The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-11-17
VALUE OF POLICEMEN
Their Lot Not a Happy One Their
Services Not Appreciated.
THE DANGERS THAT SURROUND THEM
Letter From One Who Has Been In the Service
Many Years.

Washington. D. G., Nov llth. 1906.
To The Free Lanre
Having been member oi the Metro
politan Police Department for about
fifteen years. ! have noticed Tor som'
time pa-t several tragic Illustrations O
abuse To policemen. and lrrllng that an
injustice has hccldDnein many Instances
request sufficient space IN your most
valuable paper for discussion oi the
matter.
II NAV make little difference with the
farm house whether its doors open out
ward or inward. whether there be- "a lad
der reaching 10 It's secOnd-stOry window
or not. Int th- fearful catastrop' which
on December 3l-t. 1903. filed Chicago
with gloom. where the lives ui 600 uu-
fortunates were sacrificed, Atte~t- the
facts that doors opening outward. fire
escapes reaching To- the ground and other
facilitlrs for escaping from n burning
building are her. e-srutial
Asyou stand beneath the awful shadow
Of the lroquoi- disaster. think for ~ mo-
mrnt how much it would have meant to
the city of Chicago il all reasonable pre-
cautions against tire had been prescribed
10y State legislation and enforced 10y mu-
nicipal officials.
Vain j. il % trust each individual to
impose ON himself the needed restraints
Many ar ignorant of their necessity,
many Indifferent To them. only the
strong arms oi municipal law can ~ecurr
protection to all against the Ignorance
or Indifference Of these lndiS iduals
The next hat needs attention. On the
afternoon of October 2lst. 1904. at ST
Louis. Mo "A catastrophe took place
Whi-h should b.. commented npuu.
The tragic event by which the lives of
three brave mcn-Johu j. Shea. Ihos. !.
Dwyer aud jas Met t'lu-ky ky-werr ended
east considerable gloom over our great
city ON account of the manner In which
the sad occurrence happened. These men
III. d in the performance OF their duty, in
yindicating the majesty of the law.
The preservation OF the social order l.
necr-sary for the maintenance OF society.
A. long a. the nation exists eviidoer-
will be found 100 every community. aud
consequently laws are enacted aud en-
forced for the protection of peoples lives
and prop,rty and punishment OF law
breakers.
An officer, when he dies in the perform
ance of his duty i-a martyr To the sacred
trust conilded in him by the State and
the power welded by the same Hence,
10 il that the brave acts ol men in laying
down their lives in the iuliillment of a
public duty have been Justly applGuded
by the world.
We honor thc soldier who dies on the
battlefield for his country and his coun-
try honor~ his memory. We also honor
the man who dies protecting society, iCr
society il benefited by his heroism and
deeply indebted to him for the noble de-
tense made in it, behalf Their lives were
lives ui sacrifice.
When they went % perform their peril
ous duty they did not stand back and
SAY they would not 20. Duty told them
to- 20. and they went. even To death.
They were prepared 10 DO their duty even
If il meant death. They were bathed in
their hearts own blood in the perform
ance of their duty. They were truly
noble and great men. Altogether these
brave and true men have shown our
community such a bright principle that
their memory will be- forever hOnOred.
1t was the most disastrous happening
OF our police affairs, and ~ usual, some
OF the very best men turned up among
the victims. That the detectives died
gallantly need not be- repeated. Ii was
considered terrible bereavement. n
matter Of municipal mourning.
The funeral oi the dead heroes was
made the occasion Of "A public demon
stration, participated in by all Of the
best citizen Of st Louis. Mo. which was
at once a mark OF respect 10 the deceased
and a general testimonial held towards
the faithful and efficient guardians oi
peace. property and life. II should not
be forgotten that these men died in
struggle to save every one OF VI from the
depredations OF desperadoes, and that
through similar struggles OF these and
other brave officers Of the law. st. Louis
was kept entirely free from such scOun-
drels during the worlds fair period,
when it had been prOphesied that they
would be over run by outlaws.
The detectives in question met their
late in heroic combat with gang OF
who had invaded st. Louis
for the purpose OF robbery and murder,
il necessary. The detection and practi-
cal destrustion of this gang OF cut
throats would serve a. a warning to
hundreds of other such scoundrels that
will keep our cities clear of them.
Not only st. Louis, but every large
city is n debtor to the brave men who
sacrificed the lives in performing their
periIous duty, and their actions and con
duet should be forever Landed.
THE AUTSED POLICEMAN