The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-29
BAD HAMMERED POLICEMEN.
Poor Guardians OF the Peace at Imp0f.
tant Places.

To THE EDITOR OF The SuN-Sir. Some
time ago. the writer strclled along the Battery
wall and by the Barge ONCE. There were
some immigrants on the walk. which, how
ever. was In no way obstruCted. burly
policeman stood on ono side OF the way. He
had. seemingly. no good will toward the
"grsenhorns." active In deposlting their
penates as we'll as themselves in tho "mdse."
and express wagons. Before the writer had
reached the Staten Island ferry entrapoe
he heard the swish. swish" OF a rattan
As he turned he saw the policeman lay his
switch upon some immigrants. meek and
orderly in every way. We have all seen
q picture Of the Cossacks on horseback driv-
ing peasants under the lash We have all
heard OF the knout In the one case the
peasants were hostile. In the other 1t was
punishment OF criminals The immi grants,
however. were not in revolt against the Gov
eminent. nor its representative OF brute
force. At liberty to leave their own land
the Russians on the Battery were here free
men not nmenabls to punishment under
the law. Yet these men must have drawn
a conclusion under their degradation at the
policeman's hand favorable even to the des
potism OF their native land.
Again. the writer was in the Grand Central
station. man. evidently farmer, sat
man WAS talkativs and good natured; per-
haps particularly SO because after base
ball game that he had just seen he had done
a little harmless Celebrating" to aud lang
syne. The immediate reason of his happi-
ness came about as result " ls COM
parison between the home runs L.a.t by his
Of them professional fellers' elri. 10 send
the ball clear out of sight sky,yaId The
newfangled play also, met with derision,
The simple man told all about his own skill
and that OF the country boys. All within
hearing laughed Travellers left for their
trains and all the new Corners into the station
listened to the tale iterated and reiterated.
long drawn out. AT length a policeman
caught on that there was Something a.
dom in which he had no hand The ofiicer
OF the Law ana peace sided up to the man Of
of the long ago. The pleasant tale was about
to be again unwound when the policeman
seized the entertainer OF bakers dozen
the door. and gave him kick into the street;
faces. while those accustomed TO the man
neIs Of the Officer Expressed their disgust:
handed out his ticket of admission upon the
cunard pier. The Lucanla was warpins
1T her berth Eysry1hing was quiet save
noislessly the customs, Officials were in place
and friends waved handkerchiefs There
could be no crowdlng OF one hundred or more
sands. There was space enough for any
one on the outer line TO pass through to
the front row. Suddenly the policeman
strenuous voice broke the stiffness, "Git
back from the gangway! Don't block the
wayi' He turned and showed himself,
flushed as became an exalted" servant
He saw that the passage was omen. lie al
once got in the way himself and prevented
free passage Of friend approaching friend
Two. apparently mother and son long sepa-
ated, must hurry their greetings The
fellows whole manner was insolent in the
extreme.
=, 4 friend Of passen ger In waiting said that
the policeman was determined TO prove him
self to the Storage listening from the lower
deck that the one time immigrant, ike each
Of them was now a bigger man than any OF
the 6rst cabin passengers. He was the boss
Men and women who would not hire him
as a servant must listen 10 his orders, al
though without meaning
policemen at three important points What
the poor immigrants thought We may ina gna
II Ia certain that NOT one OF the men and
women Of culture on the Cunard pier would
tolerate the policemans impertinence on The
part Of the lowest Of their servants Maybe
the policemen on the Battery and within Tie
Grand Central sta ton now exercise in patrol
The third one yet holds the gateway OF
Pier 81 4. d.
OoT. 70, 1908