New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-16
BRIDGE HOGS PENNED
Extra Police Straighten Out Dis
orderly hob on Platforms.

Smarting under urgent orders from Commits
sioner Bingham, Captain Brophy, in charge Of
the Brooklyn Bridge police. was working hard
during the rush hour last night TO mitigate the
nightly spectacle of men and women belng
thrown around like chips in a whirlpool IN thelr
effort TO get cars for Brooklyn. AS result OF
his efforts. aided by some fifty extra men IN
uniform and in plain clothes. conditions were
somewhat better although the crush was still
so great that women had their clothing torn
and were taken off their feet, and in some cases
were carried bodily into the by the surging
mob The fifty new men still green to the
work but Captain Brophy expects that thege
will be a great Iessenng of the disorder when
they get broken in.
For some months the force of policemen at
the Manhattan terminal CT the bridge has been
increased from the fifteen who are there at
Other hours of the day to thirty from 4:3O to
IN m Commissioner Bingham ordered TINS ue-
tail increased Saturday. and last night twenty
additional patrolmen reported for duty under
canfain Rrophy This made fifty men in uni
form in charge of the captain. Sergeant O'Dono-
hue and three roundsmen. In addition there
was a force of some thirty detectives, dra1leo
from the various precincts and from headquar-
tiers These men, who were commanded py d
sergeant in plain clothes, had special lnstruc-
lions 10 look out for ''pinchers'' and other men
mingIing in the crowds and insulting women.
Commissioner Bingham has said that TINS
work. which has made women actually afraid to
go over the bridge at night, must be stopped
He also gave orders that the hog the man
who rushes through the crowd elboWlng ana
butting into everybody in his way must De
taught a lesson. In order to be prepared for this
work the patrolmen were ordered to carry their
nightsticks but when they reached the bridge
it was decided that the sticks should not be
used for fear that riot might be started. ana
they were taken from the men and stored in the
telephone booth.
The eighty policemen and detectives were so
spread out that every point in the terminal was
covered. Special attention was paid to dlrect-
ing the streams of humanity so that they would
conflict little as possible. Iney were AIleu
up at the loops in such way that the car
hog was nipped and stopped before he hao
gone a foot on his mad rush
On the platforms of the bridge cars upstairs
there were so many policemen that there was
one at the entrances to every car as 1t reached
the platform. The rush for the cars was Sc
fierce that in some cases II carried the ponce
men off their feet. but as a whole their work
was as effective as could be expected
The detectives were active ana warned d num-
Der Of men who appeared to be annoying women.
Among the arrests made was that or a young
fellow in sweater. who moved up and down
the platform looking for good looking women
to annoy. Detectives O'Farren and Creamer
watched the man for some time. t1nany' they
Green. of No 223 Ross-st., Brooklyn She
turned and started TO strike her annoyer when
they nabbed him. She did not want to make
complaint, but finally consented to do so IN
order that she might assist in breaking up the
annoyance at the bridge.
At the Oak-st. station the prisoner gave the
name Of Joseph B. Robinson, and said he was
an electrician one of the cruisers at the navy
vard He will be arraigned in the Centre-st-
court this morning There were several other
arrests and Commissioner Bingham says that
the arrests will continue until the bridge IS Tree
from crooks and loaferS.