River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-10-04

in that atmosphere Of laWlessneSs
where youths develop early, and they
not only led the younger. ones in a sort
of general rebellion against law and
order, but they were personally guilty
of many troublesome and occasionally
costly depredations. Naturally, they
made life burden to Policeman Flynn.
They played tricks on him, they got up
mock fights to fool him, they jeered
at him, and finally they began TO
amuse themselves by throwing stones
at him whenever they could do SO with
reasonable safety. He knew that they
were responsible for the minor crimes
OF which complaint was frequent
made, but he lacked evidence, and 1t
was not until he had narrowly es-
capped being Drained by half Dlick
that he finally took two of the ring
leaders to the station.
Whats the charger" asked the po-
lice magistrate the next morning.
"M-m-m, well, they S a bad lot, an
they was heayin' r-rocks at me-" an
swered Policeman Flynn.
did they hit you?" demanded the
MAGISTRATE. And when the policeman
admitted that he had succeeded in
lodging the missile, the magistrate
added: "Oh, well, boys will be Toys,
and we mustn't be too hard on them.
II they ID hit you it would be different.
Discharged"
LUX at that, now" commented PO-
liceman Flynn. "A big chunk Nv a
brick come fright FIR me head, an
duck, an that let's thin go free. T
was FIR me, / suppose, to ha-aye me
head shplit open f'r to ma-alle case.
Ohio! t is fine thing, is tn la-aw iy
til magistrates. 'Ha-ave We ye-er
head with ye?' says his honor. I
ha-aye,' says I. 'Ye ha-aye no business
to- says he; an thin he says, This
day-findent is discharged FIR tn rea-
son that Officer Flynn comes into coort
with his head on, thereby vi'latin' tn
la-aw.' I'd like to ha-aye ton iv
that la-aw FIR to thrown in tn river.
Ye've got to ha-ave tn. Evidence. a
ca-art load iv it. IT is like this: A fell
~ comes cr-reepin' up behind ma-an
with a knife in his ha-and. IT is me
juty,' says | to mesilf, FIR TO artist
him. WATT says tn la-aw to me, 'f'r
he'll kill tn ma-an, an thin yen
ha-ave a good case Ohio! t is a
great thing to know tn law
Fortunately, however, these remarks
were not made in the hearing OF the
court, and Policeman Flynn returned
to his beat. Naturally, his troubles
were not lessened by his failure to Sc
cure a conviction, for the gang became
holder and more demonstratiye than
ever. But the policeman patiently
awaited his opportunity, and before
long he had the same two in custody
again, with what he believed 20 be a
good case against them.
''T was like this" he explained in
court the following days. 9Th door iy
tn grocery is open, an tn two pris'-
ners is r-runnin' AWAY l SoIlies
thin an shtumbles over a ham, which
they dropped
did you see them drop IT." asked
the boys lawyer.
Nv coorse not answered Policeman
Flynn, ''but { IS not to be supposed
tn ham wa-alked down tn alley be it,
silf. They s lot iv fruit, too, leadin'
all tn wa-ay to where TIL byes is
grounded UP, an they ha-ave pocket
full Nv cl1a-aIlge taken from tn till"
How do You know it was taken
from tn till?" demanded the lawyer.
Because It's not in tn till cow"
replied Policeman Flynn.
''oh. we'll" said the judge. at the
conclusion Of the hearing, there is
nothing to show that they are the ones
who dropped the ham and the fruit,
and they give a very plausible expla-
nation OF the possession or so much
small change. The evidence is purely
circumstantial. and to send them up
would be only to start them on the
downward path. I'll give them another
chance"
sta art thin down be sindin' thin
up muttered Policeman Flynn to him.
self, as he left the courtroom .'Oho!
t is a luminous ma-an tn Judge is.
IT is sha-ame he s not editin' conf
ic pa-aper, it is that. Sta-art thin!
Why, t is thin same la-ads that's
r-ridin' tandim bi-sickle on tn
downward pa-ath now with tn brake
! Dr-roke."