The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-30

watch" with Jeff Springsteen in charge.
He was captain of the watch in 1854 and '55.
Captain Springsteen was followed by
Charles j. Warner, A. d. Rose, Samuel Le-
fever. Thomas A. Ramsey John R. Cotton,
David Powell, Jesse M. Van Blaricum, Tom
Wilson and Henry Paul, in the order
named. Paul served in 1871 At this time
there were thirty policemen.
Hannibal Taffe, father of the present
superintendent and George Taffe, an uncle
were both on the police force about this
time. The former was superintendent for
eighteen years. The early history of the
department is not clearly known, but in
1866 Sam Cramer was at the head of the
force and the prisoners were kept in the
county Jail, which at that time stood in the
northeast corner OF the courthouse yard
From II to "a Eli Thompson was superin-
tendent. being succeeded by Frank Wilson,
who is now humane officer. In these early
days the work of the force was heavy and
the men experienced some hard knocks. as
there was bad gang of toughs infesting
the city. Indianapolis was much smaller
than now, the north district ending at old
Tinker street, which is now Sixteenth.
AN UNDESIRABLE CLASS.
Indianapolis was having its first boom in
the early part of 1870 and a number of fac
tories brought an undesirable class, which
made it difficult for the police. The old
police station was built in 1870 and Superin-
tendent Tafre entered the service the fol-
lowing year on June 3 as turnkey He has
been connected with the force continuous
ly since then. There was no patrol wagon
quently have to be beaten from the time
they were arrested until they were landed
at the station. The work of the police
men was very hard and the men always
carried signs of their positions besides
star in the way of black eyes. Many funny
things happened and often an express
wagon or other vehicle would be improvised
into a patrol wagon to take prisoners to the
station. There were times when even a
wheel barrow, pushed by a big officer of
the law. would be the means of transport
ing some old woman who had imbibed
too freely.
The old metropolitan system was in vogue
for number of years. AT that time there
were three police commissioners. who were
appointed by the Governor, secretary of
state, treasurer of state and auditor The
first men TO serve in that capacity were
John w. Murphy, Volney L. Malott and
John p. Frenzel. Major Robbins was SUI
perintendent at that time. The boundary
of Indianapolis had been expanded some
What was then Seventh street was the
north boundary and the west district ex-
tended TO the river, while the south went
To Arizona street and the east TO State.
About 1883 the first growth of the de-
partment was noticed, although it was
very small. The system of appointing the
superintendent was changed under new
law. The police commissioners were ap-
pointed by the city Council and mayor. who
was member of that body exofficio. The
members of the commission were taken
from among the Council. 1t was about this
time i'm the history of the department that
Gen. Dan MacCauley. brother of Barney
MacCauley, the actor. was at the head of
the police force. AS telephones had been
introduced in this city in 1876. the work
of the force improved and some good re-
suits were attained during the adminstra-
ton OF General MacCauley. The advent of
a patrol wagon, known as the BLACK
Maria was I'm 1890 and this made 1t much
easier for the men and gave better protec-
ton.
AN AMUSING INCIDENT
Ii was in 1887 that the most amusing thing
in the history or the police force occurred,