and he told me,
Well, | have a key of a silk-house on my
post, and after you see the roundsman
and sergeant, you can go in and lay down
a little while 1 corked it off there many
fall hat n
morning gave me the key, and they have
a nice lounge in the rear office. | Will
keep a sharp lookout, and II anything
turns up I'll tip you off,
IT saw the sergeant and roundsman go
by. and then Sheridan took me to the
silk-house, just two or three doors be-
low the new building. He 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 fun of sporting-houses
at that time. Nobody could have that
post only a pet of the captains
II marched in, for there was plenty OF
light from a gas-jet in the rear. sure
enough. there was the lounge. l took on
my club and belt and laid my revolver
ALONGSIDE
@rhe safes were in the same room where
| Law. 1 don't know how long lay there
before fell off in a doze. Then l woke
up and there was man stand
ing in the door, reaching for my revolver.
I Law still, mighty scared. How long
he was there before he made up his mind
TO take the revolver. l don't know; but
as soon as he got it he started off. lay
there, unable to move, and finally heard
footsteps running up the stairs / thought
of everything l knew If l gave chase
would be IT. for / had no gun. could
not get out in the street, because / had
no key. IL / raised an alarm, ! could
not explain my presence there, but 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 / wished he hadn't. His
KEY turning I'm the lock was the most
welcome noise l ever heard. You talk
about the sigh of relief that the jail
bird draws after doing a ten-spot. That
was not deuce-high compared with my
feelings But / said nothing 20 Sheri-
dan ] had good reason 70 believe that
the man who took my revolver land me
looking at HIM was burglar, and he
was IN a house where my friend and
brother oficer had the key. How % IN
form MIN Of IL without telling him me
whole story-thBt kept me sweating Pin
ally. / made up BY mind and walked back
90 Greene street ana raped. sheffdan
came down and ! told him thot while ]
was standing on the corner " Wooster
and spn lg streets ! had seen a mao who
nuat haYt some in that new building.
I'VE rappfd Tor several other onlcerF
And VfLt fhnough the building 10 tie