The Washington herald., 1909-03-01

Detroit Mich, Feb. 2S--Any time yOu
want to accumulate a surfeit Of thrills
IN record-breaking time hire cut as a
special officer for any OF the railroads
running into Detroit You'll get those
thrills in rapid-fire order. literally as well
as figuratively, for they come SO close
together one treads on the other.
The special officer is little known
and much misunderstood mortal; that is,
50 far as the general public is concerned
To the average man he is the persoHif-
cation of brutality, a hireling proud OF his
authority, quick 10 show the badge that
proclaims him a fly cop. and always
. on the lookout for trouble. When yo0
get 10 know MIN you learn that good
red blood courses through his veins, that
he is a human being, swayed by the
same impulses that guide mankind in
general, and that, as q rule, he IS far
better than most men would be under
Ike conditions. There IS no streak Of
yellow in his makeup. II there were he
wouldn't be proWlinE around through
railroad yards al al hours OF the night.
watching for thieves. running chances OF
having pot shots taken at him by those
whose operations he interrupts
There are quarters in which the special
officer is known and understood Go Up
around Milwaukee Junction and mention
the name OF a special and you can find
scores Of men and boys, and women, too.
who viii provide him with a pedigree
.hst is not included in carefully COM
piled birth records. co down along
Franklin street and you viii find the
hoodIums who make their headquarters
n the tough saloons and prey upon the
railroads are ready TO give him the same
sort OF send-oh. Out on the west side,
where great railroad yards are located
Vou viii discover the same love for the
sDecial officer that prevails elsewhere
Reason for Hatred.
The reason for this hatred lies in the
snmity existing between those who would
rob the railroads and the men charged
with the work OF suppressing them. The
thugs-for they seldom fight singly-who
succeed IN beating up special officer are
regarded as heroes in the circles in which
they move. Incidentally. II might be
mentioned 70 the credit Of the officers
that heroes who win fame in this manner
are few and far between. for the would
be eIminatOr usually comes 70 grief.
Before his downfall IS complete. how
ever, there are certain TO be doings.
Only a few nights ago Special Officer
John Woznack was walking along
through the Grand Trunk yards al the
foot OF Hastings street when he came
upon four fellows unloading coal from
a car. He ordered them 70 stop, bVt
with a vOlley OF OathS they started for
him.
What happened in the next few min
Utes would be a plenty for the average
mortal. Woznack succeeded in getting
hold Of cne Of the thieves and beating
the others of. The trio disappeared IN
the darkness, and almost before they
were out Of sight had returned with a
dozen other members Of the gang
Sticks. stones. and chunks Of coal began
coming WoznaCks way too fast for CON-
fort Showing his prisoner in front hs
used him as a shield until the fellow
begged for mercy Then the band exc
cuted flank movement, continuing the
bOmbardment. and after fighting his way
a half block further toward a patrol
box. the officer drew his revolver.
Run. feIlers, he's got a gat" shouted
the prisoner
They didn't. Instead they closed IN,
and before the patrol wagon arrived IL
was necessary for the officer. bruised
and all but exhaused. 70 FIRE several
shots IN the air
1t was only one incident in the lives OF
the two score men who patrol the local
railroad yards, mild when compared with
what some OF them have gone through.
Perhaps one Of the most unusual and At
the same time thrilling experiences be-
longs 20 James T. Foley. special agent
for the Grand Trunk Railroad. Il vas
during the coal famine some years ago
that Foley, coming home from Chicago.
dropped of at Milwaukee Junction ard
was informed that trouble was brewing
2 short distance south. Fastening 70 the
spot. he found one OF his assistants
guarding several box cars flied with hard
coal, while a group Of men surveyed the
prospect from a distance.
Assault of Thieves.
Dispatching his assistant for help. Fo-
ley remained 10 await Developments Il
wasn't long wait In groups OF two
and three. each man carrying a sack.
The invaders started across the tracks
Foley ordered them OF. but they went on
When the men were within q feu, yards
be drew his blackjack and charged them
single handed. They retreated peH nell,
but after a council Of war again ad-
vanced IN close formation. arms swing
ing. feet moving with military precision.
Selecting a man who seemed 10 be the
Tingleader, Foley made another rush, and
again the invaders fed precipitately. All
o t.
u was now nearly noon For The third
time the desperate thieves began the as-
saulL but this time changed their tac-
tics. Advancing until within fftv wards
Of where Foley was waiting their COM
ing. they took shelter behind a board
fence surrounding q factory Then five
OF them drew revolvers and deliberately
taking aim. began firing al their Intended
victim
I VAS too mad 20 be frightened" ." said
Foley. recounting the experiensa. 30 iust
stood there. half wondering where was
going 10 get mine, and more than half in
elined 10 charge the bunch. They were
near enough 50 7 could see those fellows
shut one eye 70 aim. Backed up against
a box car, I made good target. but they
we're bum msrksmen. The bullets nar-
tered all around me; and one came 81
close I reached up. thinking L had
pierced my ear They emptiei thcse
three revoivers. firing fifteen shots With
out hitting me. 1 had my own Colt in
my pocket. but knew II I Used that 7
would kin somebody, and it might not
be the fellows who were trying to put me
ont Of business
Soon after the bombardmeut - asad Off
GERS arrived on the scene, and a few
hours later seven Of The ringleaders had
been placed under arrest and 'he three
revolvers confiscated
The car breaker is a coward AT heart.
afraid 10 fight fair. vet ever ready 10
AlvIayS the Same.
I'll