The San Francisco call., 1904-07-03

POuceman OCallahan was parrol-
ling Spear-street wharf about 8
o'clock yesterday morning when there
gradually came to his alert hearing
sound mingled harshly with the moo
turne murmured by the wavelets lap
ping the timbers underneath him. In
raucous and prolonged crescendo 1t
attained c sharp, camped there about
two seconds. then descended the scale
in unbroken cultural until it expired In
an abrupt sob that reminded the
listener of the dying note Of bath
tub exhaust pipe. O'Callahan traced
the discords to a cask that lay halt
buried in a heap of scrapiron, and'
with the aid of lighted match, he
found tightly wedged within the bar
rel a sleeping man.
After vainly endeavoring to awake
the snorer by kicking the barrel ana
shouting, "Getoutathere." the patrol
man thrust his right hand into the
queer resting place. grasped aluxuriant
beard and pulled and tugged with
might and main. Some whiskers
came out, but still the slumberer
awoke not, nor did the snore diminish
Then the assistance Of the wharf
watchman and an ak were procured
and by demolishing the cask the man
was finally brought to light and con-
sciousnesS.
In the corridors Of the Hall Of jus
tice yesterday morning a story was
afioat to the effect that gang OF bay
pirates had barreled a drunken man
and were proceeding to cast him into
the bay, their object being to obtain
the $40 which is paid for the recovery
of a drowned body, when their plan
was frustrated by the abrupt appear
ance of O'Callahan, who routed the
would-be assassins and rescued their
intended victim. In the court of Judge
Mogan, however, the story herein
before narrated was told by Police
man O'Callahan and corroborated In
part by the man from whom he took
the barrel and who said his name
was George Long, Of no settled occu-
patton.
How did you happen to imprison
yourself in the barrel7" the court in
Quired.
'The truth of 1t is," replied Mr..
Long, nervously toying with the por-
ton of his chin that had been de-
nuded of whiskers, that I was dead
sober when 1 entered that barrel, not
knowing that it had contained whisky.
Well, sir, so heavily were the slaves
OF that barrel saturated with booze
and so strong were the fumes there
from that the first thing 1 knew 1
knew nothing. 1 just inhaled the most
complete drunk of my career-and In
my time I've had some thorough heats
on. The whisky fumes must have
bloated me until 1 filled the barrel.
It's just a case Of plain drunk, ac-
quired in an extraordinary manner.
and 1 hope the court won't regard 1t
as anything more serious than that"
Mr.. Longs plea might have pre-
vailed If a message from the booking
department had not described him as
a confirmed opium fiend and utterly
worthless "bum," so the Judge gave
him three months.
When the police posse commanded
by Sergeant CASTOR raided the prem
ises occupied by Eugene Retuss, 765
Market street, in quest Of games and
gamesters Policeman Tillman posted
his herculean form at the door, -four
ished his trusty club and announced
that death would surely be the lot of
any inmate who attempted to escape.
So menacing was the mans appear
ance and manner that Joseph Lep-
ping, Harry Pollock, Arthur Wilson,
Edward Downey and Eugene Retuss
himself actually felt grateful to the
other policemen who placed them un-
der arrest and thus assured them of
immunity from demolition by that
terrible club.
While the defendants were not
caught In the act Of gambling the i'm
plements with which craps and other
games of chance are played were
found In the room and bore signs of
having been in very recent service.
Judge Fritz continued the cases till
July 8.
When the 1fteen-months-old babe
of Policeman Berrie and wife was in
trusted to the care OF Margaret Man
ming the parents had no misgiving, be-
cause the nurse was middle aged and
apparently of settled habits. For a
month they had no reason to suspect
that their confidence was misplaced
and even then disillusion might not
have come If payment of Mary's sal
ary had been postponed. She had
her months wages. however. when
she took the infant out I'm its buggy
for the usual afternoon airing. 1t was
evident that a considerable portion of
the money had been expended for in
toxicating drink when Patrolman
Winslow arrested her at Bryant and
Harriet streets and booked her for
cruelty to children.
''She was so drunk" said the COM
planning policeman to Judge Mogan,