The Greeley tribune., 1910-07-28
A JOB FOR MIR. LACE

A JOB FOR MIR. LACE
II Just wish / was marshal of this
town.
So spoke Rev. j. ]. Lace from the
Methodist pulpit on last Sunday.
So have spoken others at divers
times and places.
Very well, Mr.. Lace. The Trib-
une, after conference with several
members of the city council. Is pleas
ed to tell you that your application
for a position on Greeley's police
force. which is really requisite to
the appointment of city marshal,
will be seriously considered by that
body In other words, the Tribune
is practically in position to give your
wish fulfillment. AS policeman you
will be assigned to night beat. You
will report for duty at 6 O'Clock in
the evening, get your instructions
from your superior officer, and walk
Greeley's streets and alleys from
that hour till in the morning,
when you will be relieved by the
day man. While on duty you will
keep a close lookout for crooks. size
up the drunks and see who are just
drunk enough to send home and
who are drunk enough to go to the
cooler. You will use judgment as to
all suspicious characters, distin-
gushing closely between the crimi-
nally unfortunate and the willful
wrongdoer. You will realize the fine
distinction between the female char
acter who is really bad and the one
who Is just giddy. And you must
make NO mistake, Mr.. Lace. II you
do, you may blast young girls rep
utation, when just word of warn
ing might have set her Alright. And
you must distinguish between the
bootlegger who is selling whiskey
without warrant of law and the
countryman who happens to be CIV
ing friend a drink in the alley.
And when you make an arrest you
must not only be sure of the guilt
of the accused but you must be able
to furnish proof of his guilt that
would be taken by any court of law.
For every time you make 4 charge
that won't stick, your reputation and
veracity suffers, and sometimes the
mistakes of policemen are rather
expensive to the city as we'll as to
members of the force themselves
You must be able to distinguish a
poker game from a plain garrsS1,f
cribbage when the players have pur-
posely fixed things up 80 nobody but
mind reader could tell the differ
ence, and here again you must make
no mistakes. You must distinguish
between the boys who should be sent
home and the ones who are better
OF down town; between the young
couples in the park who are simply
doing bit of innocent lovemaking
rated and sent home. and those who
should be run in. And on your night
rounds you should be prepared to
meet people whose identity would
surprise you. doing things that
would not bear the light of public
prints. After a month OF this sort
of thing you will draw sixty dollars
in real money for your services.
practically the wages of a farm
hand. board considered. And you
will know more Of the seamy side
of life right here in Greeley. and of
real difficulty of always doing Just
the right thing at the right time.
without making any mistakes, than
you have learned in your forty odd
years of life in another sphere.
After a year OF this sort of thing,
during which you have demonstrat-
ed your ability to detect criminals,
catch bootleggers. keep your own
skirts free from muck, keep the city
free Of expensive damage suits, and
keep the good will Of the public
whom you serve. while at the same
time making the city safe place to
live. and practically free from ali
sorts OF vice. the city council will
come to you with open arms and
ask you to take the job of city mar
shal.
! For years the city council. the
present one and many which have
preceded 1t, have been looking for a
Sunday school superintendent or a
preacher. with the added qualifica-
tions which are necessary, who
would take the appointment of city
marshal. In other words they want
man with the personal reputation
OF Joseph, the patience OF Job,
| the wisdom of a Solomon and the
courage OF lion. Until now they
have never found him.
Mr.. Lace. will you take the Job?