Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-11

POLICE desk sergeant comes in
Al contatct with more different speci-
Ia mems of humanity than perhaps
anv one. bartenders or ticket sellers
not excepted, and has a better knoWl-
edge of human nature than most stu
dents of sociology. In the performance
of his daily duties he has dealings
with all classes, from the ragged
'shobo" to the well dressed "best clt1-
zen." and the varied stories he is COM
PEELED to listen to range from one ex-
treme to the other.
He must be diplomat in bearing and
have the patience of Job. He must be
a quick thinker and resourceful; learn
how to greet wrathful and insulting in
quiries with polite reply and smiling
countenance and exercise good judg-
ment at all times.
The other day a close watch of the
persons making inquiries of the desk
sergeant and their conversation yield
ed the following situations:
He was tall and thin. His face was
1Inwashed and q beard of a week s
growth adorned his sun-browned feat
ures. He wore a slouch hat that once
was of grayish color, but was so
faded and soiled that it's color could
hardly be designated and his clothing
was of well-worn khaki. A faded blue
woolen shirt, open at the neck. COM
pleted his attire. He carried a roll of
blankets across his shoulders and a
bulky hunting bag hung from strap
at his left side. He slouched up to the
window and hailed the sergeant with a
"Hello, pard; want to ask you some
questions" He was told to proceed,
and began a long story of hard luck
prospecting in Nevada; of how he had
been grub staked" and was to try
so n
he had called at the station to learn
the best road to Old Grayback The
sergeant, having but slight knowledge
of the trail. referred the man to the
office of the forest rangers.
The searcher for precious metals had
hardly stepped out of the door when
a large touring car halted before the
entrance and a woman attired in a
handsome gown of silks and laces
alighted and walked majestically to
the window. The sergeant was busy at
the telephone, but the woman was in
a hurry and did not care to be kept
waiting. Without caring whether or
not she was interrupting an impor-
tant conversation she raped smartly
on the glass, and when the officer
hung up the receiver and hurried
toward her she muttered something
about the officiousness of the police.
Wants Officer Discharged
"I want to have a policeman dis
charged" she angrily exclaimed. "He
insuIted my chauffeur and do not in
tend to remain silent and allow COM
mon low-browed policeman to humil-
late an employe of mine" She stamped
her foot and glared at the guardian
of the desk as if she also desired his
position to become vacant. Just step
into the captains office and tell your
story to him." was the mild reply. HE
is the proper person to attend to that
matter" Three drunks and two sus-
poets had just been brought in, and
the wagon officer was in a hurry to
search them. have them entered on
the police blotter and placed behind
the bars so that he could answer other
calls that had come in during his alb
senee. The sergeant also was inward
ly wishing that the woman would
leave. He was greatly disappointed.
81 do not intend to about this
building looking for people," she re-
piled. ST shall tell the story to you
and then report both of you to the
governor. We were driving in Broad
way and had to stop because of
congestion of traffic at an intersect-
ing street. 1 told my driver to turn
to the left and hurry by so we could
not be delayed, and that horrid police
man stopped him and threatened to
arrest him for not keeping eff the right
side of the street. 1t was humiliating
and l want him discharged" She was
told that the officer was doing his
duty and her chauffeur was fortunate
10 escape arrest. She stalked out NUT
tering threats against the entire de-
partment.
The suspects and two of the drunks
had been searched, booked and locked
up and the last of the drunks had
been brought forward. AS the wagon
man was searching the wobbly one the
sergeant asked the prisoner his name.
"Me nemesh SmZzZz-z-Z-Z," he replied,
winding up in an unintelligible utter
ance. After much perseverance it was
finally learned that the prisoner an
swered to the name of Smith.
The next visitor was a flashily
dressed woman. She wanted to know
why her son, aged 12, had been arrest
ed for stealing a worthless bicycle from
a messenger boy. After expressing her
opinion of the entire police system she
flounced out, declaring she would pre-
fer to live in Turkey.
A young negro hurried to the win
dow and wanted to know why his
brother had been arrested. "Ah see in