Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1906-10-05

in that atmosphere of lawlessness
where youths develop early, and they
not only led the younger ones in 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 jeeIed
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 criInes
of which complaint was frequer tly
made, but he lacked evidence, and 1t
was not until he had narrowly es-
capped being Drained by half a brick
leaders to the station.
Whats the charger" asked the po-
lice magistrate the next morning.
"M-m-m, well, they s bad lot, an
they was heavin' r-rocks at me-" ar
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 boys,
and we mustn't be too hard on them.
If they d hit you 1t would be different.
Discharged"
LUX at that. now," commented Po-
liceman Flynn. "A big chunk iv a
brick come Fright f'r me head, an
duck, an that let's thin go free. IT
was f'r me, l suppose, to ha-ave me
head shplit open f'r to ma-ake a case
Ohio! t is a fine thing, is tn la-aw iv
tn magistrates. Ha-ave ye ye-er
head with YEP says his honor. L
ha-ave,' says |. 'Ye ha-ave 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 vilatin' tn
la-aw.' I'd like to ha-ave ton iv
that la-aw f'r 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
ly comes cr-reepin' up behind ma-an
with knife in his ha-and. IT is me
juty,' says 1 to mesilf, FIR to artist
him. Wait says tn la-aw to me, 'f'r
he'll kill tn ma-an, an thin ye'll
ha-ave a good case Ohio! t is a
gr-reat 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
bolder and more demonstrative than
ever. But the policeman patiently
awaited his opportunity. and before
long he had the same two in custody
again. with what he believed to be a
good case against them.
"'T was like this" he explained in
court the following days. 'Th' door iv
tn grocery is open, an tn two pris'-
ners is r-runnin' awa-ay foilies
thin an shtumbles over ham, which
they dr-ropped."
did you see them drop it?" asked
the boys lawyer.
"Iv coorse not" answered Policeman
Flynn, but t 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 tn byes is
grounded up, an they ha-ave pocket
ful iy cha-ange taken from tn TILL"
"How do you know 1t was taken
from tn till?" demanded the lawyer.
Because It's not in tn till Eow,"
replied Policeman Flynn.
"oh, well,' said the judge. at the
conclusion of the hearing. there is
nothing to show that they are the.ones
who dropped the ham and tho fruit,
and they give . very plausible expla-