The sun., 1908-05-12
JOHNNY TIE COPS star PLAY
II-YEAR-OLD PRODIGY CATCHES
THREE BOY BURGLARS

Out PatrOlllng He Was as Usual When Tie
saw Fin Climbing and FOllOWed AlOnE
They We're LuEgInE on Some Lead
Pipe When Johnny Helped Arrest Them
Johnny o 'Brien isn't a regular cop. because
he Is only II years old. but just the same
you won't find kid in Cherry Hill who
won't take on his cap 10 him. They all
call him Johnny the cop he has been so
known since he was crawling tyke and
first attached himself to the Oak street po-
lice station You see, Johnny was born in
that big tenement next door to the station
house, and he always has had the run Of 1t
In spite Of the orders that came from Head
quarters about citizens being barred unless
on Official business
Johnny knows 80 many young cops who
haven't got half the time In that he has
that he feels like a veteran. But while he
has turned out with all the platoOns and
patrolled every post in the precinct all these
years. it wasn't until last night that he did
his first real piece Of police work. Johnny
caused the capture Of four boys who broke
into an unoccuped building on Clin street
and cut several hundred dollars worth Of
lead pipe, and after the prisoners were
held on a charge Of burglary by Lieut..
Bull Mccarthy the kid cop was the happiest
midget in the land.
Johnny the cop turned out with the
O'Clock platoon last evening aud started'to
patrol with Policeman Thornton, After
going over Post together. Thornton and
Johnny split up, the big cop taking one
end and Johnny the other Along about
O'Clock Johnny saw boy climb up pillar
supporting the new roadway extension Of
the Brooklyn Bridge and scramble to the
roof Of building ON Cliff street. He
watched the climber, who WIS big chap
walk over the rooftops and disappear
when he came to lOl. which is a building
that has been vacant for several months.
Something told Johnny maybe il was his
police instinct that his chance had come
SO he peered through the dirt covered win
dows and saw two lads cutting away at lead
ripe, while a third was carrying IL to the
front of the building near the door Johnny
recognized the culpHts az members Of the
notorious Cherry Hill Juniors who had been
In trouble before. He raced around in
search Of his partner. Thornton, but the big
cop was busy elsewhere with a growler
gang, and Johnny legged II to the station
house and yelled TO Bull Mccarthy:
'Dere's t'ieves down in ChH street Toin
out de resolves afore dey gifts away"
Bull sent Detective Kennedy along with
Johnny the Cop, and on the way they were
REINFORCED by Thornton. When they
reached the Cliff street building the Cherry
Hill Juniors had sure enough sacked the
place. All the lead pipe in the building
had been cut and was piled up on a wheel
barrow in front Of the door and the four
bolglB were just preparing to cart II away
They we're quickly arrested, with the as
sistance OF Johnny the Cop, andaTaigned
at the Oak stteet station on charge OF
burglary.
Eddie Morgan, "A years old, Of 2oS Broad
way, whose father Il ianitor Of the building
at that address, broke down and confessed
when put through the third degree and
told on the whole bunch. The other pHs-
oners were Tom Hickey, IA, OF 1874 Bridge
Gang; Bill Cook, 49, and Willie Edwards, IA. |
who said they were newsboys.
When Bull Mccarthy asked Hickey II
he ever had been arrested before, Tom, who
roosts much in Hogan's Alley, replied Go
chase yersef an find out. got a record,
but yuh kin go an look h up
The four culpnts were sent TO the Chill
dren's Society rooms and Bull made a
speech from the desk commanding Johnny
the cop and promising 20 have him men
toned in special orders with view to re-
oeiying honorable mention and a medal
But walt till we gifts out. Hickey sneered !
AN dat Johnny de cop1l git all dat 8 comm
G him an little bit more