The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-07-09

ARRESTS A
Pol IC- MAN
(speeial 10 me- T1MEs.l

/
Indiana Harbor, Ind, July 9. - Ed
Shields, assistant chief of police of the
Inland steel plants private police
force, was arrested night before last
| because he refused TO disobey the
company's order and allow Constable
Reeves, one of Charles Miller's depu-
ties, to go through the plant alone in
search of a man for whom Reeves had
a warrant.
Shields trial had been set for yes
terday morning in Judge George Reil-
and's court, but was postponed until
| today
Reeves arrived at the Inland before
Assistant Chief Shields, who is on
nights, was on duty. His superior Of
| ficer, Alfred Nelson. was in the office,
and he accommodated the constable
with a policeman to guide him through
the mill and assist him in every way
| to find the man he sought, in accord
ance with the usual custom in such
matters. After spending an unsuceess-
full hour looking for his man, the con
stable and policeman returned to the
office. In the meantime Chief Nelson
! had gone off duty and Assis tant Chief
| Shields had come on in his stead
Reeves demanded to be given another
! officer to show him over the plant. but
as there was none available just then.
Shields requested the constable to re-
turn in the morning, when he would
be glen man to show him over the
plant. Reeves refused to do this. de-
claring he would go over the plant
alone unless guide was provided at
once. Shields would not permit this.
and there was no guide Forthcoming.
so Reeves went back to town. swore out
a warrant for Shields arrest and came
back and served the paper himself.
Hearing Today.
Judge George IRELAND was called
down to the police station, and as
Shields was not ready for a hearing. a
bond Of 800 in cash was demanded.
Chief Higgins was finally sent for and
vouched for the prisoner. who was
then released. A hearing will be had
today
1t is not generally known that a
police department sufficient to patrol
quite a good-sized town is employed
at all of the big steel plants At the
inland mill the department embraces
fourteen men, including the chief and
his assistant. Half the force is on
nights and the other half days Dur
Ing each shift three of the men are de-
tailed on the blast furnace side of the
plant and three on the mill side and
the officers report by phone at stated
periods throughout the day and night,
as do ptrolmen on a municipal police
force. They are invested with the
same powers as those of a deputy con-
stable and their chief duty is to pre-
vent thievery and trespassing. Of
course in case of any disturbance of a
not too serious nature, such as a fight
among the hands, or a small riot they
are called upon to queIl. but in case of
desperate trouble such as a strike is
liable to bring on. the city is called
upon to render aid, the municipal po-
lice force being clothed with greater
authority than that Of a private cor
poration.
Fire Department Larger
The fire department of a big plant
like the Inland is even larger than its
police force. The Inland maintains a
force of thirty-six men beside Chief
Robert Stevenson and Assistant Chief
H. c. Rutledge, whose duty it is to do
nothing but drill and be on hand in
caseo ia fire. The men exemplify the
class Of whom 1t has been said they
also serve who only stand and wait"
The men are divided into three com
panies and a night and day shift. They
practice frequently and a few days ago
made their record run in response to a
false alar mturned in from the main
office. the entire force of three COM
panies being on the spot exactly one
minute after the alarm was turned in
Each compay is provided with hose
cart and hook and ladder equipment
but no engines are required, as the
pressure maintained AT the I1lopdt.
water works is considerably higher
than is that of the city, and an en-
CINE is not required in order to get up
good force.
mm - m