The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-04-22
IN
TIGHT CORNER
HAGE Poems PRISONER IN
STEAD OF HIRING UNION
MAN, AND GRIEVANCE CON-
MITTEE MAKES 1T WARM
FOR HIM.

Over in the police station they're
having heap of fun with Patrol
man Hage. You see, he usel to be
a carpenter before he quit work
to become a policeman. A union
carpenter at that, and they do say
he could build houses as fast as the
next one-before he became a po-
liceman.
Well. he's good union man yet,
but when man dOns a copper's
uniform and gets used to nursing
bunions, cOrns and rheumatic
joints, his industry often becomes
lax and sometimes his principles
get all shot to pieces.
The fact has just become public
that Hage had a grievance commit
tee wait on him the other night.
They had a grievance, too, and the
city may also have a grievance, but
that's quite another matter. AS to
Hage, three carpenters, we won't
swear they were real carpenters
but they represented themselves to
be at any rate, tackled him.
They asked if it was not the
strong backing of their union that
got him his long vacation in brass
buttons and blue uniform.
GAY tank eet vas" lie replied.
you still keep your dues paid
up and you're still a member of our
union in good standing?"
Yah, Ay tank dos ben So
And you always hire union la
Dor, do you?"
Yah, Ay-'
Here the good natured Hage
stopped a minute, scratched his
head and flushed up.
1t seems that for the past sew
eral days Hage has been commit
ting the heinous offense of peonage.
And the peon is Alexander Knud-
son, of police court and Jail fame.
Now, when sober, which is very,
very seldom. Alexander KnudsOn is
as good a worker as there is in
town and when it comes to carpen-
| tering he can carpenter all around
Hage-since the latter Joined the
force. Before that Hage wouldn't
make that acknowledgement but
now he admits that Alexander
Knudson has him tied to a founda-
| ton.
And it isn't only Hage who has
been working Alec. You see, the
cops think it a humanitarian act
| to take Alec out to their places and
work him instead of allowing him
to carry ball and chain and make
little rocks out of big ones. Alec
can go around town and point with
pride to the houses of almost every
man on the force and say proudly
| for instance:
Dos Sergeent SOllivOn's house
Ay beelt heeem.'
Likewise he can say the same OF
den patches, and rose bushes, and
apple trees, and woodpiles.
He's got so that he SHES at g
policeman like a politician at the
campaign fund committee.
Now, to get back to our friend
Hage, as the grievance commit
tee" continued to interrogate him
Il pONtlIul lISHl pei 'hN
place where he is accustomed to dc
his thinking.
He knew that he had only JUS
paid off, Alec. He knew, too, tina
Alec wasn't a union man, TO
union men as rule get wages ant
usually dern good wages.
He was up against it.
Stern of visage ana an attentive
listener, sat Capt. COverly nearby
Around the station sat other of
ficers.
They might have needed restora
tives for Hage if Desk Sergean
Pearson had not grinned.
Then some more powerful ligh
percolated Hayes cupOla. He look
ed from one countenance to an
other. All were wreathed II
smiles. Then one snickered, ar
other laughed and the bunch join
ed in the chorus with lou
outlaws.
Hage pulled out for his beat wit
the parting shot.
GAY not so much damfool as sur
odder ones
Wonder how many other prison
ers work out part of their fines i
the private services of policemen